Urethane cushion buffer - suitable for various car models.

Feeling of cushion bouncing seems to be that the user surely feels the cushion effect. As the highly elastic urethane material of Cushion Product does contribute in increasing the bouncing level of vehicle shock absorber, the drivers sensitive to leaning and rolling (terminology defining the elasticity level of vehicle shock absorber) of vehicle movement may feel a little bit awkward right after installation of spring, yet, as time lapses say a day or two, such awkward feeling will either reduced (No reduction of cushion effect, though.) or be gone feeling comfortable in using the cushion once accustomed.

Causes of Cushion buffer desorption from the coil springs can be naturally accompanied with two reasons in general.


First, it’s incorrect installation. (1) Either attempting to install the incorrect, not fitting cushion buffer in place, (2) or installing the grooving of cushion and spring of absorber not completely fit each other. For the reason of above (1), the driver may feel cushioning effect greater, yet the life span of product may be shortened. For (2), the complete desorption of cushion may be scarce, yet only limited and incomplete cushioning effect may be provided. For both reasons of (1) and (2), they can be applied to the incorrect installation leading to escaping of cushion buffer.

Second, it’s the case that the initial installation was made correctly, however, the space between coil spring was expanded in the course of operating vehicle owing to the situations such as lifting the vehicle chassis up with lifting jack or lift during the service done at garage causing the extension of coil spring. As for such cases, the cushion buffer may completely escaped from the installed position. In order to prevent the above trouble, lower the vehicle slowly down after using the lift, and once the vehicle is completely lowered, check if the cushion buffer are all closely seated in place in coil springs. If any cushion buffer escape its original position, correct it as driving the vehicle with bit escaped cushion may lead to the complete escape of product from spring.
A: Causes of Cushion buffer desorption from the coil springs can be naturally accompanied with two reasons in general.
First, it’s incorrect installation. (1) Either attempting to install the incorrect, not fitting cushion buffer in place, (2) or installing the grooving of cushion and spring of absorber not completely fit each other. For the reason of above (1), the driver may feel cushioning effect greater, yet the life span of product may be shortened. For (2), the complete desorption of cushion may be scarce, yet only limited and incomplete cushioning effect may be provided. For both reasons of (1) and (2), they can be applied to the incorrect installation leading to escaping of cushion buffer.

Second, it’s the case that the initial installation was made correctly, however, the space between coil spring was expanded in the course of operating vehicle owing to the situations such as lifting the vehicle chassis up with lifting jack or lift during the service done at garage causing the extension of coil spring. As for such cases, the cushion buffer may completely escaped from the installed position. In order to prevent the above trouble, lower the vehicle slowly down after using the lift, and once the vehicle is completely lowered, check if the cushion buffer are all closely seated in place in coil springs. If any cushion buffer escape its original position, correct it as driving the vehicle with bit escaped cushion may lead to the complete escape of product from spring.

Except with a few vehicle types, it’s best to install all four cushion products to enjoy correct and complete effect. The middle section of coil spring absorber is the optimum position for correct cushion buffer installation and best effect. However, for those vehicles manufactured with the normally ideal space of coil spring contacting with the interior wall surface of vehicle body, install the cushion at the space of coil spring not contacting the body of vehicle. For those vehicles having different coil spring spaces at upper, middle & lower sections of spring, the cushions must be installed at the middle section of spring. 

It depends on the driving habits of each driver or the road conditions frequently driven, still, using the taxis as a reference, the Power Cushion buffer II goes up to 2.5 ~ 3 years, and Urethane Cushion buffer works almost semi-permanent applicable all the way up to the disposal. (The material employed for Power II Cushion is a synthetic rubber compound, and highly elastic 100% urethane for Urethane Cushion products, which is used in producing the Nike Air sneakers.)

Some drivers frequently add the bar strip inside the bonnet to prevent leaning movement on sharp curve driving or cornering. Adding of bar strip provide an effect of restraining the moving of vehicle’s center of gravity thereby maintaining the stable angle of contraction for outer coil springs of shock absorber on sharp curve driving or cornering. Similarly, the performance of cushion buffer preventing the leaning works on the shock absorber coil spring restraining excessive contraction of spring.

Meanwhile the vehicle’s center of gravity is to lean over to outside when driving on sharp curves, and the leaning phenomenon cannot be certainly corrected and stabilized only by installing the front bar strip as the front and rear side bar strips are separated and independent.
(The bar strips are to be mounted inside bonnet for front side strip, and inside rear trunk for back strip.)

With such strip mounting, there is a disadvantage of limiting the full use of rear trunk, and on the contrary, the installation of cushion buffer offers remarkably superior space utilization versus cost in comparison with bar strips as the cushion can also provide similar function of bar strip.

