New rear shocks installed. Mechanic did not install bump stops and used zip ties. Car now bottoms out!

sfmarine

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So I've been dealing with a crazy (new), mechanic. The car just had some front body work done after a deer hit-including a new bumper. Car has been fine since then and it's been roughly three weeks since I got it back. I just had the rear shocks done and when I picked up the car the mechanic said that the bump stops were disintegrated but he used zip ties. I'm not a car guy -I mean I know basic stuff but not much about bump stops. So I asked him if we should order new ones and he didn't seem too concerned. What really needed to happen was he should have called me while they were off to say he needed to order new ones.

Fast forward a few days. Going over small bumps around town the car is bottoming out all over the place in town which never happened in the almost 6 years I've owned the car. I finally wrapped my head around what was going on and figured it was the bump stops not being installed.

So I went back to the mechanic and he told me it's probably a piece of plastic from the body shop that wasn't properly re-installed. Yeah....I don't think so. Then he told me it could be a stick. I told him I already looked under the car..who wouldn't look under the car after hearing all of those noises! Long story short...he's checking it out on Thursday. I mentioned bump stops to him again and he got angry with me saying there's no way.

Is this guy off his rocker? This is just ridiculous that he's blaming the body shop and trees but nothing regarding his work.

Here's a photo of the shock with the zip tie.
Honda Civic 10th gen New rear shocks installed. Mechanic did not install bump stops and used zip ties. Car now bottoms out! IMG-5056
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calonzo

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I think those disintegrated things in the picture are just the dust covers, not bump stops. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think shock bump stops come standard on cars. You have to add them.
 
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sfmarine

sfmarine

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Interesting.. You could be right on that as again I am not too knowledgeable. I wonder what is causing the car to bottom out now. Unless the new shocks are faulty.
 

JT Si

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I think those disintegrated things in the picture are just the dust covers, not bump stops. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think shock bump stops come standard on cars. You have to add them.
On the civic, the bump stops are underneath the dust cover on the shock/strut shaft. Also on the civic, the bump stops are progressive and relied upon for normal suspension operation.

Not having them at all is not a good thing and could explain bottoming out on bumps.
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