Gabriel’s ‘Valve All Discs’ technology – increased safety

In general, the valve technology used in a shock absorber has been the helical spring. Springs are fixed on both sides of the piston and subjected to permanent pressure as oil passes through the piston. The rigidity and resistance of the helical springs depend upon a number of parameters (the number of spirals, the diameter of the spring, the diameter of the spiral etc). These parameters can result in a variation in spring calibration which make it very difficult to achieve consistent quality control in shock absorber manufacture.

Gabriel has sought to control these variables during manufacture and parts assembly as part of its programme to meet the specifications of vehicle manufacturers and guarantee motorists receive the highest levels of quality compliant with an original part. In the new 'valve all discs' technology developed by Gabriel, the helical spring is replaced by layers of metal discs fixed to the centre of the piston. These discs reduce the damping tolerance to a level that cannot be achieved by a helical spring. 

The advantages of this engineering innovation are firstly, that the only parameter defining shock absorber rigidity and resistance is the thickness of these discs which are precision calibrated to a hundredth of a millimetre. Secondly, the response time of the disc is quicker than a spring, enabling the shock absorber to respond more quickly to changes in driving conditions