[DeTomaso] My Rattle Found? Re: What I have for Shocks

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/29/10 20 17 47, kenn_green at yahoo.com writes:


>     I think that even if you can collapse the shock, it should extend 
> under the gas pressure as soon as you release it.
> 

>>>There's no gas in a normal shock absorber--except for gas shocks, which 
stock shocks aren't.   Normal shocks are strictly hydraulic--filled with 
oil.   Come to think of it, gas shocks only use the gas to prevent the oil from 
aerating; they function in the same manner.   Air shocks are probably what 
you're thinking of--they use a combination of air and oil, with the air 
acting like a spring (which would cause the shock to extend on its own without 
any external force acting on it).

The job of the shock absorber is just as it sounds--it's a damping device 
designed to counter the effects of the spring.   When you hit a bump, 
initially it slows down the compression of the spring--in that instance, the shock 
and the spring are working together to support the weight of the car.

In extension, it's working to slow down the extension of the spring--in 
that instance, the shock and the   spring are working against each other.   
It's all done with hydraulics.   Normally, the force required to extend the 
shock is much greater than that required to compress it.

Here, check this out--a basic how-it-works page:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-suspension2.htm

Mike