When is it time to change shock absorbers? How does a shock absorber work, what design and what should be considered when replacing a shock absorber?

The shock absorber is an important chassis component. Used to compensate for road irregularities. As the name suggests, a shock absorber dampens the up and down movements of the engine. The shock absorber may only be repaired in a garage using suitable special tools. Otherwise, there is a risk of serious injury.

There are two types of shock absorbers: gas pressure shock absorbers and oil pressure shock absorbers. The most common gas shock absorbers. They consist of a pneumatic cylinder in which a steel piston moves. The deeper the steel rod moves, the higher the internal pressure in the cylinder. The increasing resistance of the compressed gas creates a damping effect. There is also some lubricating oil in gas shock absorbers. The shock absorber is connected to the housing on the piston side and to the wheel strut or spring on the cylinder side. There is a seal between the piston and the cylinder to prevent gas from escaping.

In general, oil pressure dampers are similar in design to gas pressure dampers and operate with bubble formation during decompression. They are much stiffer and do not have the comfort of gas-filled shock absorbers. Therefore, today they are rarely used.

Shock Absorber Defects

The seal between cylinder and piston is the weak point of this component. Over time, it inevitably loses its function. The throttle is then gradually opened and the driving behavior changes. The problem is that shock absorbers wear out very slowly. If a driver uses his own car every day, it may happen that he does not notice a deterioration in driving style for a long time.

That's why it's important, especially for older cars, to check your shock absorbers regularly. Experts recommend checking shock absorbers in the garage every 25,000 km.

A typical shock absorber test when buying a used car is a lot of pressure on the fenders over the wheels. A look at the components can also be very informative. If the shock absorbers are faulty, oil will leak. Such a defect is related to the basic inspection and must be eliminated.

However, the characteristic wobbles and oil leaks are very advanced shock absorbers. After that, they cannot be used for a long time. Therefore, regular checks of shock absorbers should be carried out on a shock absorber test bench in the garage. This is the only way to know early enough when it's time to change the shock absorbers.