Shock Absorbers – Where do they fit
The quality of the ride in a car comes with the comfort of the ride especially when riding through some bumpy and not so pleasant roads. A car’s suspension system is made of three components – the tires, spring, and the shock absorber. Usually there will be only one shock absorber covering all four tires. Shock absorbers limit the overall body movement of the vehicle and has the primary function of keeping the tires always in contact with the road’s surface.
Role of Shock Absorbers:
Shock Absorbers do not absorb shock; it is the spring in the suspension which does that. When the car goes into a bumpy road, say while hitting a stone, the wheel moves upward, where it transmits the energy into the spring. This compression of the spring is what actually absorbs the shock. The potential energy that will be released when the spring goes to its original uncompressed state moves the vehicle body upward, thereby balancing the action.
Benefits of Shock Absorbers:
Shock Absorbers are necessary and important part of overall vehicle performance. Worn out shock absorbers are more dangerous, particularly when skilled driving is necessary at crucial moments such as an accident.
The following are the list of advantages of choosing a good Shock absorbers for cars.
- Comfort – The primary purpose of travelling in a car is for the comfort and the comfort comes with the quality of ride. Shock absorbers play a significant role in providing comfort by minimizing overall vehicle movement due to various reasons especially while riding through bumpy, imperfect roads or while driving through unavoidable holes.
- Safety – A good shock absorbers plays a vital role, not only in providing comfort but also aids in controlling the car while driving. If a good shock absorber is not in place, then it might affect the performance of the vehicle, especially the vehicle might add up to 20% of the stopping distance when a break is applied. This will seriously put the driver and passengers’ safety at risk.
- Stability – Shock absorbers increase the friction between car tires and the road, thereby increasing the cars’ stability on the road. While riding through bumpy and flawed roads without shock absorbers, the vertical energy of the tires will be transferred to the frame of the vehicle causing the tires to drift away from the roads and slam back due to gravitational force, which will drastically put the car’s performance and safety at risk.
Technically, shock absorbers also play a vital role in protecting the mechanical parts of the vehicle by controlling the vehicular movement.
- Some of the shock absorbers can control the value of suspension through manual adjustment or by a remote adjustment (in case of high end cars), thereby tuning the vehicle ride and offering the driver the ability to control the vehicle even when in motion.
- Due to increased stability of the vehicle, the critical machinery parts of the vehicle are subjected to minimum jerk, thereby reducing their damage, maintenance cost and increasing their lifetime.
- Shock absorbers enable the vehicles to be operated at higher speeds with enhanced control, thereby minimizing or nullifying the effects of noise, vibration, and damaging impacts, which increases the production cost.
- Shocks absorbers can be designed to meet the safety standards defined.
Shock absorbers play an important part in the car’s suspension system, by providing safety, stability, and comfort. Therefore, they must be checked often and properly maintained to get a pleasant and comfortable experience of a car ride.
