Is replacing the shocks, springs and struts in a 94 Venture an investment in the vehicle or a nicety? It currently has 190k.
How long do you plan to keep it? How does it handle?
Shocks and struts are a handling neccessity therefore, safety. But only if worn.
Springs, only if broken which is usually never.
Test your shocks by pushing down really hard on any corner. The car should bounce back up then stop. More than that and it’s time for struts.
another good sign that shocks/struts might need replacing is abnormal wear on the tires. Abnormal wear should be assessed by a pro, but a comparison chart s attached for reference.
http://www.procarcare.com/includes/content/resourcecenter/encyclopedia/ch25/25readtirewear.html
If the struts are worn they should be replaced. Ignoring worn struts can result in accelerated wear of other steering/suspension components. So not only do you pay for the new struts, but you may also have to replace ball joints, tie rod ends, and stablizer bushings/links because they got beat to hell from the worn out struts.
Tester
Thanks for the advice. I do plan to keep the car until it stops running and it seems to run fine right now. It sounds like I should replace the struts and shocks for safety and to keep other components from failing. Spring replacement is not necessary.
Driving for a long time on worn out struts or shocks can fatigue the springs and make the vehicle ride too low.
So if it’s starting to look like a low-rider it might also be time for springs.