Bilstein HD struts useful life span?

[gobies]

Bilsteins have about 80k miles on them. I would expect shocks to get softer, looser with age and mileage. Ride has become very stiff. Small bumps, expansion strips, manhole covers, etc., it's like driving over bricks. On highway at speed, still well controlled. Has anyone driven Bilsteins to the point of replacement? Pushing on a front fender produces virtually no movement. Spring seats, mounts, control arms, tie rods, axles, all new in last 20k miles. Replacement after 80k would not be a surprise. It's just the nature of the ride change that baffles me. Except for the lower trans mount all bushings are Volvo. Also have a strut brace bolted between the towers.

Anyone driven Bilsteins or Konis to the point of replacement? Thanks.


2001 V70 T5 140k miles

[ChiNorm]

My IM has replaced all of my Bilstein shocks at least once under warranty. Usually when they started getting noisy. Yours are at the age where things started to happen.