Travel-sensitive Strut

Introduction

Travel-sensitive struts vary the amount of strut control in relation to strut travel. Some adjustable struts have a manual adjustment that allows the vehicle owner or technician to adjust the struts to suit driving conditions.

 

Travel-Sensitive Strut 

 

• Some travel-sensitive struts contain narrow longitudinal grooves in the lower oil chamber.

• These grooves are parallel to the piston orifices, and some oil flows through the grooves as well as the orifices.

• Under normal driving and road conditions, the orifices and grooves are calibrated to provide normal spring damping and control.

• If the front wheel drops suddenly, such as when it strikes a large hole, the piston moves into the narrow portion of the oil chamber.

• Under this condition, all the oil must flow through the piston orifices, which greatly increases the strut’s resistance to movement and the suspension damping action.

• This strut action prevents harsh impacts against the internal strut rebound rubber.

 

Adjustable Struts 

 

• Some adjustable struts have a manual adjustment that allows the vehicle owner or technician to adjust the struts to suit driving conditions.

• The strut adjusting knob varies the strut orifice opening.

• This knob has eight possible settings. The factory setting is No. 3, which provides average suspension control.

• The No. 1 setting provides reduced spring control and the softest ride, whereas a No. 8 adjustment gives increased spring control and the hardest ride.

• The adjustment knob is usually accessible without raising the vehicle.