Getting new front tires and an alignment soon. I've checked the ball joints, which are OK, and the tie rods appear fine. My question: how can you tell when the shock absorbers in the McPherson struts are worn? My experience of Volvos, as with most European cars, is that the springs are stiffer and the total car weight less, so that the classic American test -- bounce the car and see how long it takes to settle down -- won't work. Short of taking it apart, is there a way to tell?

I know my left shock is stuffed, lots of leakage. The car drives fine but I do not push it. The difference is the left front sounds more hollow when going over bumps on that side.
Karl 86 245

Actually taking it apart will not tell you much either,
basically if you like the way it handles bumps, it's OK for you.
I usually think shocks (which I like to call dampers, since that's their function) are worn if I get too much porposing on big dips and if the tires bounce off the pavement (hop) on ripples.
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744-16v,745-16v,242Turbo.245DLT