Do I Need Front Struts?

[ctechbob]

I think this sums it up nicely and are not my words.


https://help.summitracing.com/knowledgebase/article/SR-05260/en-us

"Coilover Shocks are easy to confuse with struts because of the coil spring. The reason they are not struts is that they are not an integral component. If you remove a coilover shock, the vehicle will fall down onto the bump stops. However, it can still technically drive and steer. The tires might rub, but they won’t fall off."

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[Frenchy]

Because that's what he does.


#1 - No one cares. There are plenty of 'certified' people out there that spout wrong shit every.....single....day. Remember your BMS argument that you didn't understand? Certified just means you could read a book and take a test.

I finally figured out what in the hell you're talking about.

You're saying that this:

Is a shock.

But this:

Is an SLA 'Strut'.

You're still wrong, they're both shocks, one is just a coil over. Yes, it is a more compact unit than the divorced setup, but it is still a shock. A coil-over shock. No one uses that first design anymore at any rate because technology has progressed.

You are literally the only person that has ever used the term 'SLA Strut' in my 30+ years of doing this shit.

Struts take the place of the upper control arm.... Period..... Quit trying to force a term on to something you believe in your head to be correct.

Also, there are unibody vehicles that don't use struts. Miata comes to mind. They are also a coil over multi wishbone front (and rear) suspension design.

You are making this way too fun for me sir. You can clearly see the difference with the two. On picture 1 if you remove the shock absober, the vehicle will retain ride height that the spring will give for that vehicle. In picture two if you remove the strut(what you think is a shock absober) the the vehicle won't be at ride height anymore because you took the support/mount for the spring away. You are making this way harder than it is

 

[ctechbob]

You are making this way too fun for me sir. You can clearly see the difference with the two. On picture 1 if you remove the shock absober, the vehicle will retain ride height that the spring will give for that vehicle. In picture two if you remove the strut(what you think is a shock absober) the the vehicle won't be at ride height anymore because you took the support/mount for the spring away. You are making this way harder than it is

If that's what you want to think, go right ahead.

The rest of us will be over here in the real world.

How does that arguing with an idiot quote go? They'll beat you with experience? Something like that.

BTW. What is a shock absober? That a shock that doesn't drink or do drugs?

You can just keep trying to speak it into existence, still doesn't mean you're right.

 

[JohnnyO]

Ooohh ohhhh, can we make this a sticky?

There is certainly a blurred line between shock and strut, but it shouldn't be.

A coil-over shock is what the Ranger has along with double wishbones as has been mentioned.

Can you call it both? I suppose, but you're not technically correct.

You should also call it by its true and proper name, which is MacPherson Strut. Invented all the way back in the mid-1900's. The Ranger still doesn't have a MacPherson Strut. The front damper has nothing to do with the geometry of the suspension, which is the defining factor of a 'Strut'.

Porsche uses a MacPherson strut in some of their 911's without a coil over spring instead using a torsion bar, so having a spring over the damper isn't the defining factor.

Also 'SLA Strut' isn't a thing. SLA is just Short/Long Arm IE Double wishbone suspension. The term 'strut' doesn't fit in there because it isn't.

I didn't mean to start an argument about sematics.

 

[got3fords]

I didn't mean to start an argument about sematics.

It's more about proper terminology and misinformation.

 

[Frenchy]

It's more about proper terminology and misinformation.

New misinformation here from my side. Is this stuff I learned and I'm simply sharing it. Certain individuals here I just refusing to accept that information because God forbid they learn something from a guy who's certified with Nissan and Ford.

 

[got3fords]

New misinformation here from my side. Is this stuff I learned and I'm simply sharing it. Certain individuals here I just refusing to accept that information because God forbid they learn something from a guy who's certified with Nissan and Ford.

That doesn't mean crap. I work with PhD's that can get simple shit wrong. Before that I worked with rednecks that often used the wrong word for things, all their lives. SLA's do not have struts.

 

[Frenchy]

That doesn't mean crap. I work with PhD's that can get simple shit wrong. Before that I worked with rednecks that often used the wrong word for things, all their lives. SLA's do not have struts.

As I have explained before, a strut does not have to have a pivot at the top. To consider it a strut it has to be able to do two jobs. Two jobs include controlling the damping Force of the vehicle along with controlling the right height by having a spring on it. A strut does just that. A shock absorber does not. You guys don't want to understand that basic fact

 

[got3fords]

As I have explained before, a strut does not have to have a pivot at the top. To consider it a strut it has to be able to do two jobs. Two jobs include controlling the damping Force of the vehicle along with controlling the right height by having a spring on it. A strut does just that. A shock absorber does not. You guys don't want to understand that basic fact

A shock with a coil over it does those two functions.

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