Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 7/7/83; site rlgvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!rlgvax!tom From: tom@rlgvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: (1) shock absorbers (2) when to shift Message-ID: <818@rlgvax.UUCP> Date: Mon, 11-Jul-83 19:47:39 EDT Article-I.D.: rlgvax.818 Posted: Mon Jul 11 19:47:39 1983 Date-Received: Tue, 12-Jul-83 06:39:55 EDT Organization: CCI Office Systems Group, Reston, VA Lines: 22 2 questions, please: (1) The shocks on my Dodge Omni need replacing. they are just too soft, both on turns and underneath a load. I occasionally do a fair amount of driving on barely-passable dirt roads, often with a fairly heavy load, but the rest of my driving is "normal". What shocks would be best under these circumstances? Would a good set of "normal" shocks/McPhereson struts do the trick? Which do y'all recommend? I have heard of "air suspension" shocks which can be inflated/deflated according to the load and amount of clearance desired. Is there any such thing for McPhereson struts? (2) Could someone please discuss for me the pros and cons of early shifting vs. late shifting on a standard transmission? When going up a long hill, and the car is sluggish, can't accelerate at all, barely can keep up its current speed, etc., is this worse than downshifting and having the engine doing high rpm's to maintain the same speed up the hill? One way sounds like the car is being dragged to death, the other sounds like the car is going to burst a blood vessel. - Tom Beres {sesimo, allegra, brl-bmd, mcnc}!rlgvax!tom