The Knowledge: Shock absorbers | The Sunday Times


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The Knowledge: Shock absorbers

All you wanted to know about cars but were afraid to ask

Published: 20 March 2005
Dampers, also known as shock absorbers, are essential. Without them, cars would bounce on their springs after hitting a bump in the road and on a persistently rough surface the wheels would bounce clear of the road, ruining grip, stability and passenger comfort.

Dampers slow the movement of the springs, so that after the suspension is compressed by a bump they return more slowly to their original position, preventing inertia from carrying them and the wheels to which they are attached past their starting position.

There are two main types of shock absorber, both working on the same principle. The simplest is the monotube damper, where a piston with holes in it sits in a tube of oil.

As the suspension compresses, the piston slides down and the oil on one side is forced through the holes to the other side — bigger holes mean less damping force.

As a general

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