Shock/strut difference in design?

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madmen
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Joined: 28 Sep 2016, 05:27

Shock/strut difference in design?

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Greetings. I just signed up and would like to ask all you learned gentlemen...

Is there a difference in shock absorber design type...if you would like a longitudinal, vertical, or horizontal coilover/shockabsorber...is there a difference? To be clearer, does the shock absorber have to be designed as to be specifically for a vertical or horizontal arrangement?

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Pierce89
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Joined: 21 Oct 2009, 18:38

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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In short, no.
“To be able to actually make something is awfully nice”
Bruce McLaren on building his first McLaren racecars, 1970

“I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go”
Sir Frank Williams after the 2003 Canadian GP, where Ralf hesitated to pass brother M. Schumacher

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Tim.Wright
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Joined: 13 Feb 2009, 06:29

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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Dampers which aren't pressurised or don't have a physical barrier between the oil and the gas need to be mounted largely vertically to avoid the gas from entering the damping valves. With these types of dampers mounting them horizontally, or even storing it horizontally can render them useless.
Not the engineer at Force India

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godlameroso
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Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 21:27
Location: Miami FL

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever_arm_shock_absorber

They need to do a modern interpretation of this for something other than tanks.
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Greg Locock
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Joined: 30 Jun 2012, 00:48

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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Lever arm shock absorbers suffer from so many problems I'm amazed they use them for tanks, let alone cars. Surface area/weight is bad. Motion ratios are extreme. They don't sit nicely in the architecture.

They could give a lovely ride due to the motion ratios - no stiction!

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matt21
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Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 13:17

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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godlameroso wrote:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever_arm_shock_absorber

They need to do a modern interpretation of this for something other than tanks.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/ca ... uspension/

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godlameroso
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Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 21:27
Location: Miami FL

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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matt21 wrote:
godlameroso wrote:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever_arm_shock_absorber

They need to do a modern interpretation of this for something other than tanks.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/ca ... uspension/
That's pretty cool, I don't even care about the energy recovery as it's probably fractions of a kW, but the fact that compression and rebound can be independently tuned is very appealing.
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Greg Locock
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Joined: 30 Jun 2012, 00:48

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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If you aren't interested in energy recovery then why not use a proven technology like magneride?

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godlameroso
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Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 21:27
Location: Miami FL

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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Either is vapor ware in my application. I wish I could get some magnetorheological dampers.
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Greg Locock
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Joined: 30 Jun 2012, 00:48

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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So what's your application? Would it be impossible to use a conventional telescopic shock or is a lever type shock the only acceptable solution?

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godlameroso
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Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 21:27
Location: Miami FL

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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Oh it's a completely conventional design, linear coil spring and monotube telescoping damper. I'm in the process of re-engineering one of my cars, just want to use something unique, like torsion bar instead of coil springs. Or adaptive dampers. Or rotary dampers. But I can't find any manufacturer, I'm more curious than anything, I'm actually perfectly happy with my Ohlins DFV's.

This thing is going to become my shop car, to show off, so I'm pretty much going to town on it.
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DaveW
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Joined: 14 Apr 2009, 12:27

Re: Shock/strut difference in design?

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godlameroso wrote:....Or adaptive dampers. Or rotary dampers.
Adaptive dampers should work, but you will have to control them. Look for dampers fitted with the Ohlins CES valves. I managed to beg a set from a customer a few years ago for a project. Lots of fun & they worked well.

I wouldn't touch rotary dampers with a barge pole - just estimate the effective velocity ratio. Unity would be good, four not so good (rubber sprung mini), rotary ??

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