Self-checking shock absorbers - how and why to do it. Which shock absorbers are better, how to check shock absorbers when buying Cons of visual diagnostics

Reliability corrupts. Owners of modern cars are not too worried about the condition of those nodes that are not visible, those that are buried somewhere deep and do not remind themselves of themselves. Only they can remind you at the wrong time. For this, there is a diagnostic: you want it - you don’t want it, but you need to check certain nodes for serviceability.

In the photo, oil shock absorbers are the most comfortable type of shock absorbers.

Signs of a Dying Shock Absorber

Shock absorbers just belong to such nodes. As long as they do their job well, you don't think about them. Modern shock absorbers are very reliable, but, like any mechanics, they have their own life. We will not mutter notations about what needs to be checked, diagnosed, serviced in time. Instead, let's look at signs that shock absorbers will need attention soon. In the course, this can manifest itself in different ways:

• The car nods under active braking.
• Strong buildup during sharp maneuvers.
• Noticeable increase in braking distance.
• Increased driver fatigue at high mileage.

The last point is not at all as harmless as it might seem. Physiologically, a person is tuned to a certain vibration and a certain amplitude when moving. Whether on foot or on horseback, whatever. If the vibrations are less than when walking, we are swayed, if more, it shakes us and leads to physical discomfort. Therefore, when driving on tired shock absorbers, we also get tired much faster.

Video Tips for Checking Shock Absorbers

The principle of operation and types of shock absorbers

Before checking shock absorbers, it would be logical to remember what exactly we are checking. At the same time, we recall what types of shock absorbers are and how they are arranged. The most versatile shock absorber is the spring. It combines the ability to spring the body, and also prevents its buildup. She has already outlived her, and today we are offered shock absorbers of only three types:

• Oil dampers. Double-tube hydraulic shock absorber - the most comfortable and soft. His service life is short, and he has one bad habit. Oil boils under heavy loads and high speeds, losing its properties. Only the low price can attract them.
• Gas-oil. A little tougher than hydraulic ones, but in terms of characteristics they are most applicable to our roads. The two-pipe design made it possible to place nitrogen under a pressure of 3 atm in the compensation volume, which cools and prevents the oil from boiling.
• Gas dampers. The toughest and most expensive. They are arranged according to a single-pipe scheme and are filled with gas under high pressure, as a rule, up to 25-30 atm. Gas shock absorbers hold the road well, but are not always suitable for everyday use.

Although it would be more logical to divide shock absorbers into single-tube and two-tube ones, since they differ significantly in design. A twin-tube shock absorber consists of a master cylinder filled with oil, inside of which a piston runs. This cylinder is placed inside the second, reserve cylinder. In single-tube shock absorbers, oil and gas are in the same cylinder, and a floating piston separates them.

Checking shock absorbers for performance

If the shock absorber is installed on the car, then there is Several ways to check if it works. Each of them is quite simple, however, even in the early stages it will allow you to troubleshoot:

• visual inspection. Without a visual assessment of the state of the shock absorber, it will not be possible to immediately identify at least obvious signs of its malfunction. The first thing that catches your eye is the oil marks on the case. Oil can get in by accident, so you should wipe the shock absorber, ride for a few days and repeat the inspection. The rods should be free of rust, they should look perfectly smooth and shiny.
• In addition, you can inspect the tires for uniform wear, but this may not always lead to a shock absorber mark. An unbalanced wheel also wears unevenly. That's all we can figure out visually.

