Mono-tube Shock Absorbers

Robert Radonski
5/01/2014
EGME 421 - Tuesday/Thursday 5:30
 Shock absorbers come in many variations, but fundamentally operate in the

same manner. Mounted as part of a vehicles suspension, they work with the springs in

order to improve ride comfort, the tire's ability to maintain traction and the driver's

control of the car. The shock absorbers, also referred to as dampers, are used to

dissipate energy in the vertical motion of body or wheels of a vehicle. The vertical

motion is typically caused by road conditions, uneven load, wind, and control inputs

from the driver.

The fundamental function of a shock absorber is most easily compared to a

simple damper in a dynamic system. The formulae for the theoretical operation of a

damped system are analogous to the math behind simple electrical RLC circuits.

Differential Equation for a Damped System:

 Analogous Dynamic System and Electrical Circuit

In order for the shock absorber to dissipate the unwanted energy in the

suspension system, it introduces friction. Within the damping system there are two

types of friction: dry friction, and fluid friction. The dry friction comes simply from the

moving components in the damper rubbing against each other. Dry friction is not ideal

for creating a smooth and consistent damping system because it has the ability to lock

up moving parts under light loads. Fluid friction is a result of the fluid contained in the

damper and the internal components moving through it. Shock absorbers are filled with

either hydraulic oil, gas, or a combination of the two. It is fundamentally defined by the

fluids physical properties and the flow rate defined by the design of the dampers internal

components.
 The spring and damping system of a vehicle represented as a simple dynamic system

At the early stages of the automobile, the suspension design was the same as

that of the carriages and wagons that cars evolved from. They used leaf springs and the

only damping came from the friction between the spring components. Automobiles were

capable of much higher speeds compared to their horse drawn counterparts, but the

aging suspension design coupled with the poor road conditions made taking advantage

of those speeds dangerous. In 1901 Horock patented a telescopic hydraulic unit, laying

the foundations for the modern hydraulic damper. It wasn’t until 1928 that hydraulic

dampers were first supplied as standard equipment in the USA. Complete adoption of

the telescopic tube shaped damper happened across the automotive industry during the

1950s, and continues to be used today.

The basic design and shape of modern shock absorbers was introduced many

years ago, there have been leaps and bounds in its refinement. Progressions in valve

design lead to adjustability. With the invention of computers, engineers were able to

create adaptive dampers that adjusted in response to inputs from sensors in a vehicle’s

suspension. In recent decades manufacturers developed dampers that utilize

magnetorheological fluid whose physical properties can be manipulated by magnetic

fields to further advance damping adjustability.

Parts of typical conventional telescopic damper of 1950

Modern shock absorbers most commonly come in two different configurations:

mono tube and twin tube. Twin tube is more widely used by automakers while the mono

tube design is used in high end performance cars and aftermarket applications. Twin

tube type shock absorbers are typically used by automakers because its manufacturing

process is less expensive and it offers better protection from physical damage.

The main difference between mono tube and twin tube is, as their names imply,

mono tube dampers are constructed with a single tube in which the piston valve cycles
while the twin tube has an inner tube and outer tube. The inner tube of the twin tube

design is where the piston valve cycles and the outer tube acts as a reservoir for the

displaced fluid and gas. In the mono tube design, the gas and fluid are separated by a

floating piston, while the gas and fluid are not separated.

Comparison of Mono tube vs Twin Tube

In the application of high end sports cars and race cars, the mono tube design is

preferred. The attributes of the mono tube design that appeal to these types of vehicles

are its low weight, mounting versatility, larger oil capacity, and a lower tendency of the

hydraulic fluid to become aerated or emulsified. The lower weight comes from the fact

that the mono tube design is composed of less parts when compared to the dual tube

design. The floating piston feature lets the mono tube shock maintain the separation of

the fluid and gas at any angle, allowing it to be mounted at virtually angle desired.

Typically they are mounted upside in order to reduce unsprung weight. Unsprung weight
is any mass of the vehicle that is not supported by the suspension system. The benefit

of reducing the unsprung weight is that it reduces the force that the damper has to

dissipate. This decrease in workload increases the life and general performance

characteristics of the suspension system and the vehicle as a whole. The larger oil

capacity allows the oil to dissipate heat and maintain better damping consistency.

The term “mono tube” applies to any shock absorber that is constructed of a

single tube, and two chambers separated by a floating piston: an oil chamber in which a

piston valve cycles, and a gas chamber. Operating about these basic features, many

manufacturers offer variations to better suite specific applications. For professional

racing, including both off-road and on-road vehicles, dampers with a bypass chamber

are available and widely implemented. The bypass chamber is connected to the oil

chamber and acts as a reservoir for increased oil capacity. Further increasing the oil

capacity enables even better heat dissipation than inherit mono tube design has to offer.
 Section view of a bypass mono-tube shock absorber
The floating piston and gas chamber are relocated to the external reservoir, increasing the oil capacity as
well as the potential travel distance of the piston valve.

The materials used in the construction of mono tube dampers are largely the

same across the industry, with slight variations depending on specific applications. The

main tube or body is made from welded steel tube that is painted or powder coated to

prevent corrosion. In high end applications, manufacturers tend to use stainless steel

with a zinc coating to further inhibit corrosion. The piston rod and valve are typically

made from hard chrome plated steel, while high end applications also opt for stainless

steel. The seals and O-rings within the assembly are made from rubber or Teflon, and

some manufacturers use more durable Viton O-rings. The hydraulic oil varies in

viscosity by application, but is similar to the fluid used in most other hydraulic
machinery. The gas chambers are filled with pressurized nitrogen gas for its stable and

predictable behavior.

The useful life of any damper is normally limited by leakage due to rod seal wear

or piston seal wear. Life is enhanced by careful choice of seal design and materials with

a very good finish on the hard rubbing surfaces of rod and cylinder, all of which need to

be specified. A large piston diameter, giving larger liquid displacement volumes and

lower operating pressures, improves the tolerance to leakage.

The entire damper market is quite extensive internationally. They are a necessity

on every vehicle produced and are considered a maintenance part. About 50–100

million units are sold per annum with a retail value well in excess of one billion dollars

per annum. A typical European country has a demand for over 5 million units per year

on new cars and over 1 million replacement units, The US market is several times that.

The cost of a damper varies on its intended application with manufacturing

processes and materials chosen in that respect. Simple passive dampers used in low

end passenger cars are much less expensive to produce than adjustable aftermarket

dampers or active/adaptive dampers used in high end performance or luxury vehicles.

The service cost of high end racing dampers is also something it factor in for the life of a

damper when compared to a simple disposable damper.

Resources:
http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/unsprung_weight.html
http://www.kw-suspension.com/us/kw_technology_overview.php
https://www.tein.co.jp/e/special/ni_toryu/
https://www.tein.co.jp/e/special/surface/index.html
http://www.ridefox.com/subhome.php?m=offroad&ref=topnav
The Shock Absorber Handbook, John C. Dixon, PhD, Chapters 6 – Chapter 10, John
Wiley (2007). The Open University, Great Britain
Vector mechanics for engineers. Statics and dynamics / Ferdinand Beer . . . [et al.]. —
9th ed, The McGraw-Hill Companies (2010)