Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing the shock absorption of a spring running gear, particularly the undercarriage of a road motor vehicle with elastic tires by having the wheels jounced through the natural frequency and measuring the minimum wheel load at the maximum frequency and the natural frequency during the downward travel of the running gear, forming a ratio from the values of the measured wheel loads and qualifying the damping of the running gear depending on this ratio. The method is practiced by an apparatus having a support plate through intermediate means, and a force sensing unit connected to an electronical measuring unit and to the intermediate means, wherein the energizing means is provided with wedging means driven horizontally by a crank mechanism and mounted on the support plate on the one hand and on the intermediate means formed as a two-support beam on the other hand. One of the supports of the two-support beam is constituted by the force sensing unit. (FIG. 2).