• buildup. A very clear way to check. It is enough to press on the edge of the hood or trunk and actively shake the car, then abruptly remove the load. If the car then makes more than one oscillation, the shock absorber needs to be replaced. This method cannot detect all faults associated with bypass valves or loss of working fluid properties. But the most dead shock absorber, front or rear, can be identified in this way.
• Check on the go. We have already talked about the main manifestations of unstable operation of shock absorbers, but in any case, if the car rolls more than usual, and sways and falls forward when braking, you don’t need to be a professor to understand that something is wrong with the shock absorbers.
• Bench check. The most efficient verification method. The car is driven onto a special stand and subjected to various loads that simulate road conditions. In this case, linear data is taken from the car and transferred to a computer, which, having processed the information, makes a verdict. This method cannot be called ideally accurate, because any deviation in the operation of the suspension may be caused by wear of the shock absorber strut support or the rear bushings may be worn out, which will affect the kinematic performance.

You can check the performance not only on the car, but also on a separate shock absorber, but such stands are a rarity, and not everyone wants to remove the assembly for verification. Unfortunately, at the time of purchase, there is no way we can check the shock absorber, except by carefully examining the packaging and inspecting the part itself for external damage, dents and scratches. The warranty card in this case is the key to a successful purchase.

Don't skimp on shock absorbers. With proper operation, factory units will be able to go up to 50-70 thousand mileage, and a good shock absorber is the stability of the car and your safety.

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Regardless of which chassis is in the vehicle, shock absorbers are invariably present. A shock absorber is a damping element that serves to mitigate oscillatory movements during suspension operation. The nature of its work is based on the change of mechanical energy into thermal energy. There are two types of shock absorbers:

• gas-filled;
• oil.

The shock-absorbing device is in close connection with the rest of the components and assemblies of the suspension system (spring, spring, pillow and torsion shaft). But due to constant loads and the availability of a certain resource, the suspension elements fail - and the shock-absorbing device is no exception. In this article we will talk about how to check the shock absorber for performance, the video will help you correctly and quickly cope with all the actions on your own.

The running resources of this element are approximately 60 thousand km. Basically, this figure depends on the condition of the roads, but the style of driving a car is no less important. But often the shock-absorbing device fails much earlier - it can break at any time. And this leads to the saddest consequences for both the driver and other road users.

To replace a shock absorber, it is important to be guided not by the technical characteristics declared by the manufacturer, but solely by its condition.

Strut strut and shock absorber

With a shock absorber in poor condition, tires will wear unevenly. The car will skid when driving at speeds. In addition, a faulty device will affect the life of the hub bearings. Their price is quite high, and on many vehicles this element is supplied assembled. And in this case, the amount spent on repairs can cost the car owner a pretty penny.

But that is not all. A shock-absorbing element on a machine that is out of order provokes an increase in the braking distance. In turn, this affects security. And of course, comfort decreases while driving. Since the broken device will no longer soften the blows, they go directly to the suspension and body elements, which also reduces their working resources. That is why it is extremely necessary to have an unbroken shock-absorbing element.

Visual inspection

Is it possible to establish a breakdown of the device without dismantling it from the machine? Yes, you can! And this is the cheapest, but, unfortunately, not very reliable way ....

• Necessary visually inspect the rear and front shock-absorbing elements. The devices are located behind the wheel springs. Although another option is also possible, when the shock absorbers are supplied complete with springs (MacPherson suspension). Rate its appearance. There should be no oily marks or other smudges on the surface of the flask. If they are, then there is a breakdown on your device.
• Inspect stocks(inspection is carried out with the wheels suspended) - it is better to do this using a lift. If there is no access to it, then you should raise the car from the required side using a jack and pry off the boot. The stem should shine - rust on it indicates a malfunction of the part.
• For damage to the shock absorber can specify and directly bus. Assess the condition of the protectors. All should have almost the same wear.

Visual check of shock absorber

Cons of visual diagnostics

Unfortunately, it is possible to establish a malfunction during a visual inspection only in 50% of cases. Since the incorrect operation of this element is usually caused by the wear of its internal parts. And it is unrealistic to install them during a normal inspection. Outwardly, you can see only the consequence of a malfunction.- oily smudges, which, by the way, do not always appear, or eaten protectors.

