Suspension: That floating sensation

[tashirosgt]

I drive my '89 Corolla to work on a highway that has long flat streches in between raised overpasses. Going over the overpass I have the sensation that the car is rising up on the springs as I go over the top and then the springs are pulling the body back down as I proceed. (No doubt something like that is really happening.) What kind of suspension setup would minimize that floating sensation? Otherwise the stock suspensions is very comfortable, all 4 struts are fairly new and hitting a pothole doesn't bother me.

[polo708]

if all 4 shocks are brand new then im not sure... usually the floating sensation comes from worn out shocks.

[01loadedLE]

its natural for a corolla and we all go thru that unless you beef up the suspension. my 88 mr2 floated also due to its mushy suspension.

[redgtxdi]

Then I have a question about my '95...........................

I notice that the front.......(though I'm sure the struts are worn)............usually has a nice amount of travel.

BUT................

The REAR........pfft! It'll actually float quite nicely, but if I go over an abrupt bump, it seems to bottom out waaaay too soon.

NOTE: -----> When I say "bottom out", it doesn't FEEL like it's going all the way down. It feels as if it's being stopped short. I feel like when it's an abrupt bump, it's only going down about half of what I think it should before I feel a VERY sharp stop.

(Kinda' like on lowered VW's when you hit those rubber cone-type stops? You knew you hit 'em 'cuz it didn't necessarily "bang" but it was quite abrupt!)

Any ideas??? Is this normal for the REAR only?? ('95 Prizm, essentially gen 7 Rolla) TIA!!!

[Cyorke]

Originally Posted by redgtxdi

Then I have a question about my '95...........................

I notice that the front.......(though I'm sure the struts are worn)............usually has a nice amount of travel.

BUT................

The REAR........pfft! It'll actually float quite nicely, but if I go over an abrupt bump, it seems to bottom out waaaay too soon.

NOTE: -----> When I say "bottom out", it doesn't FEEL like it's going all the way down. It feels as if it's being stopped short. I feel like when it's an abrupt bump, it's only going down about half of what I think it should before I feel a VERY sharp stop.

(Kinda' like on lowered VW's when you hit those rubber cone-type stops? You knew you hit 'em 'cuz it didn't necessarily "bang" but it was quite abrupt!)

Any ideas??? Is this normal for the REAR only?? ('95 Prizm, essentially gen 7 Rolla) TIA!!!

I think you answered your own question? It sounds like the struts are worn front and rear on your. The struts are there to absorb the force of the suspension moving abruptly and when they wear out you will feel more bottoming out and things like that. One little test you can do to see if your struts are worn. GO to each corner of the vehicle and bounce it up and down about 4 or 5 good times. When you stop moving it it should only rebound on its own about 2 or 3 times. If it keeps on going more than tht then you are probably due for replacing them. hese are very genreal ideas but should give youa good idea as to wether they are worn or not. Or you can jsut look a the strut and see if it has oil running down it. If it does it is time to replace.

As far as the floating you feel, it is a corolla. The 97 my wife and I had did the same thing and as it got older it jsut got worse becaue I never replaced the struts on it.

[redgtxdi]

Ya, I think that's all correct, EXCEPT.............

Whereas the front goes down and *doesn't* bottom out........(feels like it has a good 8"-10" of travel?)..........the REAR actually feels like it only has about 2" of travel when I hit a hard bump.

Now, for example, there's a pretty deep dip on a freeway offramp I take everyday and I can take that sucker at speed 'cuz it "bobs", "floats", whatever you wanna call it..........right thru that thing.

BUT......if I go over a dip that's more abrupt, it's almost as if the travel in the rear is cut in half and the struts don't take their full legnth of travel........(so instead of worn, they feel more like the relief valves within cut off early??).......I'm not completely familiar with strut internals, but you get the gist.

Imagine a little "Strut Troll" under your car in the rear. You go over a less-abrupt bump, he leaves the struts alone. You go over a harsh bump and he throws a steel block between the strut mounts & you feel like you aren't getting the full travel of the strut.

(Man, is that a weird enough analogy?? LOL!!!)