Best and most exact way to measure the spaces in between spiral spring of shock absorber is measuring the distances with TTC Cushion Scale Card under the condition neither passenger nor heavy stuffs are loaded on flat ground. When no TTC Cushion Scale Card is available, the measurement can also be done using any paper folded to fit with the spaces of spring, the re-measure them with commonly used scale. The lengths to be measured are distances between the springs (excluding the spring thickness), measuring them at the position where the two springs located up and down of corresponding space to be measured go horizontally parallel, putting the TTC Cushion Scale Card or folded paper vertically straight up.

It is not a correct way of measuring the space of springs under the condition that the automobile is lifted up with jack or lift. TTC Cushion buffer are normally used and operating while driving the vehicle on ground. Being the springs of shock absorbers to be extended when the automobile is lifted up, no exactly fitting TTC Cushion buffer can be selected with the values measured with extended length. Installing of incorrectly fitting Cushion buffer may negatively influence on the effect and life span of Cushions.

A: Installing of Cushions buffer are always applicable with regardless of situations whether the shock absorber springs are changed or not. The only thing you need is the shock absorber springs. There may be two cases, one possibility of changing the shock absorbers with genuine components, and the other case of mounting the common, up/down tuned up shock absorber components. As for the case of genuine shock absorber springs, simply select the correct Cushion buffer size referring to the above mentioned TTC Cushion buffer Selection Table, and for tuned-up absorber springs, measure the spaces of corresponding vehicles with common scale or TTC Cushion Scale Card for selection of correct Cushion buffer.

Pay attention to measure the exact space checking the position to install the Cushion buffer, as there are so many privately recycled spring products, so called improvised components in the market, having different spaces in between springs.

Tuning works for automobile can be done at mostly for engine, suspension, exterior and interior fittings. Actually there is nothing that much to do with other sections for installation of Cushion buffer except with the suspension. In case of Cushion buffer at the suspension of tuned-up vehicle, refer to the answer of above FAQ: Can I install the Cushions buffer for vehicles changed with new shock absorber spring?.

1) Electronic Shock Absorber
The electronic shock absorber automatically/manually lifts the vehicle chassis up and down with hydraulic pressure by controlling the acceleration speed and shock engaged on vehicle body. As for the situation of installing Cushion buffer for vehicles equipped with electronic shock absorber, it is recommended to use the lift of automobile service shop or garage rather than using lifting jack. The reason is that, the absorber spring of vehicle with electronic shock absorber is not at all extended when lifted up, and the wheels should be taken out for installation of Cushion.
Being the Cushion buffer installed on springs of shock absorber, no specific operational burden is to be engaged on the hydraulic shock absorber itself, changing only the weighting value of hydraulic shock absorber. Yet, once the Cushion buffer is installed and hydraulic pressure is increased, no issues or troubles are expected for normal driving of vehicle, though a bit of bouncing phenomenon may show up.

2) Air Shock Absorber
The air shock absorber can be frequently found on tuned-up absorbers. While the installing of Cushion buffer on air shock absorber will provide the effect identical to the case of electronic shock absorber, it is recommended to re-set the setting of air shock absorber after installation of Cushion buffer. For some tuned-up vehicles, setting of shock absorbers by drivers may be applicable.

3) Down Spring
The down spring mechanism is one of tuning method employed in order to have less air resistance when driving with high speed by lowering the body of vehicle down. Once the Cushion buffer is installed, the body of vehicle will not be excessively raised up. As the rising up of vehicle body works on the shock absorber compensating the shock absorber position which has been lowered down for long period of vehicle operation, in no event the body and chassis of vehicle goes up owing to the installation of Cushion buffer, and driving with Cushion buffer should be enjoyable likewise other types of absorbers.

Procedure of installing Cushion buffer

1) Have the Cushion buffer, lifting jack, soap water and mop ready for installation.
2) Lift the vehicle body up with lifting jack placing it at the front or rear positions prepared for such purpose. Incorrect positioning of lifting jack may cause damages on vehicle or risk of safety for installer.
3) Lift the body of vehicle up having the wheels completely lifted up in the air. Once the body of vehicle is lifted, the shock absorber springs are to be extended. Extend the shock absorber spring sufficiently so that the Cushions buffer can be smoothly installed. (Spring absorbers of certain vehicles, such as New SM 5/7 of Renault Samsung Motors, may be easily extended just by lifting the body up a little bit.)
4) Spray the soap water on the shock absorber springs removing all the waste materials stained on spring.
5) Spray the soap water again on spring and grooves of Cushions buffer as well.
6) Insert upper groove at one side into the upper coil spring first and then go on inserting the lower groove as well. Now, completely insert the Cushion buffer in the space between coil springs, turning the Cushion buffer upward/downward.
# Caution: At this moment, the size of Cushion buffer may seem unfit and different with the space of spring. Such phenomenon represents the extension of spring, not incorrect selection of Cushion buffer for corresponding absorber springs. Closely watch if the grooves of Cushion buffer are completely seated in place with the coil spring lowering the body slowly down after inserting the upper/lower coil springs into the grooves of Cushion buffer.
7) Once the installing of Cushion buffer is completed, slowly lower the body of vehicle down checking the correct insertion of coil springs into Cushion grooves in place.

