Strut and Shock Absorber

[GaryFenza]

ok, i got a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix SE 3.1 v6. I just wanna clear this up, it confuses the shit out of me. What the hell is the difference between a Strut suspension and a suspension with a Shock Absorber? Do most cars now adays just have a strut and Spring Coils, and no Shock Absorber? Do cars have struts and shock absorbers??? PLease clear this up, i believe my car has a Strut and Coil Springs and lower control Arm.

[waycool9]

well little buddy. First of all your car has 4 wheel strut suspension. The difference between the stut and shock are that the strut has a mounting plate for the spring welded together as a whole assembly, located usually on the front of newer light cars, vans and suv's. The shocks on the other hand are seperate from the spring and they do not mount together. The shock runs through the middle of the spring or the spring is located elswhere. Shocks are usually located on heavier vehicles, and on the rear of older light cars, vans and suv's.

Hope I've been helpful.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by waycool9

Hope I've been helpful.

Sadly you have made no sense what so ever.


All modern cars use some kind of Shock Absorbers and Springs.
The Springs carry the weight of the car, and the Shocks control their motion, preventing them from bouncing.
Where a metal spring is used, a separate gas or oil filled shock is also used.

The spring and shock can be either separate units, bolted to different parts of the chassis and suspension, or they can be integrated unit.

In a strut type suspension a coil spring is wrapped around the strut assembly that houses an internal shock absorber.
It makes for nice efficient packaging and easy assembly.

[GaryFenza]

Thanks man^ that clears it up and thats what i thought. It was confusing because i work on them down the shop and then it seems like its laid out diff on some cars, it was driving me crazy. Thanks again, yea so my car is a Strut Assembly, internal Shock absorber inside the strut and the Coil Springs wrap around the strut.