SHOCK ABSORBERS 101
 Shock
absorbers, or dampers as they are sometimes called, play a part in controlling the amount of bounce, or spring, your vehicle has in response to
bumps. They resist movement, and their main function is to control the movement of the vehicles springs. They also help reduce body roll. In other
words, their primary purpose is to eliminate unwanted and excess motion between the vehicle body and suspension.
 As is the nature of springs, when they are
compressed or stretched they bounce, and shock absorbers help control the springs from bouncing uncontrollably every time the tires encounter a bump
or the slightest road or trail imperfection.
 Shock absorbers also play a critical role in
vehicle stability and safety. Without shocks, tires would lack adhesion and braking, and cornering would be somewhere between dangerous and
impossible.
HOW DO SHOCK ABSORBERS WORK?
With each extension and compression of the shock, called a "stroke," a piston moves up and down inside a sealed tube filled with hydraulic
fluid on one end and a movable piston rod which, in one way or another, controls and allows the fluid to be pushed through a valve at the end of the
rod. The valve opens and closes, depending on the direction of the flow and is designed to provide a measured resistance to the flow of the hydraulic
fluid. When vehicle movement causes the shock to extend and contract, the valves open and force is generated. Thus the shock reacts to the amount and
the speed of suspension movement and is designed to supply resistance to make sure the suspension's springs remain in control.
IN SHORT
By forcing a
piston through fluid, shocks develop the hydraulic friction necessary to resist unwanted and excess suspension motion. The primary purpose of shock
absorbers is to minimize unwanted and uncomfortable body motions such as pitch and side to side rocking. They also help keep the tire in maximum
contact with the road surface.
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