Shock absorbers and suspension: practice and explanations
The springs support the vehicle and the shock absorbers dampen the suspension oscillations. Inefficient shock absorbers worsen road holding, braking and comfort and can wear out tires. Overload and neglected controls do not resolve by arbitrarily increasing the pressure.
Practice
Shock absorbers and suspension
Spring and shock absorber
The spring supports and absorbs irregularities; the shock absorber controls oscillations. They are complementary functions: you don't choose one over the other.
What Changes When They're Inefficient
The effects concern road holding, braking and comfort. Irregular tread wear may accompany the problem; it should not be confused with engine failure or lubricant consumption.
Overloading and maintenance
Overloading can speed up wear. The warranty does not eliminate verifications and the sealed circuit does not make the component eternal. Do not arbitrarily increase the pressure to compensate for an excessive load.
Test the concept
True or false?
Motor vehicle shock absorbers serve to reduce suspension oscillations
Italian text
Gli ammortizzatori di un veicolo a motore servono a ridurre le oscillazioni delle sospensioni
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: TRUE
The springs support the vehicle and the shock absorbers dampen the suspension oscillations. Inefficient shock absorbers worsen road holding, braking and comfort and can wear out tires. Overload and neglected controls do not resolve by arbitrarily increasing the pressure.
True or false?
Shock absorbers collaborate on the road holding of the vehicle
Italian text
Gli ammortizzatori collaborano alla tenuta di strada del veicolo
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: TRUE
The springs support the vehicle and the shock absorbers dampen the suspension oscillations. Inefficient shock absorbers worsen road holding, braking and comfort and can wear out tires. Overload and neglected controls do not resolve by arbitrarily increasing the pressure.
True or false?
The shock absorbers of a motor vehicle do not need to be checked and maintained for as long as the vehicle warranty lasts
Italian text
Gli ammortizzatori di un veicolo a motore non necessitano di verifiche e manutenzioni fino a quando dura la garanzia del veicolo
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: FALSE
The warranty does not eliminate the checks and maintenance required by shock absorbers. The springs support the vehicle and the shock absorbers dampen the suspension oscillations. Inefficient shock absorbers worsen road holding, braking and comfort and can wear out tires. Overload and neglected controls do not resolve by arbitrarily increasing the pressure.