Well guys, took my 77 e-250 out for a ride to the auto parts today, and noticed that it seemed floatey (is that a word )?like a boat on the water.
Now the van is a 77 with about 70,000 org miles and i'm sure it has the original shocks. Just wondering if bad shocks could cause this, or am i in for the dreaded frontend work.
I know it's hard to say without driving yourself but was wondering what worn out shocks symptoms would be .
Thanks, Curt

floaty, like a boat in the water.... ...when you do get shocks get the real big shafted shocks...for more control....Front end work will more likely be pulling to one side, lots of play in the steering, and shimmying....
Dave

Does the van feel like it's pulling to one side or the other?. Does it try to steer itself one way or the other when you hit a bump or dip in the road?. Or when you hit the brakes?.. Those things are usually more of a sign of an alignment problem or worn steering parts.. If it's floating like you say, the first thing I would check is the tire pressures. And have a good look at the sidewall of the tire,, looking for weather checking (cracks in the rubber).. If all is good there, then do the old "bounce test" on each corner of the van. Just push down on the bumper and let it go. The old rule is if it bounces more than twice, the shocks probably need replacing. You should also peek under the van and look for oil leaks on each shock, broken mounting bolts,, etc.
If you're still suspecting the shocks, but are still unsure, try unbolting the top or bottom mounting bolt and see if the shock tries to extend itself (obviously you have to move the shock away from the mount to allow it to extend)... If it doesn't extend itself, try compressing it by hand and letting it go. If they don't extend back out when you let go,,, they're shot.

Check the shocks for signs of leakage at the seals. My front shocks were shot out and the Clubwagon floated all over the road. Even more noticeable was when negotiating a curve, the van seemed to flop towards the outside of the curve and sorta stick there. Couldn't perform any alignmnet until the shocks were replaced. Sad thing was with my wheelbase and bad shocks I never felt a pothole or bump in the road. After correcting the issue, you feel every single washboard on a dirt road, but now she handles as intended.