Shock absorbers are a another critical component to a vehicle's suspension system. Shock absorbers will absorb the up-and-down of a car, truck, or SUV whenever it hits a bump or pothole. Beyond just absorbing the impact, shock absorbers allow the vehicle to maintain maneuverability after it has encountered the change in surface area. Without shock absorbers, the car, truck, or SUV would continue to bounce on the coil springs after hitting a bump. Shock absorbers prevent the energy stored in the springs from being released to the vehicle. Springs alone are not shock absorbers as they only store, not absorb and distribute the energy.

Shock absorbers are made in one of two designs, either a twin tube or mono-tube. A mono-tube shock is manufactured with a single tube that is mounted in an upside down position which helps reduce the load of the absorbed energy. A twin tube shock by contrast, is manufactured with an inner tube and outer tube which work together to absorbed the energy. Thanks to technology advancements, modern shock absorbers are fitted with velocity hydraulic damping devices to provide increased speed in the movement of the suspension in order to attain greater resistance. Hydraulic shocks provide a versatile product which can easily adopt to changing road conditions which reduce bounce, sway, acceleration squat and brake dive.

Aftermarket shock absorbers are a great enhancement to your automotive suspension system. The best aftermarket shocks will include adjustability settings that allow you to change the stiffness of the shock absorption. Stiffer responses in a shock absorber allow the car to recover quickly after a bump or pothole which provides improved performance.