A damper includes a housing having a friction element receiving chamber for receiving a planar friction element, such as foam pads. The foam is injected with grease. Two rectangular greased foam pads are inserted into an open housing within a pad-receiving recess in the housing. A cap is then assembled onto the housing. The housing-foam-cap subassembly is next assembled onto a friction rod with a spring coaxially surrounding the friction rod, having one end abutting the housing and the other end abutting a base at the lower end of the friction rod.