Abstract: A hydraulic shock absorber comprises a cylindrical chamber (3), which is closed at one end and in which is axially slidably guided a piston member 85), supported by a piston rod (8) and at its peripheral surface carrying a surrounding non-slotted elastic ring element (6), the peripheral piston member surface being conically converging in a direction away from the closed chamber end and the inner surface of the ring element also conically converging in the same direction, the ring element (6) furthermore being axially reciprocably mounted on the piston member (5) between a first rigid abutment 84) at the end of said member (5) closest to the closed and (10) of the chamber (3), and a second rigid abutment (7) on the piston member (5) at a spacing from the first abutment (4) exceeding the axial length of the ring element (6).