Air shocks or springs

Discuss your 2000-2005 Bonneville SE, SLE, SSEi, Buick Le Sabre 00-05 and Buick Park Avenue 97-05. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
Post Reply
01ssei
SLE Member
SLE Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:32 pm
Year and Trim: 2001 Pontiac Bonneville SSEI

Air shocks or springs

Post by 01ssei »

I put my car on an alignment rack the other day and I noticed that it had -2.1 -2.5 camber on the rear wheels. You can visually see the negative camber and the rear rides like crap the shocks are blown and the air pump might not work but to not eat threw my new tires should the springs be replaced to lift the rear up to flatten the wheel or should I look into the shocks and air pump? It has that bump jerking deal as well.
riktik
SE Member
SE Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:59 pm
Year and Trim: 2001 Bonneville SE

Re: Air shocks or springs

Post by riktik »

The pump with air shocks work as an auto leveling device. If you dont hear the pump kick on 30 sec. to a minute after you start the car you have a problem with the pump or the power going to it. Those springs usually dont go bad just for the hell of it unless they have really been worked over or have a break i wouldnt think the springs would be bad in an 01 (mine arent with 150K) Start with replacing the shocks and take care of the pump if not working ( will take care of that bump jerk+nicer ride and dangerous with blown out shocks) and if it still has the negative camber you can check the springs. Only other thing it could be is one of the hard connections from the hub to the control arm as there is not adjustment in the rear (not SE at least) but i believe you wouldnt be going anywhere if there was an issue there.
Ken_W
Posts like an L27
Posts like an L27
Posts: 634
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Year and Trim: 2000 SSEi
Location: Lake Orion, MI

Re: Air shocks or springs

Post by Ken_W »

My air shocks work fine, and I've replaced most of my rear suspension parts, but I still have a drifting back end and what you call bump-jerking. I'm looking at replacing rear subframe bushings next (the back ones that bolt into the underbody). I have not replaced rear springs, but I don't see any obvious problem with those.

Ken_W
Last edited by Ken_W on Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:22 pm, edited 3 times in total.
2000 SSEi "Gypssei" - 206k miles - Light Bronzemist Metallic - stock
1999 Grand Am GT - 168k miles - Red - stock DEAD -- transmission died
2004 Pontiac Montana Ext 2WD - 207k miles - Blue Black Metallic - stock
riktik
SE Member
SE Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:59 pm
Year and Trim: 2001 Bonneville SE

Re: Air shocks or springs

Post by riktik »

Yes.. there are more reasons than just shocks that can cause the "bumpjerk" issue but the negative camber seems like an odd issue outside of something other than the rear riding at a more compressed state/control arms riding at a higher level than what they are supposed to. Anyone have any other thoughts?
Post Reply