About Us TOKICO Performance Shocks has been manufacturing shock absorber, brake parts and hydraulics for over 65 years. The company has been and continues to be a major original equipment supplier to a variety of auto manufacturers.

Responding to auto manufacturers’ demands for shocks that could provide both good stability and good ride quality, TOKICO developed the twin-tube low-pressure gas shock absorber. TOKICO began working on this technology in the mid 1970’s. Since then much of the technology has been adopted world-wide.

The first U.S. built vehicle using twin-tube low-pressure gas shock absorbers was the 1982 Lincoln Continental. Those shocks and struts were designed and supplied by TOKICO, a long time leader in electronic shock absorbers and suspension products.

Gas-pressurized shook absorbers have been available for over 30 years. Like non-pressurized shocks they use oil as a damping medium. Sometimes you may see the term gas-filled but this is misleading. Gas-filled struts are a form of spring like those used for hoods, hatches and truck lids.

In gas pressurized shocks, the oil is pressurized to minimize the negative effects of foaming or cavitations. Oil has some gas or air bound up in solution. When the shock piston moves through the oil there is a pressure drop behind the piston and the air comes out of solution and forms foamed oil. For maximum performance and efficiency the shock piston must work in clear oil.

There are two types of gas-pressurized shocks, monotube high-pressure and twin-tube low- pressure. Generally a twin-tube low-pressure shock will provide a better ride for a given level of control than a monotube high-pressure shock.