Rebound adjustable shock absorber

An adjustable rebound damping shock absorber (10) has an inner cylinder (14) disposed within and spaced radially from an outer cylinder (13) to form a reservoir (20) therebetween, a piston assembly (15) slidably disposed within the inner cylinder, a piston rod (16) extending from the piston assembly through a first end (11) of the inner and outer cylinders, and a closure (17). The closure has a fluid flow path providing fluid communication between a rebound chamber (36) and the reservoir. The fluid flow path has a variable jet (88), a variable orifice (85) and a variable spring (86) actuated damping valve (87) for controlling fluid flow from the rebound chamber and the reservoir. The jet, the orifice, the spring rate and damping valve are simultaneously adjustable by an adjusting pin (73). The variable spring has a tapered portion which varies in outside diameter from one end of the portion to the other end of the portion, creating a variable spring rate. Due to the variable spring rate, the variable damping valve is more responsive at lower piston assembly travelling speeds, providing "soft" damping control due to the relatively low pressure applied to the valve seat (72) by the variable spring.