Originally posted by SlowPro48
OK, Mr. Transio - I've flogged this horse enough. How about you?
Not at all! I'm actually learning something!

Re: "more travel", you're right. After looking at my diagrams a bit, I realized that I put the rotation point of the axle directly beneath the frame mounting point of the shock absorber. By putting it at an infinity, it changed a lot. My bad!

Re: fluid dynamics, you say that all that matters is the speed with which the shock is compressed. What you're missing, though, is that the axial load placed on the shock is specifically what determines the compression rate. Bigger load = faster compression. Internally, the bigger load translates to higher pressure placed on the fluid, which simultaneously increases flow and outward pressure, tending (I guess?) to make the container of the fluid want to burst. If the container is of inferior manufacture, it will rupture?