Enjoy a Smooth Ride with a Shock Absorber
Let’s be honest: When was the last time you thought about your car’s shock absorber? Probably never—until your morning coffee launched itself into the dashboard after hitting a pothole the size of a small swimming pool. At that moment, you realized something was wrong. But what, exactly?
Ah yes, the noble shock absorbers.
This little mechanical genius works tirelessly under your vehicle, taking hits like a champion boxer so you don’t have to. And yet, it gets about as much attention as the guy who designed the button layout on your car radio (seriously, who put the volume button next to the hazard lights?).
What Even Is a Shock Absorber?
For the uninitiated, a shock absorber is the bouncer of your car’s suspension system. It controls the up-and-down motion of your wheels, ensuring that every little bump in the road doesn’t feel like you’ve driven straight into the apocalypse. Without it, every speed bump, pothole, and rogue squirrel encounter would be an invitation to launch your passengers into low Earth orbit.
Technically speaking, shock absorbers dampen the energy from road impacts and help your tires maintain contact with the ground. In plain English? They stop your car from bouncing around like a hyperactive toddler on a trampoline.
How Do They Work?
Okay, get ready for a little bit of science (no worry, we will make it painless). A tube contains hydraulic liquid in a shock absorber.
A bump on the road compresses your suspension springs, and forces fluid via little valves to slow down that movement through the shock absorber.
