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FUNDAMENTAL FRONT ABSORBER THEORY
This illustration depicts the front fork assembly of this vehicle. The triple clamp
connects the fork assembly to the vehicle’s frame and
handlebars. An inner shaft is supported by a spring
within the outer shaft, which is submerged in fluid.
The spring acts as an absorber to the impacts
experienced due to imperfections in the drive surfaces
and the occasional pothole or small obstacle. The
fluid acts as a damper, smoothing the spring
movement. This results in one compound motion of
the shaft assembly, composed of two strokes:
compression and rebound. This process combines
to maintain tire contact with the road, as well as to
provide a smooth ride.
Compression. When bearing a load from the top of
the absorber, the inner shaft moves downward and
into the outer shaft. In an opposite circumstance,
when the front wheel encounters an imperfection on
the road or a minor obstacle, the outer shaft moves
upward and over the inner shaft. In either instance, the compression stroke is
experienced, which means that the spring is being compressed, and the fluid is being
forced through a one-way valve up past the inner shaft. At the extreme conclusion of the
compression stroke, the spring is fully compressed and most, if not all, of the fluid is now
above the inner shaft.
Rebound. Once the compression stroke ends, the now compressed absorption spring
begins to expand, pushing the inner shaft back up and into the displaced fluid. The fluid
now begins to flow back down, through two small one-way valves. These valves
function to increase the damping ability of the fluid during the rebound stroke. Once the
spring has completely rebounded, forcing the fluid back down the tube, past the valves,
the rebound stroke is complete.
NOTE: KEEWAY America discourages disassembly of absorbers for the purposes of
diagnosing and repairing KEEWAY vehicles. Always replace the absorbers as
assemblies, and in pairs.
