The Great Damper/Shock absorber Confusion
Discussion
Major Fallout said:
Suspension Dampers, Friction Dampers, shocks, Shock Absorbers. Nope doesn't bother me one jot.
Im not even bothered that suspension no longer suspends.
Really doesnt bother me, isnt shocker an americanism? Im not even bothered that suspension no longer suspends.
A friction damper was an early form of the err shock absorber. They were horrid having exactly the opposite effect of what was wanted and if I can ever afford a pre-war blown MG J4 I would convert it to decent monotubes, and put hydraulic brakes on it too. Calling a brake disc a rotor here in the UK annoys me though.
Ennoch said:
No you're not, it annoys the f
k out of me too. As does Clarkson for having started the 'it's got so many torques' trend. FFS, torque's the measurement not the unit you f
kwit! Unfortunately this now seems to be a standard unit of measurement among the idiots.
"pounds foot of torque" or "Newton metres of torque" doesn't roll off the tongue and "torques" annoys adenoidal car bores. There is literally no down side.
k out of me too. As does Clarkson for having started the 'it's got so many torques' trend. FFS, torque's the measurement not the unit you f
kwit! Unfortunately this now seems to be a standard unit of measurement among the idiots.But surely both are correct, it absorbs shocks from the road surface, it also damps the movement of the spring. both refer to the same metal tube with valves, air, oil or whatever in.
If someone said to me "I brought some new shockers the other day", the "Shocker" bit wouldnt be the part that causes me to gouge out their eyes.
If someone said to me "I brought some new shockers the other day", the "Shocker" bit wouldnt be the part that causes me to gouge out their eyes.
SMGB said:
Major Fallout said:
Suspension Dampers, Friction Dampers, shocks, Shock Absorbers. Nope doesn't bother me one jot.
Im not even bothered that suspension no longer suspends.
Really doesnt bother me, isnt shocker an americanism? Im not even bothered that suspension no longer suspends.
A friction damper was an early form of the err shock absorber. They were horrid having exactly the opposite effect of what was wanted and if I can ever afford a pre-war blown MG J4 I would convert it to decent monotubes, and put hydraulic brakes on it too. Calling a brake disc a rotor here in the UK annoys me though.
EDLT said:
"pounds foot of torque" or "Newton metres of torque" doesn't roll off the tongue and "torques" annoys adenoidal car bores. There is literally no down side.
It's a useless word. 'my new car has 400 torques'. Great, you can read a spec sheet and remember figures but you're too dumb to actually understand the meaning of it. 400 'torques' means nothing given that lb.ft and nm are not interchangeable and thus 400 torques could mean either. Actually, you're right about people using the word - it shows up quickly and reliably who's a little bit 'special'.I'm hazarding a guess here, but you like to use 'torques' don't you?

Back to the damper point; shock aborbers is at least more tolerable than 'shockies'...usually said in some thick local dialect and accompanied by the sound of knuckles scraping along the floor several feet behind the body projecting said word.
Ennoch said:
It's a useless word. 'my new car has 400 torques'. Great, you can read a spec sheet and remember figures but you're too dumb to actually understand the meaning of it. 400 'torques' means nothing given that lb.ft and nm are not interchangeable and thus 400 torques could mean either. Actually, you're right about people using the word - it shows up quickly and reliably who really hasn't a clue.
I'm hazarding a guess here, but you like to use 'torques' don't you?
Makes the car really nippy.I'm hazarding a guess here, but you like to use 'torques' don't you?
J4CKO said:
But surely both are correct, it absorbs shocks from the road surface, it also damps the movement of the spring. both refer to the same metal tube with valves, air, oil or whatever in.
If someone said to me "I brought some new shockers the other day", the "Shocker" bit wouldnt be the part that causes me to gouge out their eyes.
I don't agree with the first part - the spring is what absorbs the shock. The damper controls the spring.If someone said to me "I brought some new shockers the other day", the "Shocker" bit wouldnt be the part that causes me to gouge out their eyes.
I completely agree on the second part though. Is it a particular region of England or what? I've never heard a Scot, Irishman or Welshman fail to understand the difference between bringing and buying before.
gradeA said:
Does it really bug anyone else that even people who should know better refer to suspension dampers as shock absorbers?
No, just me?
I don't actually know anyone who uses the term "suspension dampers". "Dampers" maybe, but more commonly "shocks" (as separate from springs). Doesn't annoy me.No, just me?
"Torques" does though. As does "Petrolhead".
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Not as bad a wing mirrors
What about 'rear windshield' and those who use an indefinite article with the word 'suspension'?When I hear or read "a suspension" I wonder if that person means a suspension component, a suspension system, a hammock or a civil engineering project.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff



