Shock absorber

A device that dissipates energy from impacts or vibration, reducing motion in a mechanical system. In vehicle suspensions, it controls spring oscillations and helps keep the tires in contact with the road.

Hydraulic damper: A damper that resists motion by forcing fluid through restricted passages. Most automotive shock absorbers damp motion by pushing oil through valves.
Vehicle suspension: The system that connects a vehicle’s wheels to its body and manages their relative motion. Shock absorbers are components of this system, not standalone supports for the vehicle.
Suspension spring: An elastic suspension component that supports load and stores mechanical energy. Unlike a spring, a shock absorber primarily dissipates energy rather than storing it.
MacPherson strut: A vehicle suspension layout that uses a strut as a major structural member. Its integrated damper-and-structure arrangement is common in passenger-car front suspensions.
Vehicle handling: A vehicle’s response to steering, acceleration, braking, and changes in road surface. Damping influences how predictably the body and wheels move during maneuvers.
Viscous damping: Energy dissipation in which resistance to motion depends on velocity. Fluid resistance turns suspension motion into heat, reducing oscillation.
Coil spring: An elastic component that stores energy when compressed or extended. The spring supports loads and stores impact energy that the shock absorber dissipates.
Strut: A structural suspension assembly that combines a damper with a load-bearing element. A strut can support vehicle loads; a conventional shock absorber generally cannot.
Motorcycle suspension: The systems that connect a motorcycle’s wheels to its frame while controlling their movement. Motorcycle dampers must manage wheel motion with different loads and packaging constraints.
Ride quality: The comfort experienced by occupants as a vehicle responds to road irregularities and motion. Damper settings trade body control against the harshness felt over bumps.

Linked from 5 pages