Checking damping properties

The steps for this method are as follows:

1. The machine must be at rest.
2. The vehicle must be parked on a level surface.
3. One of its sides is vigorously swayed by its hands and it is checked after what time interval the car body stops swaying.

This method, for obvious reasons, can only be used on passenger cars.

It is permissible to make 1-2 swings. If the car continues to “walk”, therefore, the malfunction of the shock absorbers is obvious.

Checking the shock absorber

Minus the buildup of cars

The downside of this method is that so you can identify only a completely unusable shock-absorbing element. Although this is the most efficient and cheapest (rather even free) diagnostic option. The second nuance is that the device does not always “play”. It happens that the rods just wedge. In such a situation, it will not work to build up the machine.

Fault detection on the go

This method is considered one of the most reliable. Because it allows you to understand whether the shock-absorbing device is working correctly.

How to check?

It is necessary to carefully monitor the behavior of the vehicle. If:

1. The car constantly "throws" to the side.
2. The vehicle "reluctantly" reacts to the steering wheel.
3. The car shakes on the smallest bumps.
4. On large pits, typical thuds can be heard. But they may not always appear due to broken pistons. Maybe the silent blocks on which the shock absorbers are attached at the top and bottom are worn out.
5. Having carried out such a diagnosis, it is worth testing the car when cornering. The vehicle must not lean too much.

Checking the shock absorber while driving

If one or more of the above symptoms are detected, conclude that the shock absorber needs to be replaced.

Checking the removed shock absorber

Dismantling allows you to determine exactly which of the 4 damping devices is faulty. The removed elements are installed in a vertical position.

Checking the rear shock absorbers

1. The bottom bracket of the damping device must be fixed with your feet.
2. We take the device at the top by the stem.
3. We pull it towards us and send it down again.

A well-functioning damping device has good resistance.

And if the movement of the rod occurs without any effort and without tension, then the shock absorber is out of order.

The shock absorber lacks working fluid, or contains air inside (this does not apply to gas-filled elements).

Dismantled shock absorber

Checking the front shock-absorbing elements and struts

The rear and front shock-absorbing devices have a similar design. The check is carried out according to the scheme described above. If the movement of the rod is easy, then such a device is faulty, and it should be changed.

We check the car on the vibration stand

For the reason that it is not always possible to identify a malfunction on your own or without removing the element, you can contact the service. Here, trained masters will perform it with high professionalism.

How are shock absorber struts checked without removing them from the vehicle?

To do this, drive the car onto a special vibration stand. The price of this diagnostic is a thousand or more rubles. Such a service is also good because not only the strut / shock absorber, but also other elements of the chassis and the brake system are subjected to professional testing. On the vibrating stand, imitation of road irregularities takes place, which will allow you to correctly determine the breakdown of a particular mechanism. In addition, this is how it turns out to determine the health of the bearings (ball and wheel bearings) by checking the lateral rolling of the machine.

A huge number of sensors are installed at the stand, transmitting information every second to the main computer.

Vibration test

Benefits of checking with a shaker

• the highest accuracy in detecting the slightest malfunctions;
• the minimum amount of time.

In addition, owners of freight transport cannot do without this service. Since it is impossible to carry out the buildup of a large car. On the vibration stand, it will be possible to establish the problem in the aggregate. The only negative can be considered a small prevalence of auto repair shops with similar equipment, even in big cities. In addition, the cost of the service for some car owners can be quite high.

So, we have given several ways to check shock absorbers for malfunction, you just have to choose the most relevant for you.

And in order to make the movement safe and manage with small repair costs, regularly check not only the shock absorbers, but also other components of your car!

How to check shock absorbers correctly and what is required for this will be described in this article. After all, the stability (and comfort) of a car or motorcycle depends on their normal performance, especially at high speeds or on uneven roads.

The ability to properly check the health of shock absorbers (struts) will be required not only when periodically checking your car, but will also be very useful when buying a used car. After all, new shock absorbers from reputable brands cost a lot, and knowing how to correctly diagnose the shock absorbers of any used car will save a decent amount of money.

