Bottoming out?

[awdark]

I'm not sure if this is what bottoming out is considered.. but whenever there is any major+fast weight transition such as during hard braking or sharp turning, it goes "bang" and feels likes like the springs completely compressed and let the chassis slam into something and it handles like crap.

Totally stock, original 175/45/13 or something tires, not dropped. The suspension seems fine in that if I run over something, it only bounces once and stabilizes after the rebound but I'll pay more attention to that today.

[88CorollaFX]

I have the same thing happen with my AE82 FX on a regular basis. It's the shocks. Change the shocks out, and you should be aight. I figured that because it wasn't that harsh over speed bumps and stuff that it couldn't be the shocks, but the extreme roll in the car causing the car to scrape or bottom out on even the front of the car during turning means that the shocks are gone. Change the shocks and you should be good.

[bob022004]

Mine's pretty bad about it too. struts are toasted. nothing left in 'em. just gotta watch the bumps until you can swap 'em out or you're gonna really crack an upper strut mount.

[REN69]

Look for any oil or grease residue on the shock itself.. that could mean they're done for.. if they're gas charged, the only way to tell would be the bounce test.

[89TCGTS]

it might be your tires hitting the wheel well......i don't know if you have big tires but i know on my brothers old 91 ford probe when he had more than 3 people in it his tires would hit the wheel wells, and it would sound like a "bang"

[karugs]

Many factors may affect this. One will certainly be consistent. But if you drive the car wildly, if you take corners like a madman, if you are of medium to heavy build in this Corolla, then chances are the effects are amplified. If your car bounces like a loose spring when you put weight on one corner of the car, then the shocks are going bad. Usually they should just bounce once or twice at most and the car should go back to its original level.

These cars have thin anti-sway bars and not much anti-dive properties.

By the way, bottoming out is when the lowest point of the car hits the ground upon rebound of the car when going over bumps. Imagine you're using that same car while going over a speed bump, at 40mph...

Drive safe!

[sunny1975]

Hi
I am totally non-technical and got robbed by mechanics and I desperately need some help. I have very serious problem here. I bought a 2000 corolla CE a month ago. My car has a bottoming out problem. I hear a knocking sound front underneath the car when I hit a pothole or uneven road (you can find plenty in chicago). sound is louder on driverside than passenger side. I took it to Meinke and they said car needs new strut mounts ( I already have changed both front struts, coil springs and spring seats). both strut mount look good, no wear or tear. Do you guys think, I really need strut mounts or there is any other problem. It seems that shocks(struts assembly) are not long enough to keep the car on suspensions or there is very little clearance and when car hits a pothole then bottom part that connects two wheels (I dont the exact name) hits chesis. I dont want to go to dealer coz they will charge me $2000 for a car that is only worth of $3000. Any help/suggestion would be appreciated