Comparison of Same Aftermarket Monotube Shock Absorbers Manufactured by Different Brands

Abstract

Suspension keeps the wheels of the vehicle in contact with the road surface, dampens various vibrations that arise due to road surface irregularities and ensures adequate control of the vehicle. The performance of the suspension is directly related to shock absorbers, which are an integral part of the suspension. As there are many options of various aftermarket shock absorbers, quality and price are the main factors that define the driver’s choice. However, the main question is how different can the same aftermarket monotube shock absorbers be, which were designed for a specific vehicle, but were manufactured by different brands? To answer this question, further described research presents the experimental analysis and comparison of damping characteristics of the same aftermarket monotube shock absorbers, which were manufactured by different brands. During the analysis, in total, 8 completely new shock absorbers manufactured by 4 different brands were compared, and the effects of the initial shock absorber temperature were also taken into account.