checking shocks

In the last few months my car has developed a noticable clunk going over steep bumps and tight fast turns coming from the passanger side rear suspension. I just pulled the tire and took a look at the suspension and the rear subframe bushings are still intact but 30years old. So I then went and looked at the shock, and noticed a very little bit of oil down at the bottom, I think it has a small leak. I was able to duplicate the funky clunk by pushing down hard on the rear passanger side. It sounds almost like a loud metallic creak which may be cause by excess suspension travel which allows a large rubber body stop to hit control arm.

Does anyone have any idea of a better way for checking the shocks?

This is in anticipation of a 1000mile run to San Diego around mothers day. I wanted to do highway 1 at sunrise for a good run between monterey and morro bay. I was going to do it around Christmas but the damned car was overheating.

Thanks for any suggestions folks!

the only way i know to check shocks/struts is push on it and if it takes more than one rebound to stop moving then its bad... but this is not the most accurate or scientific

A leaking shock is a dead shock.

What Salanis said.

However, I remember seeing some magazine article, from many years ago and another magazine, that had a home-built shock dyno. It was pretty neat, even though it had its shortcomings. But it was definitely grassroots.

I guess I'll have to bit the bullet and get a set of rear shocks either before I go or right after. It isn't bad on the highway just over slow speed bumps. Thanks for the insight, I was hoping to get another 30years out of the shocks and rubber bits, but I guess not.

Replace them, all four. I just did the front struts on the RX-7. Wow what a difference!! It drives like new now. I didn't think they were bad before and only replaced them because the top of one blew out. They didn't bounce more than once so I figured they were doing the job. I have since replaced the ones on my work van, they had 350000 miles on them. Made a big difference on it too.

The fronts were done a couple years ago when mercedes replaced the subframe under a recall. I cannot even tell what type of shocks they are, they are covered in muck. I think I'll be buying some, and this gives me a reason to finally rewire the rear speakers, I have to take the car half apart.