Shock absorber device and why it fails.

The shock absorber of a car (see the figure on the left), a motorcycle or any other vehicle (even a snowmobile) is a reservoir filled with hydraulic fluid (shock absorber oil), called a hydraulic cylinder, in which a rod moves up and down, at the end of which a piston is fixed on one side with holes, and on the other hand, the rod is attached to the body, or frame of the machine.

At the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder (glass) there is a silent block that is attached to the suspension of the machine (read more about the suspension of the machine, its geometry and malfunctions). Hydraulic fluid circulates through the holes in the shock absorber piston, and the piston itself and, accordingly, the shock absorber rod moves in the hydraulic cylinder with resistance, which allows you to quickly and effectively dampen the vibrations of the rod connected to the body or frame of the machine, and therefore dampen the vibrations of the machine itself.

But still, if extraneous knocks are detected, it’s a good idea to stop and confirm the malfunction by checking on a stationary car, as will be described below.

The simplest and most common way is to swing a car standing on the pavement and observe the operation of the shock absorbers. And since there are four shock absorbers on the car, it means that you should swing it in turn, holding one of the four wings of the car with your hands and strongly and sharply pressing down on the wing. If the shock absorber is in good condition, then the body should stop swinging already at the first inertial jump.

There is another similar method of checking, in which the wing of the car is pressed not sharply and quickly, but slowly, acting with the whole weight of the body. After the suspension is compressed by the weight of the driver, the applied force is abruptly removed (you can jump off the wing of the car to the ground).

At the same time, if the shock absorber is in good condition, the car body should not shoot up sharply from the action of the suspension spring, but should take its original position relatively slowly, with some second delay. This delay in some fractions of a second may not be clear to beginners, but it is clearly visible in the comparison of a working shock absorber and some kind of dead (rattling) one.

And one more thing: usually a non-working or poorly functioning shock absorber is confirmed by an oil leak or fogging around the rod. On modern gas shock absorbers, the gas outlet through faulty seals will of course not be visible, but gas shock absorbers also contain oil (see figure).

But gas can come out, but there is no oil yet (gas is harder to keep with oil seals than oil), and an outwardly dry gas strut may no longer cope with its main function as a suspension damper. Therefore, the malfunction of such a shock absorber is determined only by the buildup of the machine, or on a special stand (which is discussed below).

There is another way to check and identify a faulty shock absorber, by the degree of heating of its hydraulic cylinder. A dead shock absorber usually heats up less than serviceable ones. But this method is rarely used due to the inconvenience of the location of the racks on some machines, and hydraulic cylinders are usually covered with a thick layer of dirt.

In addition, it is necessary to drive a rather long section, and even on a bad road, so that the hydraulic cylinders heat up sufficiently.

Well, the most accurate way to check is with the help of a special diagnostic stand. Moreover, there are more modern and convenient stands that allow you to check the shock absorbers without removing them from the car. In this case, the car is driven onto the so-called vibration stand so that the wheels are located on special platforms that create vibration, as if the car is moving along the road.

There are also more accurate stands (for example, as in the photo on the left), in which a shock absorber removed from the car is installed, but they are used much less often, due to the loss of time to dismantle the shock absorbers from the car.

Shock absorber repair.

As for repair, simpler oil shock absorbers (for example, Zhiguli ones) are not difficult to repair, since the main malfunction is seal wear and oil leakage. And if during the inspection it turns out that the rod has no scratches, nicks, scratches and wear in the area of ​​its friction with the stuffing box, then you just need to unscrew the stuffing box of the hydraulic cylinder and replace the stuffing boxes with new ones.

And of course, before assembling the shock absorber with new seals, you should bring the oil level to normal (but it’s better to drain the old oil, flush the shock absorber with diesel fuel and fill in fresh oil).

