Shock Absorber / Dampers

Dampers or shock absorbers are metal tubes that are connected to the suspension and the body of the car. Depending on the type of shock absorbers they either have metal springs or gas inside a sealed metal tube. Shock absorbers are built to minimise the movement of the piston inside it attached to a spring or pressurised by gas. Oil and gases inside the shock absorber are used to absorb excess energy from springs. The spring rates are set by manufacturers based on the weight of the vehicle and the type of handling and suspension set up they want the car to have. \

Some supercars have magnetic components inside the shock absorbers which can be electronically charged to stiffen up the springs for enhanced handling and when the driver wants to waft home the electric charge can be turned off and the springs will offer a more comfortable ride. In addition to damping spring movement shock absorbers absorb road irregularities and reduce suspension travel which results in the body of the car not shaking much. This means a more comfortable ride over rough, broken and wavy road surfaces. Shock absorbers also absorb movement from the unsprung weight of the car. Nowadays, shock absorbers mostly use coil springs but gas charged shock absorbers are also popular.