ABS - Anti-Lock Brake System
Axle Offset - the distance between the centerline of the fork tube and the center of the front axle on offset axle forks (mostly used on dirt bikes).
Base Plate - a thick washer or plate that the valving shims sit on.
Base Valve-the compression - valve assembly on cartridge forks or older-style "twin-tube" shocks.
Bladder - a flexible membrane separating the suspension fluid from the nitrogen in a shock absorber. Allows the shock to be pressurized to eliminate cavitation.
Bleed - a free flow orifice that allows fluid to pass easily at low flow-rates. It is usually the lowest-speed circuit.
Bottoming Cone - a hydraulic device designed to give additional damping resistance when the fork or shock reaches bottoming.
Cartridge Fork - a more sophisticated type of fork that utilizes pistons with bending shims to create compression and rebound damping. The basic design allows the manufacturer to produce a less progressive damping curve than a damping rod fork. Note: Some cartridge forks create very similar curves to a damping-rod fork.
Check Valve - a one-way valve that easily opens in one direction and shuts off completely in the other direction.
Clickers - external adjusters usually controlling low-speed rebound damping or low-speed compression damping on forks. On shocks, the clickers usually control low-speed rebound and high-speed compression damping. Many bikes have no clickers. Note: Some clickers don't click. Unless otherwise marked, most adjusters create maximum damping when they are screwed all the way "in" (clockwise).
Damping Circuits - a path of resistance for suspension fluid. There may be five or more com- pression circuits and three or more rebound circuits in a shock or cartridge fork. The effect of each circuit generally overlaps creating massive flexibility and sometimes complexity as well.
Damping Piston - the valve on which the shims are stacked. It is sealed on its outer diameter with a piston ring usually made of a Teflon composite if the piston is sliding in a chamber (as with a shock or the rebound piston on a cartridge fork). On a compression piston on a cartridge fork, it is stationary and therefore is sealed with an O-ring.
Damping Rod Fork - a simple type of fork that utilizes a tube with holes in it to create compression and rebound damping. The basic nature of creating damping by shoving fluid through holes produces a damping curve that is extremely progressive.
Fork Bushing - a low-friction, load-bearing sleeve. It is a steel band with a coating of bronze and a layer of Teflon on it. Most forks require two per leg. Nitrogen-an inert gas used to pressurize shock absorbers to eliminate cavitation. Argon or any inert gas could also be used. Piston Ring-a sealing ring on a shock piston or a cartridge-fork rebound piston. Usually made of a Teflon composite. It seals with pressure behind it, similar to the piston ring in a motor.
Piston Rod - (damping rod or rebound rod)-the rod in a cartridge fork attaches to the fork cap and usually carries the rebound piston as well.
Preload Adjuster - a method of adjusting the preload externally. These can be ramped or threaded.
Preload Spacer - material used to adjust preload internally. Thin-wall steel or aluminum tubing is commonly used. Many aftermarket spring companies use PVC as spacer material which works fine if the ends are finished flat and square, and a flat washer is used on both ends of the spacer.
Reservoir - a canister or portion of a shock absorber with a compressible chamber usually filled with high- pressure nitrogen. This allows for displacement of the fluid by the shock shaft since oil is incompressible.
Shim (clamping shim) -The "last shim" in a valving stack, farthest away from the piston and closest to the base plate. All the other shims must bend on the clamping shim.
Shim (valving shim) - usually a thin, spring-steel washer used in a damper to create damping. When used in combination with other shims, it is referred to as "valving." It is located on a damping piston or base valve. Shock Absorber-a hydro-mechanical device that uses a fluid to create resistance. Key point: The damping force is sensitive to velocity. The mechanical energy is turned into heat.
Shock Body - the outer cylinder of the damping unit. Usually made of aluminum or steel.
Shock Bumper - a mechanical cushion made out of rubber or urethane, designed to give additional spring-type resistance when the fork or shock bottoms out.
Shock Linkage - a series of mechanical levers designed to change the leverage the wheel has on the shock as the swingarm pivots through its range of travel.
Shock Shaft - the hard, chrome-plated rod in a shock. The valving is attached to the internal end and the eyelet is attached to the external end.
Spring - a mechanical device, usually in the form of a coil, but sometimes as a leaf, torsion bar, or air. Springs have remarkable memory and therefore are position sensitive. As a result, springs store energy.
Suspension Fluid - used inside a shock absorber for two purposes: 1) To create damping when forced through orifices or valving; 2) to lubricate. The fluid must be incompressible.
Top-Out Bumper - a rubber or urethane bumper commonly used in shocks to cushion the shock when it reaches full extension.
Top-Out Spring - a coil spring commonly used in forks to cushion the fork when it reaches full extension.
Triple Clamp Offset - the distance between the centerline of the steering stem and the fork tube. The more the offset the less the trail for a given fork geometry. Usually measured in millimeters.
Valving - the mechanical hardware that creates damping. It is a combination of holes, ports, shims, springs, check valves, etc.
