How to Determine the Quality of Shock Absorbers?
2 Answers
Methods to determine the quality of shock absorbers: 1. Drive the car on a road with poor conditions for 10 kilometers, then stop and touch the outer shell of the shock absorber. If it is not hot enough, it means there is no internal resistance in the shock absorber, and it is not working; 2. Press down hard on the bumper and then release it. If the car jumps 2 to 3 times, it indicates that the shock absorber is working well; 3. When the car is moving slowly and emergency braking is applied, if the car vibrates violently, it means there is a problem with the shock absorber. Shock absorbers are mainly used to suppress the oscillation caused by the rebound of the spring after absorbing shocks and the impact from the road surface. When driving on uneven roads, although the shock-absorbing spring can filter the vibrations from the road, the spring itself still has reciprocating motion. The shock absorber is used to suppress this spring jumping.
I noticed my car was always unstable while driving, especially when going over speed bumps—it would bounce like a spring several times before settling. After getting out, I immediately checked the shock absorbers and found oil stains dripping down the cylinder, clearly indicating a leak. I also tried pressing down hard on all four wheel positions—a good shock absorber would rebound cleanly once, but my car bounced three or four times. The issue was even more noticeable while driving; it felt like the car might tip over during turns, and small bumps made loud thudding noises. Later, a mechanic confirmed that the right rear shock absorber had completely failed. I recommend everyone pay attention to these details—early detection and repair are crucial. Otherwise, driving at high speeds with unstable steering can be extremely dangerous.
