Shock absorber

A shock absorber for use with a sprung portion and an unsprung portion of a vehicle, the shock absorber comprising:

• a damper tube defining a valving piston chamber containing a hydraulic fluid;
• a piston rod extending within the damper tube along a first longitudinal axis;
• a valving piston assembly slidably fitted in the damper tube for movement along the first longitudinal axis relative to the damper tube, wherein the valving piston assembly is coupled to the piston rod;
• a seat tube disposed in fluid communication with the valving piston chamber and configured to receive the hydraulic fluid from the valving piston chamber, the seat tube defining a seat piston chamber therein;
• a seat piston slidably fitted at least partially in the seat tube for movement along a second longitudinal axis relative to the seat tube, wherein the seat piston is configured to move along the second longitudinal axis based on a pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the seat tube;
• a first spring seat fixedly coupled to the seat piston for movement with the seat piston along the second longitudinal axis;
• a second spring seat spaced apart from the first spring seat, wherein the second spring seat is fixedly coupled to one of the piston rod, the damper tube, and the sprung portion of the vehicle;
• and
• a spring engaged with the first spring seat and the second spring seat, wherein the spring is configured to compress or extend based on a relative movement between the first spring seat and the second spring seat.