remote reservoir shock absorbers explained

REMOTE RESERVOIR SHOCK ABSORBERS EXPLAINED BYSUPERIOR ENGINEERING

Michael Hayes talks about remote reservoir shocks for your 4WD.

FOAM OR GAS SHOCKS?

While fine for cruising or light-duty off-road use, a typical

foam or gas shock has drawbacks. The biggest one is when

subjected to sustained rough terrain, they can overheat. Aer-

ation (or foaming) is what takes place when the oil and gas

in the shock mix due to sustained heat and motion, and the

result is a shock that loses its ability to dampen suspension

motion correctly. The result is a bouncy ride and also dan-

gerous handling.

SOLVE THIS PROBLEM

Remote reservoir shocks can help solve this problem.

They are designed with an external reservoir that in-

creases fluid capacity. This increase in capacity helps

lower fluid temperature, thus offering the ability to blast

over rough terrain without experiencing shock fade.

There are two kinds of remote reservoir shocks...

TWO KINDS OF REMOTE RES SHOCKS

Piggyback-style shocks have the reservoir permanent-

ly mounted to the shock body.

While with the second style, the reservoir is attached

by a length of high-pressure hose, meaning it can be

mounted wherever you like.

WHAT’S THE ADVANTAGE?

What’s the advantage of remote reservoirs? Inside

the reservoir, a floating piston separates the nitrogen

from the oil, preventing aeration. Another advantage

is the increased oil capacity that aids in cooling and

increases service life of the oil. Additionally, the add-

ed gas volume helps the compression and rebound

valves to retain consistency under the most severe off-

road terrain or varying surface conditions.

WHAT’S THE ADVANTAGE (CONT.)?

Perhaps the most significant benefit of remote reser-

voir-type shocks is that many are valved for specific

vehicle applications, unlike most regular shocks that

use generic valving. Custom valving allows you to fine-

tune the compression and rebound to suit your vehicle

and driving style.

DO I REALLY NEED THIS?

I just want a nice ride. Do I really need A REMOTE RESERVOIR Shock? Remote reservoir-style shocks

are built and tuned to enhance your vehicle’s ride and

performance over a wide variety of terrain. The reser-

voirs are really a necessity if driving long distances on

extremely rough tracks or fully loaded when touring.

Shock fade on a loaded vehicle can become extremely

dangerous when driving at higher speeds.

ARE REMOTE RES SHOCKS DURABLE?

Yes.

The bodies consist of a thick high-tensile steel pres-

sure cylinder, which is plated for corrosion resistance.

ARE THEY DURABLE?

Inside, the damping work is done by an exclusive valv-

ing designed piston that features a Teflon and bronze

composite wear band to eliminate any metal-to-metal

contact and reduce friction.

Heavy-duty, hardchromed shafts, billet machined com-

ponents and high-grade racing oil are foremost in

quality and durability.

CAN I SERVICE THEM?

Can I service my REMOTE RESERVOIR shocks?Superior Engineering’s shocks are fully rebuildable

and repairable. Parts are available individually or in kit

form. Tuning for ride or performance, servicing, repair-

ing or upgrading can be done by any competent per-

son with the correct tools.

CONTACT SUPERIOR ENGINEERING

Phone: (07) 5433 1411

499 Uhlmann Road

Burpengary Queensland 4505

Australia

ASK THE EXPERTS:

4X4 Suspension Tech Talk With Superior Engineering

www.superiorengineering.com.au