Damper with volume reducing insert

A shock absorber comprising:

• a pressure tube extending about a longitudinal axis and defining an inner volume;
• a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the inner volume of the pressure tube into a first working chamber and a second working chamber;
• a bi-directional primary fluid flow path extending through the piston to fluidly interconnect the first working chamber and the second working chamber;
• a fluid transfer tube extending about the pressure tube such that an intermediate chamber is defined between the pressure tube and the fluid transfer tube, the intermediate chamber disposed in fluid communication with the first working chamber;
• a valve assembly disposed in fluid communication with and controlling fluid flow between the intermediate chamber and the second working chamber, wherein at least part of the intermediate chamber is formed by a fluid transfer channel that extends longitudinally within the fluid transfer tube to provide a secondary fluid flow path extending between the first working chamber and the valve assembly, wherein the primary fluid flow path extends in parallel with the secondary fluid flow path;
• a reserve tube extending about the fluid transfer tube such that a reservoir chamber is defined between the fluid transfer tube and the reserve tube, wherein the pressure tube includes at least one outlet providing fluid communication between the first working chamber and the intermediate chamber, and wherein the valve assembly includes a reservoir valve disposed in fluid communication between the intermediate chamber and the reservoir chamber and a base valve disposed in fluid communication between the reservoir chamber and the second working chamber, the reservoir valve being positioned outside of the fluid transfer tube;
• and
• an insert positioned in the intermediate chamber that reduces the volume of the intermediate chamber and defines the fluid transfer channel,
• wherein the insert is shaped as a fixed, rigid split tube having first and second longitudinal edges that are spaced apart by a separation, the fluid transfer channel formed by the separation in the insert.