Shocks vs Struts????

[Priest]

I have seached and read all over the internet and all that i have found on the difference between these two forms of suspension is that struts support wieght and shocks dont .. .this confuses me however and though i sound like a noob i would like for someone to tell me which one the supra has and what REAL difference is between the two . .thanks

 

[NeatOman]

Struts have a spring retainer built into them so the spring can rest on the shock. And A shock is separated from the spring there for the spring would sit on the control arms and not the stock.

Edit:

The first picture is a shock (has no support for the spring) and the one under it has that disk to support the spring witch is the strut.

http://www.kyb.com/support/shocktypes.php

 

[Priest]

Struts have a spring retainer built into them so the spring can rest on the shock. And A shock is separated from the spring there for the spring would sit on the control arms and not the stock.

Edit:

The first picture is a shock (has no support for the spring) and the one under it has that disk to support the spring witch is the strut.

http://www.kyb.com/support/shocktypes.php

Ok so i see the difference now . . .thanks . .however whcih does the supra have . .or is it both? are both required for suspension and is it only on the front? (sorry about the lack of understanding . . .i know enough about engines but i am only now getting into suspension.)

 

[Poodles]

there are really 3 setups...

shocks which if removed, the car will still be able to drive

struts that make up the upper part of the suspension (mcpherson strut) entire assembly has to rotate to allow the wheels to turn

then you have our setup that's in the center. as we have double wishbone suspension, the strut doesn't take the same forces on our cars. It does it's job as a dampener, and then carries the spring which holds the car up. That is all the forces it takes, unlike the McPherson strut setup that the turning forces and side loads from the tire are held by the strut.

Double wishbone suspension has advantages of camber with the supension travel, ect...

There are plenty of resources on this around, it will take some reading to understand all the forces going on...

 

[Doward]

there are really 3 setups...

shocks which if removed, the car will still be able to drive

struts that make up the upper part of the suspension (mcpherson strut) entire assembly has to rotate to allow the wheels to turn

then you have our setup that's in the center. as we have double wishbone suspension, the strut doesn't take the same forces on our cars. It does it's job as a dampener, and then carries the spring which holds the car up. That is all the forces it takes, unlike the McPherson strut setup that the turning forces and side loads from the tire are held by the strut.

Double wishbone suspension has advantages of camber with the supension travel, ect...

There are plenty of resources on this around, it will take some reading to understand all the forces going on...

I'm still trying to determine what advantages (other than adjustability) coilovers have vs our stock suspension.

Seems like we have non-adjusting coilovers stock?

 

[NeatOman]

"Adjustable Coilovers" are only to adjust spring rate in accordance with individual weight in each wheel. They can be used to lower the ride hight BUT its better to just get different springs.

Edit: MK3's only have Struts... wheres the stock loads the weight of the car and transfers it to the lower control arm.

 

[Poodles]

doward: not much, on a high quality setup it will have better dampening and better control of the car...

case in point...
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56032