a method and apparatus for a shock absorber having a damping fluid compensation chamber with a gas charge . in one aspect , a partition separates a first chamber portion from a second chamber portion , wherein the first portion of the chamber is at a first initial gas pressure and the second portion of the chamber is at a second initial pressure . a valve separates the first and second chamber portions and opening the valve comingles the first and second chamber portions so that the combined chamber portions are at a third pressure . in another aspect , a piston disposed through a wall is in pressure communication with the gas charge and is biased inwardly toward a pressure of the charge , whereby an indicator is movable by the piston in response to the pressure .