DTH Shock Absorbers

Protect the drill string before it costs you

Drill King’s heavy-duty shock subs sit directly above the DTH hammer, absorbing impact energy and harmful vibration before it reaches the rotation head, drill rods and joints. Built in the USA from mill-certified steel, for air and water drilling alike.

Engineered to take the hit, so your rig doesn’t have to.

Air & Water Rated

One design platform engineered for both compressed-air and water-driven DTH drilling, with no compromise on either.

Heavy-Duty Drive Splines

Increased internal drive splines improve torque handling and wear resistance, extending service life between rebuilds.

U.S. Mill-Certified Steel

Manufactured in Mansfield, Texas, from tough domestically sourced steel to withstand high-impact, abrasive ground conditions.

Universal API REG Fit

Industry-standard API REG pin and box connections fit Drill King hammers and most other major manufacturers' hammers.

Lower Total Cost

Reduced vibration transfer means fewer rotation head repairs, longer rod life and fewer unplanned trips out of the hole.

Field-Serviceable

Simple eight-part construction with a dedicated XT Pro series soft pack kit, designed for fast field rebuilds using the wrench flats.

Splined Pin Drive Shaft

Transfers rotation

Carries torque from the rig down through the sub while allowing controlled axial movement under impact.

One-Pass Efficiency

Secures the assembly

Locks the upper connection. Break-out is always performed on the wrench flats, never on the top nut itself.

Breakout & Retainer Rings

Holds the stack together

Keep internal components correctly positioned and provide wrench-flat surfaces for field servicing.

Spacer & Buffer

Absorbs the impact

The wear components in the assembly, replaced as a complete soft pack seal kit on a routine service interval.

Lower Sub Housing

Connects to the hammer

The API REG box connection threads directly onto the top of the DTH hammer below.

Not sure which system fits your ground conditions? Our technical team can match the right configuration to your formation, casing spec and rig setup. Ask for a recommendation.

Break out only on the wrench flats of the splined pin drive shaft and sub housing. Never break out on the top nut.

Visually inspect all metal components for excessive wear, and the pin connection for fatigue or cracking, before every run.

Replace all soft packing with the DKI XT Pro series soft pack kit every 180 days or 500 drilling hours.

The wear limit is exceeded once spline dimensions exceed 2.5 mm of deviation.

Lubricate all components with DKI ECO-Lube and reassemble per the brochure diagram, torquing up with proper tools on the wrench flats only.

Construction

Foundation and civil drilling programs.

Mining

Production and development drilling.

Oil & Gas

Drill string protection for energy drilling.

Quarrying

Blast hole and bench drilling operations.

Water Well & Geothermal

Municipal, agricultural and geothermal well construction.

Exploration

Mineral exploration and sampling programs.

What size shock absorber do I need for my DTH hammer?

Match the shock sub’s thread connection and OD to your hammer’s shank size, not the hole diameter. Drill King shock subs run from 3″ (2-3/8″ API REG) up to 18″ (8-5/8″ API REG). Check the specifications table, or send us your hammer model and we’ll confirm fitment.

Can the same shock sub be used for both air and water drilling?

Yes. Every Drill King shock sub in this range is engineered for both air and water DTH drilling, so you don’t need a separate tool when switching drilling mediums.

How often should I service a shock sub?

Replace the soft packing with the DKI XT Pro series seal kit every 180 days or 500 drilling hours, whichever comes first, and inspect the splines and pin connection before every run.

Will a Drill King shock sub fit a competitor's DTH hammer?

In most cases, yes. Drill King shock subs use industry-standard API REG pin and box threads, so they fit Drill King hammers as well as most other major manufacturers’ hammers of the equivalent size.

What's the difference between a shock sub and a shock absorber?

None. The terms are used interchangeably in DTH drilling. Both describe the same in-string component installed above the hammer to absorb vibration and impact energy.

Tell us your hammer size and application, and we’ll confirm the right shock sub for your drill string.