The 13 Best Air Shocks in 2024 – Our Top Picks

Air shock absorbers are a fundamental component of the drivability, comfort, and safety of our car. We often tend to forget its importance compared to other equally important components such as engine oil, tires, or brake pads.

They are part of the vehicle suspension system together with the suspension springs. In some models, they are positioned inside the suspension springs to save space and allow faster maintenance of the entire suspension system.

Right here we had listed down the best air shocks that are present below.

How to Choose Air Shocks?

How Are Car Shock Absorbers Made and How Do They Work?

While auto shock absorbers on the outside may look like a simple metal cylinder with a ring at each end, they are actually far more complex components.

To understand the importance of shock absorbers it is essential to know how they are made and how they work. So let’s explain it in the simplest way possible.

Car shock absorbers consist of two cylinders that slide one inside the other and a piston directly connected to one of the two cylinders.

The innermost of these two cylinders is filled with oily liquid, a common hydraulic fluid, inside which the piston connected to the other cylinder flows. A washer with many holes is affixed to the head of the piston, always immersed in oil, which allows precise movement of the piston.

Without having to take a mechanical engineering lesson, we just need to know that the oil, thanks to its particular viscosity and the holes on the piston washer, affords strong resistance to the vertical motion of the piston.

The piston is then slowed down in its movements a bit like when trying to run on the beach and being “braked” by the water.

Taking a more practical example, when the car passes over a bump the shock absorber stretches and then compresses. The piston is forced to move vertically between the two cylinders but, instead of snapping back up, it is slowed down by the resistance of the oil passing through the holes.

This slowdown allows the machine to absorb all the imperfections of the road without being “tossed” on one side or the other by the suspension springs.

In fact, remember that without shock absorbers the suspension springs would translate any stress into stress in the opposite direction, making driving impossible.

What Are the Differences Between Shock Absorbers and Suspension?

As we have seen shock absorbers and suspensions are two components that always work in close collaboration. They are a little Ying and Yang of the car, one doesn’t make sense without the other. After this poetic moment we quickly illustrate what are the roles of each:

The suspension springs (or simply suspensions) are elastic components almost always large springform and connect the frame of the machine to the tires.

Thanks to their elasticity they absorb all the stresses and imperfections of the ground that would otherwise be passed on to the passengers of the car through the bodywork. They are black or gray in small cars and showy colors on large off-road vehicles or sports cars.

The car shock absorbers are cylindrical components filled with oil inside which a piston slides. By exploiting the viscosity of the oil which slows down and attenuates the vertical movement of the piston, the shock absorbers attenuate the movement of the suspension.

The shock absorber has a stabilizing effect on the suspension and allows safe and smooth driving. We can, therefore, conclude by saying that both shock absorbers and suspensions are fundamental parts of the car.

Without them, any slightest stress on the road surface could destabilize the car, making driving unpleasant or, in the worst case, creating safety hazards.

What Is the Warning Light of Car Shock Absorbers?

Generally the car warning lights indicate figuratively the type of parameter they inspect. The car battery warning light has a square with + and -, the open door warning light has a car seen from above with an open door and so on.

The warning light of the suspension system is a little more difficult to decipher as it is represented by the profile of a car with two arrows placed vertically.

It indicates in a somewhat coarse way the “up and down” motion which suspensions and shock absorbers attenuate with their functioning.

The shock absorber warning light comes on to indicate that there is a fault in the car’s suspension system. Usually, the problem is an oil or air leak (in the case of air suspension) which could cause a problem with the set up of the machine.

Obviously when this light comes on it would be advisable to go to the workshop to check for anomalies and prevent further damage.

What Are the Benefits of Having Car Shock Absorbers in Good Condition?

Having shock absorbers in excellent condition on your car brings several benefits to driving , let’s see them below:

1. Attenuate the Movement of The Suspension Springs – the main role of the shock absorbers is precisely to avoid the sudden click of the springs in response to stresses such as potholes, bumps or obstacles on the road.
2. Improving Road Holding – the road holding of a car also depends on the positioning of the weights while driving. The shock absorber avoids sudden weight shifts due to “swaying” of the center of gravity thanks to better stability.
3. Ensure Consistent Braking – during braking the shock absorbers prevent the sudden movement of the entire weight of the car forward, keeping the weights balanced.
4. Preventing Premature Tire Wear – the well-functioning shock absorber allows the tire to grip the asphalt evenly, avoiding irregularities that cause premature tread wear.

Avoid the “squat” in accelerated – as when braking, during the start the car’s weights are shifted back and, without well-functioning shock absorbers, the car tends to drop a lot on the rear axle.

Symptoms of Shock Absorbers Exhausted?

Shock absorbers are also subject to wear and this creates the need to replace or repair them to continue ensuring an effective suspension system. When a shock absorber has reached the point where it must be overhauled or replaced, it is called the “shock absorber”.

So let’s see what are the symptoms of a shock absorber :

1. The steering wheel vibrates while driving;
2. The car swings in curves;
3. The tires are worn out irregularly;
4. The side wind effect is perceived more than usual ;
5. When braking, the machine leans forward ;
6. At the start the car ” sits “, leaning against the rear;
7. There are oil leaks in correspondence with the shock absorbers.

On a modern and well-maintained car the symptoms of shock absorbers should never occur before having passed the 100-150 thousand kilometers .

If the symptoms occur on a still-young car with a few kilometers then there is almost certainly a factory defect (covered by warranty). If the symptoms appear on a car with hundreds of thousands of kilometers and an irregular maintenance then the problem is the natural wear of the part .

In both cases, we recommend going to a mechanic immediately to evaluate the situation. The symptoms of shock absorbers should not be taken lightly as they could compromise the safe handling of the vehicle.

What Problems Do the Shock Absorbers Cause?

Exhaust cushions cause exactly the problems identified earlier as the symptoms. Excessive rolling, cornering instability and “lunge” when braking are only the most evident.

In general, if you have a good sensitivity to driving and you are often behind the wheel, you cannot fail to notice that something is wrong with the car’s set-up. Excluding tire problems, including a simple flat tire, then the next components to consider are the shock absorbers.

If you don’t know too much about yourself why not get help from someone who knows about it ? Try asking a friend for their opinion after a test ride. The best way to know if the shock absorbers are actually discharged is, however, to rely on a good mechanic .

Every how Many Kilometers Replace Shock Absorbers?

There is no fixed and super precise timing regarding the replacement of the shock absorbers. Their wear depends a lot on the driving style you have and the use you make of the vehicle .

A car that always moves on the highway will have less wear on the shock absorbers than a car used mainly on dirt off-road or simply in the city.

Like many car components, shock absorbers are subject to wear and tear and recommend changing them every 100 thousand kilometers or every 5 years

Before replacement, it is essential to include a shock absorber inspection in your maintenance plan . This should be done every 30 thousand kilometers which usually coincides with the deadlines of the car coupon .

How Much Does It Cost to Replace Shock Absorbers?

The cost of replacing the shock absorbers depends on the number of shock absorbers to be replaced, on the brand you choose as a spare part and obviously on the cost of the mechanic’s labor .

What Are the Best Car Shock Absorbers?

The best shock absorber is the well-functioning one that does its job. If we want to indulge ourselves in the purchase of luxury shock absorbers, as they say, only the sky is the limit.

The choice of non-standard shock absorbers in fact entirely depends on factors such as the budget and the use that must be made of them. The modern market offers multiple options and it is impossible to indicate which one is better without knowing how to use it.