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A shock absorber is a part of the suspension system. It controls the vibrations caused by the up and down motion of the wheels. Its function is often thought of as providing comfort, but it is also an important part of driving safety. It's easy to understand or feel. When you remove the shock absorbers from the suspension system, the vibrations that occur cannot be dampened. The car will then sway longer and the connection between the wheels and the ground will weaken and sometimes even break. This means you will not be able to keep the car on track. If this happens in a turn, your vehicle will skid, or it will stop farther away when you brake.
Shock absorbers create resistance in the opposite direction of movement as they elongate or shorten. This force prevents continuous vibration of the vehicle. To generate this force, the shock absorber forces the oil inside it to reposition itself as it moves. As this flow passes through the internal manifold, it encounters resistance, causing the shock absorber to generate a force in the opposite direction of motion. The shock absorber heats up in the process and releases heat from its body to the external environment. In other words, the shock absorber converts the kinetic energy generated by the wheel movement and the potential energy stored in the spring into heat, thus consuming energy.
Repair stores use simple test equipment to detect shock absorber failures. The equipment shakes the wheel to a certain level and checks how long it takes to suppress this shaking. At the same time, it measures the force exerted by the wheel on the ground by means of a load meter and determines how much the connection between the wheel and the ground has been weakened. If the damping time is too long or the measured force exceeds the specified limit, it means that the shock absorber needs to be replaced.
In addition to this, portable testing equipment is available. Before letting the vehicle go over bumps at low speed, place the equipment near the wheel you want to check. The sensors on the device measure the oscillations. If the oscillations last longer than expected, the shock absorber needs to be replaced.
In fact, you can perform a similar check. What you need to do is to quickly place your weight on the area of the vehicle close to the wheel and pull it back. If the resulting oscillation lasts longer than one and a half cycles, you should have your shock absorber checked. Also, in normal use, if your car slips in a turn (front or rear wheel slip) or your vehicle dives (front height decreases and rear height increases), you would be wise to take your car to a repair store.
Like all car parts, shock absorbers have a life expectancy. However, their lifespan may vary depending on the conditions of use. The important thing here is to use a product that is designed specifically for your vehicle. Driving your car under expected road and driving conditions is another factor that can affect the life of the product. You may have seen the description "heavy duty" in some vehicle descriptions. This indicates that the product is designed for harsh driving conditions. In addition, descriptions such as raised or lowered are also important in choosing the right product.
Although very rare, some shock absorbers (these are mostly special solutions produced in limited quantities) can be designed to be removable so that their internal parts can be replaced. However, for vehicles used on the highway, the products are not designed to be removable. This is because the internal parts of the shock absorber are closed under a specific load and in a very clean environment. If the shock absorber is opened by cutting, it cannot be used again. Cutting and re-welding the shock absorbers, especially the front shock absorbers (which carry the vehicle load), can endanger the lives of the driver and those around them.
Shindary Automotive Parts Co., Ltd.
