Struts & Shock Absorbers

Shock absorbers and springs work as a system to help provide control for your vehicle and ensure a smooth ride. Shocks and struts control excessive body and tire movement and maintain vertical loads placed upon the tires, ensuring consistent, firm tire-to-road contact. They reduce the rate and speed of vehicle bounce, roll and sway, brake dive, and acceleration squat. They also help reduce the potential of premature wear on tires.

Shock absorbers have evolved over the years, including electromagnetic designs that can be adjusted on the fly, but the design has stayed basically the same. Shocks still consist of a steel strut and piston that telescopes inside a tube, with a compressible gas on one side of the piston, oil on the other, and a valve to control damping rates. It takes the kinetic energy from the rebound of the springs and turns it into heat energy, which is then dissipated to ambient air.

Struts are a somewhat different design from shock absorbers. Struts also serve as a pivot point for steering and incorporate the hub carrier into their bottom mounting, with the upper mount supporting the weight of the body. It eliminates the need for an upper control arm and simplifies suspension geometry. Whether you drive a subcompact or a big 4x4, shop Advance.