10032 Gas Shocks vs. Non Gas Shocks In England an automotive
shock absorber is referred to as a “damper”. This is probably a
better name as it more accurately describes what this part of
your car does. As a car passes over the up hill side of a bump
the springs in the suspension system are compressed. On the down
hill side the springs extend. If that’s all there was to it you
wouldn’t like it very much. The problem with this simple system
is the springs will always over compress on the uphill side and
over extend on the down hill side. The feeling in the car would
be similar to a small boat in a rough sea. It would make you
sick. A shock absorber dampens or slows down this motion and
keeps the spring under control. It makes the ride much more
comfortable and a lot safer. A shock absorber works by forcing
hydraulic oil through small holes as the shock moves. There are
different holes for extension and compression. By adjusting this
hole sizes and the valves that go with them, shock absorbers can
be “tuned” to