96 855 New rear shocks, axle still thuds & thumps

[JimBee]

I've never ridden in an 850 that has newish suspension so I don't know how one should feel on bumpy terrain. I know that 850's are stiffly sprung, so are expected to be firm. Mine are stable and responsive at highway speeds and great on a smooth road (we do have few in Minneapolis). This one has about 140k.

Because my wagon's rear suspension has been thudding and thumping over uneven street surfaces I replaced the rear shocks. It's been like that for the several years I've owned it. After discussing it with a reputable front end shop, I put in Gabriels. The shocks I removed looked like the originals. I'm not noticing any difference. It still thuds and thumps kind of sharply. Do I need a stiffer shock? Springs shot?

[RussB]

Transverse arm bushings and delta link bushings...how are they?

[JimBee]

I looked closely at the transverse arm sockets. They're not rusted at all like some photos I've seen on this site, and don't appear to be worn. I used a bar to check for looseness and they seem okay.