A damping element placed in a suspension or linkage system to control motion and absorb impacts. It works by forcing a fluid through small internal orifices, converting the kinetic energy of the shock into heat. Without this damping, the accompanying spring would continue to oscillate uncontrollably after an impact.
Heard on the job
The front suspension is bottoming out, so check the shock absorbers for fluid leaks.
Insider tip
In most industrial applications, what people call a shock absorber is technically just a damper, as the spring actually absorbs the shock while the damper dissipates the energy.
Also heard as
- damper
- shock