Shock absorbers are a most vital component of your vehicle and automotive experience. No doubt as you proudly drive your new automobile down the roads of life you will experience bumps and pot holes in the road, roadways and highways that you travel. Count on it and be assured of this certainty. Yet what is the function of shock absorbers on a car or truck and why on earth – are on your auto are they needed, necessary and indeed essential to proper and adequate motoring safety and comfort?

First of all the term “shock absorber” is simply put a “misnomer”. A shock absorber unit actually does not even absorb shocks and vibrations. The functions of the spring units riding in your suspension actually perform that first vital function. It is true that if a spring unit installed in an automotive suspension setup were left to their own devices they would bounce up and down for a great time period and length after your vehicle hits a pothole in the roadway. Thus the whole vehicle would bounce up and down rhythmically for an extended period of time. Shock absorbers do not absorb the initial shock and shocks, your car’s springs do. The role of the shock absorber is rather to dampen the cycling motion of your car’s springs so that the springing motion comes to a prompt end. Imagine your vehicle going down the street, after hitting a pot hole, and you bouncing up and down back and forth for miles and minutes. Shock absorbers stop this cycle fairly well and fairly promptly and comfortably for yourself, your passengers and cargo.

The next question in line is “How do shock absorbers actually work “to perform their spring rhythm dampening function and functions? Overall it can be said and stated that a shock absorber can be described as a telescopic, double-acting hydraulic component unit. The term “telescopic” indicates that any given shock-absorber assembly consists of two cylinders. The upper assembly overrides the lower in the same way one tube of a telescope rides over the other tube. Double acting refers to a shock absorber’s abilities to damp out movement in two directions at any one point in time and forward motion. As you drive down the street, road or highway.

Early on in the development of cars and the growth of the automobile industry automobile designers recognized the needs both for safety and comfort of automobiles , their passengers and to keep any cargo intact that oscillations that the car’s springs produced must be controlled in a safe and predictable manner and indeed dampened. Thus the need for shock absorbers resulted and shocks were invented to fill this particular automotive and safety need and requirements.

Lastly what to check in your vehicle’s suspension system if you think that your shock absorbers are worn and way past their prime. If your vehicle feels unsteady one of the first things that you should ask your mechanic or auto service department service adviser to check are your shocks.

Indications of instability of your vehicle’s suspension system when you are driving include – feeling road shocks , your vehicle “bobbing ” up for what seems like too long or an extended period of time after hitting bumps in the road. Also note if you encounter what you as an experienced driver might consider, in your view, to be a general and overall lack of control in handling. You of all people should be the greatest expert of how your auto should “feel” and “handle”.

Lastly take care to note, as you drive, of any and all “clunking” sounds and noises that emanate from beneath your truck, car or Sports Utility Vehicle S.U.V. When the vehicle hits a bump or makes a turn. This can well lead you or your mechanic to suspect worn or weak shock absorbers.

Author Bio: Kirk W. Nobbe Derrick Dodge, Canada’s #1 Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Dealer Canada 6 years running! Come on in and choose from our wide selection of over 500 used over 700 new vehicles stock Edmonton 2011 Caliber Dodge 2010 Chevy Avalanche Coquitlam BC Capital Car Carriers