Benefits of Shock Absorbers: Tuning Your Vehicle’s Suspension

Here’s a fact: it doesn’t matter how much time or money you spend on the perfect on- and off-road package, ignoring even one component can deny you a world of benefits. Suspension setups are probably the most comprehensive system on your truck, and if all you’re looking at is tall tires and lift, then you need to stick strictly to mall crawling.

Serious dual-use suspension setups take into account everything from control arm geometry to driveshaft length, but the type of shocks you’re using is possibly the most important piece of the puzzle. They’re just as responsible for ride control as they are for ride quality, and this is especially true on trucks with independent suspension, where long travels and constant bottom-outs can pound shocks to pieces.

This is where the value of having high-quality shocks come in; and for the best in both on- and off-road use, you need to look at the benefits that twin-tube shocks have to offer.

Time to Consider the Benefits of Upgrading Your Shock Absorbers

Make no mistake: if you’re looking at setting up your truck for serious on- and off-road action, you can’t afford to ignore what remote reservoir and bypass shock absorbers can do for you. OEM shocks simply aren’t built for off-roading; and although most aftermarket off-road kits come with their own shocks, they normally lack the hardiness and all-round versatility that twin tubes are celebrated for.

The benefits that twin-tube aftermarket shock absorbers have over mono-tube shocks couldn’t be clearer:

·   Sturdiness and durability. Precision tolerances, wear and corrosion-resistant Nitro-V steel bodies and pistons, and zero-leak multi-seal carriers ensure that twin-tube truck and car shocks are capable of handling the toughest off-road conditions that you can throw at them.  

·   Larger lubricant volume. Twin-tube-type vehicle shocks offer both an increase in oil volume, as well as an improvement in heat exchange attributes to help decrease oil breakdown and parts breakage.

·   Full adjustability. The rate and amount of twin-tube shock damping are fully adjustable, allowing you to tune the shock for either a smoother or firmer ride, along with the ability to position their oil reservoirs in a position where they can receive the best airflow.

Unlike a lot of mono-tube high-performance shock absorbers, twin-tube shocks are built to hold up just as well as they perform. Separate tube assemblies are less prone to mechanical failures and leaking; and they can be completely disassembled, rebuilt, and refilled with fresh oil as regularly as needed, guaranteeing that they can last for as long as you own your truck.

What do Twin-Tube Shock Setups Really Have to Offer

Once you’ve concluded that you want to go with a twin-tube setup, the hard part is actually deciding whether it’s purely remote reservoir shock absorbers for sale that you need, or whether it’s bypass shock absorbers. They’re very similar visually; and not surprisingly, they also have the same core of benefits, which include:

·   Greater control and predictability when off-roading;

·   Better stability when pulling heavier loads; and,

·   An overall improvement in handling under all conditions.

The similarities largely end here, though. While both of these twin-tube shocks are engineered to address the dual-use demand, they approach their jobs very differently. Identifying which combination of struts and shocks is best depends almost exclusively on the type of driving you plan on doing, and how the rest of your suspension is set up. It’s still a comprehensive system where the parts need to function together, but you’ll easily be able to recognize how superior twin tubes are to traditional shocks.

The Simple Efficiency of Remote Reservoir Shock Absorbers

The easiest way to look at remote reservoir automotive shock absorbers is to image a traditional mono-tube shock that’s been effectively divided into two individual cylinders, but without changing the operating principles. The shock’s piston rod and the bulk of its oil are housed in its main cylinder, while the remaining portion of the oil and its full supply of nitrogen gas are housed in the reservoir cylinder.

With a floating piston inside the reservoir that separates the shock’s oil from the pressurized gas that performs the damping, this setup functions exactly like a traditional mono-tube shock. The advantage, however, is that less pressure within the main auto shock cylinder produces more even compression under both on- and off-road driving conditions. The gains aren’t just in performance, though. By splitting up complex mono-tube functions into separate cylinders, there’s an increase in reliability, which includes:

·   A total elimination of performance-sapping mono-tube oil aeration and cavitation;

·   A significant increase in oil capacity, as well as surface cooling area; and,

·   Less wear and tear on internal components as a consequence of lower operating pressures, temperatures, and heat-inducing friction.

You can even buy remote reservoir shock absorbers online in both piggyback and remote variations. Piggyback-type reservoirs are mounted directly to the main shock absorber cylinder, while remote types are free to be mounted where they can be easily reached. Both types, however, deliver a simple, efficient advantage when it comes to setting up your suspension, and are available in a variety of sizes and lengths for a full range of trucks, jeeps, and 4x4s.

Remote Bypass Shocks Give You the Full Range of Tunability

Remote bypass shock absorber setups expand on the versatility of remote reservoir shocks by adding hardened compression and rebound tubes at various heights onto the main shock cylinder to allow compressed oil to effectively bypass the piston. Check valves on each of the tubes make it possible for the shock to be adjusted to a desired range of damping zones as the oil passes through it, giving you complete control of its tune.

Just like with remote reservoir shocks, the bypass’s gas charge and reserve oil are also stored in the remote cylinder, which also offers the same reliability benefits. They’re magnified by the scale of the bypass’s tunability though, which includes the ability to select optimal suspension travel points for:

·   Where the suspension shock absorber should top, or bottom out when off-roading;

·   Where your suspension should reside, front and back, when towing loads; and,

·   Where your travel range feels best during normal driving.

The fact is, while bypass aftermarket shock absorber setups are inherently stiff and arguably designed to give their best riding experience when tuned for off-roading, they’re still street-worthy with delicate dialling in. It’s this degree of versatility that makes them the perfect choice when you’re ready to buy shock absorbers for a hardcore dual-use setup, and they’re also available in a full range of sizes and lengths for a variety of 4×4 vehicles. 

The Final Word

At the end of the day, setting up a truck suspension that’s tame enough for the interstate while still being tough enough for most logging roads is no easy job. It’s all about tiny details and small adjustments, and that’s the degree of control you want over your shocks.

Aftermarket remote reservoir and bypass shock absorbers allow you to have that level of control. And together with the rest of your tuned suspension, they’re going to let your truck start to perform just as well as it looks.