Thread: Foam cell shock absorbers

Foam cell = marketing **** IMNSHO

All that is done is that a lump of closed cell foam is placed in the reservoir tube of a twin tube damper.

As the damper shaft compresses in bump the volume in the pressure/working tube is decreased by the encroaching shaft.
This in turn displaces the fluid from the pressure tube through the foot valve into the outer/reservoir tube.

The foam, if there is indeed enough in there, is supposedly compressed a little by the fluid.
The claim is it may reduce foaming of the oil (slightly).

The only way to stop foaming is use the best quality fluid you can and gas pressurise to a much higher level than a bit of foam can compress.

It's telling that Koni and Monroe use nitrogen (around 80 psi) in their twin tube dampers instead of closed cell foam.