Whats the difference between shocks and struts? Why do some cars have both and some dont?

Answer 1

Struts are like shocks except they do more. They actually do all of the work of the suspension, rather than just 'damper' the suspension motions like shocks.

Struts were developed to be smaller and lighter than traditional front suspensions. Originally small cars and European and Asian cars had struts. Many sports cars of the 60s and 70s pioneered strut front suspensions, hand in hand with front wheel drives.

Answer 2

A shock absorber is basically an oil pump placed between the frame of the car and the wheels. The upper mount of the shock connects to the frame (i.e., the sprung weight), while the lower mount connects to the axle, near the wheel (i.e., the unsprung weight). In a twin-tube design, one of the most common types of shock absorbers, the upper mount is connected to a piston rod, which in turn is connected to a piston, which in turn sits in a tube filled with hydraulic fluid. The inner tube is known as the pressure tube, and the outer tube is known as the reserve tube. The reserve tube stores excess hydraulic fluid.

Struts and Anti-sway Bars
Another common dampening structure is the strut -- basically a shock absorber mounted inside a coil spring. Struts perform two jobs: They provide a dampening function like shock absorbers, and they provide structural support for the vehicle suspension. That means struts deliver a bit more than shock absorbers, which don't support vehicle weight -- they only control the speed at which weight is transferred in a car, not the weight itself.


Because shocks and struts have so much to do with the handling of a car, they can be considered critical safety features. Worn shocks and struts can allow excessive vehicle-weight transfer from side to side and front to back. This reduces the tire's ability to grip the road, as well as handling and braking performance.

Answer 3

Struts serve many purposes in todays cars. The strut is a common damper type used on many of today's independent suspension, front wheel drive vehicles as well as some rear wheel drive vehicles.

A strut is a major structural part of a suspension. It takes the place of the upper control arm and upper ball joint used in conventional suspensions. Because of its design, a strut is lighter and takes up less space than the shock absorbers in conventional suspension systems.

Struts perform two main jobs. First, struts perform a damping function like shock absorbers. Internally, a strut is similar to a shock absorber. A piston is attached to the end of the piston rod and works against hydraulic fluid to control spring and suspension movement. Just like shock absorbers, the valving generates resistance to forces created by the up and down motion of the suspension. Also like shock absorbers, a strut is velocity sensitive, meaning that it is valved so that the amount of resistance can increase or decrease depending on how fast the suspension moves.

Struts also perform a second job. Unlike shock absorbers, struts provide structural support for the vehicle suspension, support the spring, and hold the tire in an aligned position. Additionally, they bear much of the side load placed on the vehicle's suspension. As a result, struts affect riding comfort and handling as well as vehicle control, braking, steering, wheel alignment and wear on other suspension components, including tires.

Different car makers have differnet types of suspension for differnet types of cars. It all depends on the type of car or truck and how the manufacturer wants the vechile to handle and the type of ride comfort they are looking for.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

easiest way to explain is car manufactures have 2 ways to hook on the wheels, on an axle or differential where wheels are fixed to a beam of sorts this will require the shock as all they need to controls up and down
a strut is attached at the wheel and is part of the suspension they have a lower ball joint and every thing else is there strut it will turn with the wheel etc and you get a smoother ride

if you remove a shock you can still drive the car if you remove the strut your wheel flops to the side

Answer 5

I have to get front struts installed on my 1992 Nissan Sentra and it's setting me back $380.00

Honestly I think the only difference is the price :(

Answer 6

struts are like shocks with the suspension springs built aroud them. They are also more expensive than conventional shocks.

Answer 7

socks are seporate from the road spring and a strut is when shock is in side the spring as one unit

Answer 8

shocks are in back, struts in front.

Answer 9

what the heck is struts?