Suspension
Shock Absorber FunctionalityShock absorbers ensure good road-holding and a comfortable ride by slowing the movement of the springs. A good shock absorber is one that is hard enough to prevent the wheel from leaving the ground and supple enough to ensure that the bodywork is not subjected to the force of the various bumps in the road.
Safety, Comfort and Confidence Each Kilen shock absorber reference is designed to meet the needs of the vehicle so the safety standards of the range are not compromised by the use of a standardised design across a range of vehicles. This means Kilen replacement shock absorbers will match the OE safety performance under braking. The OE specification also means that each shock absorber provides precise control of pitch and sway and is neither ‘harder’ nor ‘softer’ than the car’s original specifications. This in turn helps to eliminate noise. Finally, the range is produced in ISO9001:2000 facilities which have approval from major vehicle manufacturers, as required for OE supply. Why are your shock absorbers so important? Worn shock absorbers allow the wheels to bounce, especially on poor road surfaces. Tyres which are not in contact with the road can do little to stop the car when the brakes are applied. Consequently, stopping distances increase with worn shock absorbers. A car travelling at 50mph has a stopping distance of 104.8ft when the shock absorbers are operating at 100% efficiency. If operating efficiency drops to 50%, the stopping distance increases to 117.1ft – an 11.7%, or 12.3ft increase. At 70mph the impact of worn shock absorbers on stopping distances is even more pronounced: at 100% efficiency stopping distance is 202.1ft, but at 50% efficiency, this increases to 247.7ft – an extra 22.6ft. Repair Issues Damaged or worn shock absorbers can result in uneven damping, poor road-holding and poor handling, compromising the vehicle’s ability to react in an emergency situation. Here are some tell-tale signs that the shock absorbers may be worn:
Like coil springs, shock absorbers should always be replaced in pairs. Having shock absorbers with different damping characteristics on the same axle can have serious consequences on the vehicles safety and stability. The variance between the performance characteristics of each damper may go unnoticed during normal driving, but could have potentially disastrous consequences under heavy braking.
The Kilen shock absorber range covers top selling applications such as:
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Shock absorbers and coil springs are such a natural fit as they work together to maintain wheel contact with the road and protect the vehicle body and its occupants from road irregularities, such as speed bumps. The shock absorbers do not actually absorb shocks from the road surface, this is the job of the springs which compress and rebound in response to the road surface. The shock absorbers dampen the effects of these oscillating springs; without the shock absorbers the vehicle would continue to ‘bounce’ due to the repeated compression and rebounding. The combination of good quality shock absorbers and coil springs allows for a smooth ride over uneven surfaces and rough terrain..png)
To ensure their shock absorbers are of suitable quality, Kilen insists that a number of strict production values are adhered to:
The Kilen name has become synonymous with high quality, professional service and excellent availability – all qualities which Kilen brings to their range of shock absorbers.