I know this has been covered before, but I couldn't find it in my search results. Earlier I was trying to explain that the terms strut and shock are used interchangibly, but I couldn't be 100% sure. So the question is, is there a difference between the two? I know they're basically the same concept, but any info on differences between the two would be very helpful. Thanks and sorry for the stupid n00b question.

A shock is a bit of a misnomer, as it's short for shock absorber. It's main purpose is to smooth the reaction of the springs, but anyway...

Struts are the piece to which your wheel knuckle mounts. The shock cartridge actually goes inside the strut. The difference is akin to the bulb of a headlight and the housing -- and as with headlights, some are separate bulb and housing, some are integrated into a single/non-servicable piece.

Depends on how you phrase it and what car you're refering to. All cars have some sort of shocks or absorbtion (ala airbags), but not all cars have struts. Struts is a type of suspension, while shocks refer directly to a part of the suspension. Make sense?

Aye, should have clarified when I said "your" meant Celicas.

My headlight metaphor still holds though.

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I didn't even read your post...

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Really tho our cars all have struts. If you take a look at a truck that is where Shocks actually come in.
A truck has shocks and struts. Our cars really just have struts. and no that cartridge is not a shock, its a strut insert.

If you look at parts for our cars, we have both.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Dec 9, 2005 - 12:06 PM

struts house the shocks

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Trucks typically don't have struts. Struts aren't strong enough for use on trucks. Celicas have struts and shocks.

If it absorbes shock then its a "shock" hahaha