Only gas charged shocks will re-extend on their own. If they depress and can be extended with the movement being damped smoothly they are most likely good. 

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Eric Caron
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 12:07 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: shocks how to know if it really failed?

So,

        I now have a set of 4 old shocks.  Is there a way to know if they really failed?

I notice that the back ones basically act like the new ones when I depress them they take some force to go down then push back fully open.

the two front ones are much easier to depress and then stay depressed and don’t push back for a long time many minutes.  the new front shocks depress with more force and then come back quickly.

so does this sound like my front shocks were bad?  is there a way to test the old shock to know? 

thanks.

Eric Caron 
85 GL auto westfalia