Difference between strut and shock absorber.

Many in auto parts stores hear from salespeople that strut and shock are synonymous. The confusion generated by this opinion threatens to buy an unnecessary part and, as a result, useless repairs.

Shock absorber

So, the shock absorber is basically an oil pump. The up and down movement of the suspension forces small amounts of hydraulic fluid into the piston bores. Because of this, it cannot move quickly, and the deceleration is transferred to the spring and suspension. The faster the suspension moves vertically, the more the shock will resist. Thanks to this, the car body bounces less, bites or crouches less when braking or accelerating, and sways less along the horizontal axis. The kinetic energy accumulated by the shock absorber is transformed into heat.

Without a working shock absorber, spring suspension control deteriorates, tires wear out prematurely, ineffective braking and steering, poor road-tire contact, wheel alignment is not properly controlled in motion, swaying and bouncing occurs, other vehicle systems wear out, and the driver gets tired. The spring may be present (for example, in the front shock absorber of the Toyota Mark 2), or it may not be present in the design (for example, in the Toyota Corolla, this is the so-called "pencil" - a rear springless shock absorber).

Shock absorber

Strut

This is a whole unit that pivotally connects the wheels and the body device, the power element of the automobile suspension. In the strut, the support is often combined with a damper (the main component of the shock absorber) and a spring. The vocation of the rack is to hold the weight of the car, maintain the desired orientation of the wheels in relation to the body, transfer the adhesion forces of the tires to the road surface to the body. The strut is capable of handling significant lateral loads thanks to its reinforced stem and body. The large diameter of the stem and the complex alloy of the damper are the reason for the high cost of the rack. The strut is the main element of the McPherson suspension. The spring at the pillar can be present (for example, in the front pillar of a Toyota Corolla) or not (for example, in the front pillar of the Suzuki Escudo).

Post

Differences

The post replaces the upper ball and upper arm. This unit is rigidly attached at the bottom by two bolts (or more), on top it is fastened to a rotary device, the stem has a large diameter. The shock absorber is attached through the silent block from below and into the non-rotating device from above, the diameter of the stem is small. The shock absorber takes axial loads and works to expand. The rack is designed for multidirectional loads and works both for expansion and compression. The rack is more demanding for technical control, in the event of a breakdown, the car is practically not controllable. Classic Soviet cars can drive to a service station or garage with faulty shock absorbers or even without them at all. The strut is always more expensive than the shock absorber. This is due to the increased stem diameter.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

  1. The shock absorber can be part of the strut, but not vice versa, since the strut is essentially a shock absorber, hung with a steering rod and a spring stop.
  2. The strut has a reinforced body and stem compared to the shock absorber.
  3. The strut is more expensive than the shock absorber.
  4. The strut is capable of handling severe lateral loads, and the shock absorber simply dampens vibrations.
  5. The strut provides greater reliability to the vehicle than a simple shock absorber.
  6. A defective strut is not compatible with safe driving, a defective shock absorber inconveniences the driver, but the car remains on the move.
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