Shock/strut difference in design?

[madmen]

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?

[Pierce89]

In short, no.

[Tim.Wright]

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.

[godlameroso]

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

They need to do a modern interpretation of this for something other than tanks.

[Greg Locock]

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!

[matt21]

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/

[godlameroso]

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.

[Greg Locock]

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

[godlameroso]

Either is vapor ware in my application. I wish I could get some magnetorheological dampers.

[Greg Locock]

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?

[godlameroso]

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.

[DaveW]

....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 ??