As a key component of a car’s chassis, the shock absorber serves to dampen the vibrations caused by the spring rebounding after absorbing shocks and to absorb the energy from road impacts. However, as friction between the components leads to rapid wear and tear, this is where its trusty companion, the ‘top rubber’, comes into its own.

The top mount, acting as the spring seat at the top of the shock absorber assembly, absorbs impacts equivalent to more than a quarter of the vehicle’s weight whilst driving on uneven roads; its role is indispensable. Today, let’s talk about it!

A shock-absorbing top rubber is essentially a pressure top rubber; in layman’s terms, it is also known as a shock-absorbing frame bearing.

The function of shock-absorbing top rubber

The shock absorber top mount is made of rubber and serves to cushion and absorb vibrations. When the spring is fully compressed, the vehicle body is subjected to a relatively strong impact transmitted from the wheels; without the cushioning provided by the shock absorber top mount, this intense impact would not only damage the shock absorber but could also cause the wheel hub to deform.

The top rubber on shock absorbers also provides sound insulation. When tyre noise is generated by contact with the road surface, the top rubber helps to reduce this noise, preventing excessive tyre noise from being transmitted into the cabin; it also reduces the direct impact on the vehicle body when the tyres encounter bumps on uneven road surfaces.

With shock-absorbing rubber, we need not worry about the car sustaining damage from severe vibrations when driving on bumpy roads. The purpose of the shock-absorbing rubber is to keep the body of the car stable even when the tyres sink into the road, making for a more comfortable driving experience.

Situations in which the top rubber needs replacing

Among the common causes of damage to car shock absorbers, in addition to the shock absorbers themselves, damage to the shock absorber top mounts is also a factor. Generally speaking, there is no need to replace the shock absorber top mounts on a regular basis, unless any of the following situations arise:

1. Abnormal noises: When the shock absorber top mount is damaged due to severe wear, the vehicle’s shock absorbers will emit abnormal noises whilst in operation.
2. Steering Deviation: When the shock absorber top rubber seal is damaged, the vehicle may exhibit slight steering deviation, difficulty in returning to the straight-ahead position, and reduced steering effort.
3. Increased noise: Without the cushioning provided by the top mount, the shock absorbers transmit all the vibrations and impacts they absorb directly from the chassis to the passenger compartment whilst in operation.
4. Noise when turning on the spot: Even if the shock absorbers are not functioning, excessive wear and damage to the top rubber bushings can cause a very distinct noise when the steering wheel is turned whilst the vehicle is stationary.
   

How can I extend the service life of the top coat?

In everyday urban driving, the biggest cause of wear to the top rubber bushings is probably driving over speed bumps and vibration-damping strips at high speed. As long as you slow down before reaching them—rather than driving over them with your foot on the brake—this will benefit the shock absorbers, top rubber bushings, engine mount bushings and indeed all the rubber cushioning components on the chassis.

Nafurancar top mounts are all made from high-quality rubber using OE manufacturing processes, offering superior cushioning performance and ensuring a smoother, more comfortable ride for your vehicle.https://www.nafurancar.com/shock-absorber-strut-mount_c3