I recently got a 2000 Camaro z28, and I was having, let's say "a little too much fun" on the streets. I nailed a curb on the left side and BLEW out the rear tire and caused a bulge in the sidewall on the front. I had both of them replaced the next day, but now I think I might have blown the driver rear shock.

It's really squeaky when I go over a speed bump and it seems like on the highway if I hit any kind of road surface change, it will throw to the left, instead of bobbing evenly on the back.

Have I blown it? Is there a way to be 100% sure? I can buy some aftermarket shocks in a couple months, but am I safe driving around on it as is for a little while? Also, what kind of equipment/skill does it take to install new shocks? I would really like to do it myself, but can I do it with just a pair of jacks?

Thanks for any help you might be able to offer!

 

stand behind the car and bounce the rear, does the left bounce more than the right

really there is a good chance you bent something, you should get an alignment done and have it checked for any problems

 

I'd be more concerned about a bent axle, trailing arm, or track bar, than the shock. I'd also have the alignment checked.

 

Thanks for the replies.

Under visual inspection, it looks like the trailing arm is fine (one side looks the same as the other). I couldn't get a good enough angle to see the track bar, and I assume there is no way to visually inspect the axle, since the housing looks fine.

I did notice on the front wheel cover that there are "scrubs on the front and top" where it looks like the tire actually scrubbed.

I'll find a shop nearby to have them double-check the axle and track bar along with the front and rear alignment.

 

That kind of impact can impart lots of little damages. You need to check a lot, the LCA's, the PHB (strong chance that bent), front lower arms, for damage. And there is a still the possibility you broke a shock still. Though the "bounce test" isn't really valid anymore unless a shock is completely trashed. Even then if it's broken on compression and not rebound that test won't tell you. And gas pressure in shocks exterts an extension force that can quell some movement. And a person just can't introduce enough force to know for sure, you don't weight nearly what just one 700+ lb rear corner weighs.