However, many more modern oil shock absorbers of foreign cars (especially gas shock absorbers) have a stuffing box assembly rolled into the hydraulic cylinder body, and such a shock absorber cannot be disassembled. As a rule, such shock absorbers (especially gas ones) have a more reliable stuffing box assembly (more cuffs), which is designed for more pressure and wears out much more slowly. And after the wear of the seals, such shock absorbers are simply replaced with new ones.

That seems to be all. I hope now many novice drivers know how to check the shock absorber, good luck to everyone.

Have you noticed that the car behaves differently on the road than before? Do road bumps become more noticeable, and stability decreases when driving at high speeds? The time has come to check, because it is quite possible that their resource has already been exhausted. Do you know how to properly perform this procedure? No? Then be sure to read our recommendations on how to check the shock absorber for performance!

Previously, it was believed that it was possible to check the health of a shock absorber on a car only at specialized service centers, where all the relevant highly sensitive equipment is available. In other words, the so-called. experts wanted to convince us that it was impossible to check the shock absorbers on a car at home. But we know that nothing is impossible! Accordingly, motorists with golden hands and a bright head shared their methods of how to determine the degree of performance of shock absorbers without the help of stands.

Simple ways to test shock absorbers

1. visual way. By inspection, you can assess the health of the shock absorber. If there are smudges on its body, then it's time to look for a new pair of shock absorbers. Why a couple? Because either a pair of front, a pair of rear, or all 4 shock absorbers change. It is strictly forbidden to change one at a time. Unfortunately, in this way it is impossible to check the gas shock absorber, but it does not matter, because there are other methods.
2. Check in motion. You can check the shock absorbers on the car directly during the movement of the car. If you notice extraneous knocks in the work, but at the same time you are sure of its serviceability, there is a serious reason to think about replacing shock absorbers. In addition, this is also a great way to check the shock absorbers when buying a car, because the behavior of the car on the road cannot be “disguised”.
3. Check during loads. The most effective way of all is to check the operation of the racks during extreme driving. If the car does not keep the trajectory during sharp turns, breaks off it - this is a sure sign of faulty shock absorbers.

But what about the traditional way in the form of rocking a car?

Some advise to press on the fender of the car so that the car "crouches", and then release it sharply so that it returns to its original position. At this point, you need to pay attention to the rocking of the car. If he immediately leveled off - good, if he swayed a few more times - bad. However, this way you can check the shock absorber strut only for complete inoperability. If the rack is still functioning, but already on the edge, this method will not allow you to calculate it.

Regardless of what type of suspension is installed, shock absorbers are always used in the car. These are damping devices designed to dampen vibrations during suspension operation. The principle of operation of the devices is to convert energy from mechanical to thermal. Distinguish gas-filled and oil shock absorbers. The elements work with such suspension units as springs, springs, pillows and torsion bars. However, like any other part, suspension mechanisms fail. The shock absorber is no exception. How to check if it works? You will learn the answer to this question from our today's article.

Why is it so important to monitor their condition?

The resource of this mechanism is about 60 thousand kilometers. In many ways, this figure depends on the condition of the road surface. The shock absorber does not always take care of this specified period. At any moment it can fail. Therefore, it is necessary to be guided not by the regulations, but by the state of these damping devices. Why is it so important to monitor their condition? A faulty shock absorber can lead to wheel imbalance. As a result, tire wear will be uneven. The car will skid at speed. Also, a faulty shock absorber reduces the resource. They are quite expensive. But on many cars, this assembly is assembled with a hub. Therefore, the cost of repairs can be up to 20 thousand rubles.

But that is not all. A failed shock absorber (how to check it, we will tell below) increases the braking distance of the car. This negatively affects traffic safety. And of course, driving comfort is deteriorating. After all, a broken shock absorber is no longer able to soften the blows. All of them are directly transferred to the body and suspension parts, which also reduces their resource. That's why it's so important to have a good shock absorber. How to check this element? The methods may be different. Consider the most popular of them.

