Shock absorbers absorb the shock or dampen the ride of your vehicle. Every vehicle goes through all types of bouncing and shaking from the road, including stops, speed bumps, potholes, and others. A shock absorber helps in smoothing out the ride so you don’t bump your head against the ceiling whenever you hit a pothole.
Shock absorbers connect the springs to the wheels through the frame and axles. When you drive your vehicle, the springs bounce according to the terrain you are traveling over. An uncontrolled bounce causes the chassis to respond according to every spring action, which can lead to a very bumpy ride. Shock absorbers assure that the springs and tires do not cause you to lose contact with the road. Because of this significant role they play, it is important to buy the right type of shocks for your car. Below are different kinds of shocks you can choose from:
Traditional Shocks
These shocks include monotube and twin-tube shocks. Monotube shocks have the least amount of parts and the simplest design because it uses heavier-duty component. Typically, they are found in trucks, vans, and vehicles used for hauling or transportation or those driven in harsh conditions.
Meanwhile, twin-tube shocks are the most common found in cars and smaller SUVs. They come with a second cylinder for internal fluid.
Coilover Shocks
These shocks are used in vehicles that have doable wishbone or multilink suspension systems. They are usually confused with struts because of the coil spring mounted around them. They are available as a performance or towing upgrade in some vehicles. And you can easily order them from companies like First Over All Off-Road Shock Technology or F-O-A. The company’s coilovers use a pinch style upper coil adjustment nut that has external ports for a pin stale adjusting wrench. F-O-A provides custom valving for free and have readily-available replacement parts. It also offers a rebuild and re-valve service for a fee.
Adjustable Shocks
These shock absorbers let you adjust for a stiffer or softer ride, according to your preference. Your preferred ride depends on the amount of hydraulic fluid that can get into a shock.
These shocks include:
- Active dampening shocks. These use an adjustable valve setup controlled by the computer system of a vehicle.
- Electronic/magnetic ride control shocks. These shocks stiffin the shocks that have iron-containing hydraulic fluid.
- Air shocks. They are used in vehicles with air suspension systems.
- Self-leveling shocks. They can drive to driving conditions like air shocks.