Shocks, struts... is it time?

[cableguynoe]

I have an 01 LS V8 with 180k+ miles on it.

I've owned it since it's had about 40k, so It's never had the shocks or struts replaced (sorry, dont know which i have).

Is this a must do? The ride is not very smooth, so i was hoping i could improve that. But most importantly, is this something that should be replaced for safety reasons? Or to prevent a larger problem?
Or can a car go it's entire life on originals?

And finally, Obviously, by my question, i'm not doing this job myself. Is this something that maybe i can do a Sears, or a place like that? Or is the dealer recommended?

I'm done paying for it, so i want to start putting some money into it to keep it running and looking cool

 

[Right on the Mark]

The main thing that goes wrong with shocks and struts is they leak and lose their damping fluid which lets the car keep on bouncing long after you hit a bump. All you have to do is take flashlight and look at them right where the chromed shaft goes into the shock/strut body. If that area is dry they are good if you see oil that means there leaking and need new. Plain and simple.

 

[SoonerLS]

You have coilover shocks, and at 180K miles and almost nine years, odds are good that it's time to change them. If they're extremely worn, they can be a safety hazard because they don't do as good of a job as new shocks at keeping the tires in contact with the pavement on rough roads, but I'm not sure if it's as bad on the LS as on other cars--my truck was downright scary on rough roads with 121K miles on the original shocks. Normally, you check shocks by pushing down on each corner of the car and seeing how long it takes to stop bouncing, but the LS is so stiffly sprung that this method doesn't work well.

Any shop that does suspension service (like a tire shop) should be able to do the job; it's not rocket science. You're pretty much limited to Ford shocks, though; the only replacements are Monroes, and the reviews of them have been uniformly bad (ls4me called them "SensaCraps").

 

[REDBED]

Hi Cableguy
I recently replaced mine on an 04 at 50k. Hold onto your wallet when you go price this job. I was quoted 1,000 to 1,100 parts and labor. Shocks retail by me for aprox 125 (Monroe). I bought 4 from Carstuff.com for $280(monroe).
I had them installed at a Voc School for free. Most of these schools are glad to do small jobs. I have been happy with the monroes no complaint here. You should see a noticeable improvement in the ride if you change them
Good Luck