Visual inspection

How to check the shock absorber for performance without removing it from the car? The cheapest and most practical way is to visually inspect the element. There are shock absorbers next to the springs (sometimes they are assembled with them, like on a MacPherson strut), behind the wheel. Take a look at their condition. There should be no oil marks or streaks on the flasks.

If so, then the shock absorber is broken. Inspect the condition of the rods (checked with the wheel hanging). It is better to do it on a lift. In the absence of such, we jack up the desired side of the car and pry off the boot. The stem should be shiny. The presence of rust on it indicates a malfunction of the element. The tire itself can also tell about a faulty shock absorber. Check the condition of the tread. Wear must be even.

What are the disadvantages of this diagnostic method? It is possible to determine the malfunction in this way only in half of the cases. After all, the incorrect operation of the shock absorber is caused by the wear of its internal components. And you can't visually inspect them. Outwardly, we can only see a consequence of the problem - oil streaks (which, by the way, do not always appear) and a worn tread.

Checking the damping properties

This method consists in checking the performance of shock absorbers in a calm state. So, the car is placed on a flat area. Next, one of its parts is vigorously swayed by hands and checked after what period the body will stop swaying.

This method is used in passenger cars. Up to 1-2 cycles of buildup are allowed. If the car continues to "play", then the shock absorber is faulty.

The downside of this method is that in this way you can only check the finally “dead” shock absorber. However, this is one of the fastest and cheapest (if not free) diagnostic methods. Another point - the shock absorber does not always “walk”. Sometimes the stem simply jams. In this case, you will not be able to rock the car.

We determine the malfunction on the go

This is one of the most accurate ways that lets you know if the shock absorber is working. How to check its status? You need to carefully monitor the nature of the behavior of the car. If the car is constantly “looking for a way”, reluctantly reacts to the steering wheel and sways on the slightest bumps, then the damping elements have become unusable. On large pits, characteristic thuds will be heard. But they do not always arise due to a broken piston. It is possible that the silent block that holds the shock absorber in the upper or lower part has worn out. During the diagnosis, check the behavior of the car when cornering.

The car should not roll much. If one or more of the above signs are observed, then the shock absorber has become unusable.

Withdrawal check

To find out exactly which of the four shock absorbers is faulty, dismantling will help. The extracted element is installed vertically relative to the ground. How to check Its lower bracket is fixed with its feet. Hands are taken by the upper rod and pulled out, then pressed down. A good shock absorber has good drag force. If the rod moves with the force of one hand and is not tight, then the element is faulty. There is not enough working fluid in it, or there is air inside (does not apply to gas-filled elements). How to check front shock absorbers and struts? Diagnostics is performed in the same way. These elements are arranged in the same way, therefore, if the rod moves freely, such a mechanism must be replaced.

vibrostand

It is not always possible to determine the breakdown without removing the element. However, there is a way that allows you to find out the malfunction at a professional level. How to check the shock absorber struts without dismantling them? To do this, the car is driven onto a vibration stand. The cost of the service is from 1 thousand rubles. At the same time, not only shock absorbers are checked, but also other suspension components, as well as the brake system. The vibration stand simulates road irregularities, allowing you to accurately determine the malfunction of a particular mechanism. The lateral rolling of the car is also checked (this way you can find out the serviceability of wheel bearings and ball bearings).

The stand is equipped with numerous sensors that transmit information to the computer every second.

What are the benefits?

The advantage of checking this method is the high accuracy of fault detection in a short period of time. In addition, truck owners cannot do without such a service. After all, it is unlikely that it will be possible to swing such a machine with your hands (as in the second method). The vibration stand allows you to determine the problem in a complex. The only negative is the low prevalence of such stands around the city. And the price is not always acceptable.

So, we figured out how to check the shock absorber for serviceability in various ways.