shocks or struts?

[cassie]

So, I had my boyfriend & his dad look @ my car the other day and they told me that my STRUT was fudged up.

So, I posted here and a guy told me that FBODYS do not have STRUTS, only springs and shocks.

So, today I took it where I will be getting it fixed so he could get a look see, and he told me that I need a new strut and strut plate/mount.

So, what's the deal?

[speedy-v6-camaro]

Fbodys have a strut in the front and shock in the back. The differences between the two are basically nill. But if he says you need a new strut mount then I would say yes. A strut is just basically a shock with a plate half way down that the shock sits on. If you look at your car you will understand...there are some pics on my website of mine that you can take a look at too.

[cassie]

thanks much

[FirebirdGT]

You are ALL wrong.


SLA with Coil Spring Over Shocks (straight from the factory literature)

This is a advanced double wish-bone.

http://autorepair.about.com/library/...bldef-733a.htm

http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_s...uspension2.htm

WE DO NOT HAVE STRUTS!!!

[cassie]

well I don't know what to do? I have 2 different sets of people telling me different things.

Advance Auto Parts and NAPA carry STRUTS and STRUT MOUNTS for a 1998 Chevrolet Camaro V6 but we don't HAVE ANY?????

[V6Bob]

A McPherson strut is a thing that kinda looks like a big shock. It serves both as a shock absorber and as a suspension arm which supports the front hub and handles cornering loads. It usually is used with one lower a-arm.

A shock absorber simply does that. It has no role in supporting the hub or handling cornering loads.

Third gens have McPherson struts and a single lower a-arm up front. Fourth gens have shock absorbers and double a-arms. People sometimes use the wrong words.

[FunkZ]

(taken from Monroe online FAQ)

Q: What is the difference between shock absorbers and struts?
A. Struts and shocks are very similar in function, but very different in design. The job of both is to control excessive spring motion; however, struts are also a structural component of the suspension. Struts can take the place of two or three conventional suspension components and are often used as a pivot point for steering and to adjust the position of the wheels for alignment purposes.

Fbodies do not have front "struts" as they do not carry any structural load, they only provide spring dampening. The upper and lower control arms provide the structural support of the front suspension.

If Advance and NAPA decide to call the front shocks "struts" simply because they have a spring seat then so be it. Regardless of whether they say they are selling you a "shock" or a "strut" it will be the same thing. I know that replacing the front shocks will require a spring compressor because you must remove the top spring seat, remove the spring from the broken shock and install it on the new shock. I believe the lower spring seat must also be transferred to the new shock, unless you purchase a new lower spring seat with the new shock.

The GM Service Manual and also the Hayes Repair Manual make no mention whatsoever of struts on the Fbody. You can't even find the word in the index.

[speedy-v6-camaro]

They look much more like a strut than a shock. That is just how it is...its a partially modified shock that looks like a strut. You need a strut spring compressor as well. Thats the only reason I called it a strut...is for all intents and purposes of replacing it...its a strut.

[F1GT]

We have an upper control arm AND a lower control arm up front. If it was a STRUT up front you would see only a lower control arm with a shock that appears to act like an upper arm. Look at the pics from Firebird GT and u can see how a strut would look like. The pic of the Porsche has an upper and lower arm, so that is NOT a strut.

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

shock.. not a strut at all!!

however.. people often confuse/interchange the two..
the thing that napa calls a strut.. is probably just a shock..