Axle Offset - the distance between the centerline of the fork tube and the center of the front axle on offset axle forks (mostly used on dirt bikes).
Base Plate - a thick washer or plate that the valving shims sit on.
Base Valve-the compression - valve assembly on cartridge forks or older-style "twin-tube" shocks.
Bladder - a flexible membrane separating the suspension fluid from the nitrogen in a shock absorber. Allows the shock to be pressurized to eliminate cavitation.
Bleed - a free flow orifice that allows fluid to pass easily at low flow-rates. It is usually the lowest-speed circuit.
Bottoming Cone - a hydraulic device designed to give additional damping resistance when the fork or shock reaches bottoming.
Cartridge Fork - a more sophisticated type of fork that utilizes pistons with bending shims to create compression and rebound damping. The basic design allows the manufacturer to produce a less progressive damping curve than a damping rod fork. Note: Some cartridge forks create very similar curves to a damping-rod fork.
Check Valve - a one-way valve that easily opens in one direction and shuts off completely in the other direction.
Clickers - external adjusters usually controlling low-speed rebound damping or low-speed compression damping on forks. On shocks, the clickers usually control low-speed rebound and high-speed compression damping. Many bikes have no clickers. Note: Some clickers don't click. Unless otherwise marked, most adjusters create maximum damping when they are screwed all the way "in" (clockwise).
Damping Circuits - a path of resistance for suspension fluid. There may be five or more com- pression circuits and three or more rebound circuits in a shock or cartridge fork. The effect of each circuit generally overlaps creating massive flexibility and sometimes complexity as well.
Damping Piston - the valve on which the shims are stacked. It is sealed on its outer diameter with a piston ring usually made of a Teflon composite if the piston is sliding in a chamber (as with a shock or the rebound piston on a cartridge fork). On a compression piston on a cartridge fork, it is stationary and therefore is sealed with an O-ring.
Damping Rod Fork - a simple type of fork that utilizes a tube with holes in it to create compression and rebound damping. The basic nature of creating damping by shoving fluid through holes produces a damping curve that is extremely progressive.
Fork Bushing - a low-friction, load-bearing sleeve. It is a steel band with a coating of bronze and a layer of Teflon on it. Most forks require two per leg. Nitrogen-an inert gas used to pressurize shock absorbers to eliminate cavitation. Argon or any inert gas could also be used. Piston Ring-a sealing ring on a shock piston or a cartridge-fork rebound piston. Usually made of a Teflon composite. It seals with pressure behind it, similar to the piston ring in a motor.
Piston Rod - (damping rod or rebound rod)-the rod in a cartridge fork attaches to the fork cap and usually carries the rebound piston as well.
Preload Adjuster - a method of adjusting the preload externally. These can be ramped or threaded.
Preload Spacer - material used to adjust preload internally. Thin-wall steel or aluminum tubing is commonly used. Many aftermarket spring companies use PVC as spacer material which works fine if the ends are finished flat and square, and a flat washer is used on both ends of the spacer.
Reservoir - a canister or portion of a shock absorber with a compressible chamber usually filled with high- pressure nitrogen. This allows for displacement of the fluid by the shock shaft since oil is incompressible.
Shim (clamping shim) -The "last shim" in a valving stack, farthest away from the piston and closest to the base plate. All the other shims must bend on the clamping shim.
Shim (valving shim) - usually a thin, spring-steel washer used in a damper to create damping. When used in combination with other shims, it is referred to as "valving." It is located on a damping piston or base valve. Shock Absorber-a hydro-mechanical device that uses a fluid to create resistance. Key point: The damping force is sensitive to velocity. The mechanical energy is turned into heat.
Shock Body - the outer cylinder of the damping unit. Usually made of aluminum or steel.
Shock Bumper - a mechanical cushion made out of rubber or urethane, designed to give additional spring-type resistance when the fork or shock bottoms out.
Shock Linkage - a series of mechanical levers designed to change the leverage the wheel has on the shock as the swingarm pivots through its range of travel.
Shock Shaft - the hard, chrome-plated rod in a shock. The valving is attached to the internal end and the eyelet is attached to the external end.
Spring - a mechanical device, usually in the form of a coil, but sometimes as a leaf, torsion bar, or air. Springs have remarkable memory and therefore are position sensitive. As a result, springs store energy.
Suspension Fluid - used inside a shock absorber for two purposes: 1) To create damping when forced through orifices or valving; 2) to lubricate. The fluid must be incompressible.
Top-Out Bumper - a rubber or urethane bumper commonly used in shocks to cushion the shock when it reaches full extension.
Top-Out Spring - a coil spring commonly used in forks to cushion the fork when it reaches full extension.
Triple Clamp Offset - the distance between the centerline of the steering stem and the fork tube. The more the offset the less the trail for a given fork geometry. Usually measured in millimeters.
Valving - the mechanical hardware that creates damping. It is a combination of holes, ports, shims, springs, check valves, etc.