P.S: Caution for Cushion buffer Installation
1. Do not tie the Cushion buffer and coil springs up with string or cable ties.
(Tie-up may cause damage on Cushion leading the shortening of life span.)
2. The middle section of shock absorber coil spring is the most proper installation position

Mostly the front side shock absorber springs can be seen top of tires, and the positions of rear springs are located at beside inner of rear tires. Some vehicles have the shock absorber springs located right behind the tires, and can be seen viewing from lower position of rear side, which is the muffler side. For such vehicles, it is necessary to lift the body of vehicle up with lifting jack and then creep in beneath the vehicle to install the Cushion buffer. Facing complication in installing the Cushion buffer, please ask the installation for automobile accessories shop or service shops in the around your location.

In order to install two Cushion buffers in one shock absorber spring, the up/down length of shock absorber should be long enough to contain two Cushion buffers with sufficient spaces. In almost no event the S, A types of shock absorbers contain 2 Cushion buffers, while it is highly applicable to install 2 Cushion buffers for vehicle types of D, E & F shock absorbers. The cushioning effect is quite more visible with the small size Cushion buffer of installing 2 Cushion. buffers yet, if the body of vehicle is seen a bit lifted up after installing 2 Cushion buffers, it is recommended to just install one Cushion for safety reason.

Contacting of two open ends of Cushion buffer happens when the diameter of shock absorber coil spring is smaller than that of Cushion grooving. Facing such problem, just cut the both open ends of Cushion a little bit off as appropriate and install. For vehicles such as Musso of Ssangyong Motor and New SM 5/7 of Renault Samsung, take the Cushion buffer type as B+, not B, and install as appropriate. Contacting of two open ends of Cushion buffer after installation may lead to desorption of Cushion buffer.

Event covering only 2/3 of spring circumference with Cushion is allowed.

Reason the Cushion buffer does not fully cover the spring circumference is that, as the spring shock absorber works up/down during vehicle driving causing the repeat of contraction and extension movements of Cushion buffer, such movements of Cushion buffer fully covering the spring circumference with no open end may cause desorption of Cushion buffer at the both ends contacting each other. There may be situations that the Cushion buffer fully covers the spring circumference, yet covering only 2/3 of spring circumference will surely provide sufficient cushioning effect for comfortable function.

Recommended position of installing Cushion buffer.

Installing only at one side of shock absorber, either front or rear side, is incorrect in consideration of Cushion buffer characteristics and not recommended. Install the Cushions buffer at both of front and rear sides of shock absorbers to correctly feel and enjoy the effect of cushioning. Some vehicle owners are found to favoring the installation of Cushion buffer only at the rear side of shock absorber, probably for the reason that such vehicles are equipped with fuel gas tank or car audio equipment or those RVs having more payloads inside the trunk. Installing of only 2 sets of Cushions buffer at the rear shock absorbers may be done for these vehicles, but still the fully effective shock absorbing cushion effect of ‘prevention of leaning and effective impact absorption at bump/rugged roads’ is hardly expected for such vehicles installing at one side of shock absorber, either front or rear side. Recommended position installing Cushion buffer is at the middle section of spring, and incorrect installing of Cushion buffer at either lower bottom or upper side may cause the shortening of Cushion buffer’s life cycle owing to their narrower space restraint.

Rarely the burning of Cushion buffer may happen when the surface of Cushion buffer contacts with tire walls of vehicle body. As such, make sure to install the Cushions not to contact with any interior wall surface of vehicle body and tires, and check the presence of potential contacts prior and after the installation of Cushion buffer. The contraction and extension of Cushion buffer may happen during the driving, which should not lead to the burning problem at all.

On the market are imitations of the product, which are made of poor quality rubber that mimics our special material. In these buffers to buy a cheap term is very short even in some cases, tearing after 3-4 days. Such buffers not only help but can also harm, so it is very important to use the original buffers, which explicitly says Made in Korea, which ensures high quality and effective result. Trust only original, which is made of special material patented by the sports company Nike.