Shock Absorber Testing Device
Defective shock aborvers are not only a safety hazard for the driver, passengers, and all those on the road. They can also cause rapid wear on the suspension system and tires. This in turn leads to a significant reduction in your vehicle's value as well as expensive and unnecessary repairs.
'Carefree driving' - for this reason, all vehicles which are older than four years should have their shock absorbers tested in a certified facility on a yearly basis or every 20,000 km (e.g.: at a Original Sachs Service, AutoCrew or Boge Concept automotive workshop). With the Shock tester, the shock absorbers are tested for both performance and condition. One knows now that visual checks alone are not enough since they reveal nothing about the damper’s condition or its effectiveness. Not to mention the "rocking method", which is completely worthless.
Regular shock absorber checks are recommended by several organizations, including TÜV, Dekra, ADAC and AvD as well as Sachs, the leading European shock absorber manufacturer. All, having used the Shocktester, have come to the same discouraging result: almost every fifth vehicle is on the road with at least one completely defective damper! An alarmingly high number considering the consequences to name a few: extreme wear on the suspension, the wheel bearing and the springs; longer braking distance, earlier aquaplaning, increased risk of skidding on curves or when overhauling, faulty road grip when driving over bumps, decreased ABS performance, longer reaction time and poorer night vision!
Practical tips:
- Within the scope of safety campaigns, automotive workshops and clubs are offering "Shock absorber Checks" free of charge.
- Never replace one defective shock absorber alone; you should instead always replace both dampers on one axle.
- When dampers are being replaced anyway, it becomes fairly easy (and without having to incur considerable costs) to upgrade your vehicle with better quality dampers, Nivomats or complete suspension systems from the Sachs and Boge product range.
