Differences between shocks/struts

daves87rs · Sep 17, 2015

While brakes shopping, I've also been in the market for shocks and struts for my Cobalt. I was pretty much going with Monroe (OE spec/Senstrac ), but was reading about the AC Delco branded stuff, it caught my attention. According to what I was reading/watching, they say they are very well built. And the prices are not much more than Monroe (40 bucks in shocks, about 30 in struts), which made me wonder if they might hold up better in pothole laced MI...

Heck, I'd even consider Sachs stuff, but they only come in shocks for my car....And no one mention Sensen....or I;ll have to break this out....

RoadRaceJosh · Sep 17, 2015

What's the question?

mjoekingz28 · Sep 17, 2015

Shocks are shock absorbers.

Struts are an assembly of shock absorbers within a coil spring.

There may be exceptions, but I think the above is a fair claim.

tomcat27 · Sep 17, 2015

you wont go wrong either way. I'm not sure that AC/Delco aftermarket is any better than Monroe..... they might even be the OEM. personally I use Monroe - of course, Tenneco is just down the street and I know people who worked in their testing lab

Vikas · Sep 17, 2015

Shocks don't control the geometry of the suspension.
Struts DO control the geometry of the suspension.

bdcardinal · Sep 17, 2015

Both are correctly called a "suspension damper" since their primary purpose is to dampen spring oscillations. A strut will take the place of a suspension pivot point, usually the upper. On a SLA suspension, the pivot points are the upper and lower ball joints. These are the points where caster is measured.

Macpherson struts encapsulate a spring under tension as part of the strut assembly. There is a modified strut suspension used on the 80s Camaros and 79-04 Mustangs where the spring is compressing in between the lower control arm and the engine cradle.

Or was your question more towards differences between brands of dampers?

slacktide_bitog · Sep 17, 2015

Remember that AC Delco has three lines: Advantage (cheap [censored]), Professional (mid-grade aftermarket), and GM Original Equipment.

Another good choice would be Gabriel Readymount quick struts up front, and their shocks in the rear. There is a rebate promo on a set of four through the end of October.

Bottom_Feeder · Sep 17, 2015

I seriously doubt AC Delco makes any of their replacement shocks and struts. They are probably just re-labled Monroes.

daves87rs · Sep 17, 2015

Originally Posted By: Joshua_Skinner
What's the question?

Whether the AC ones would be any better than the monroe ones....

I've different reviews for all kinds of stuff, from brakes to oil filters, but not much on shocks/struts from the car companies (like Delco or Mopar, for example)

Though in this case it is AC delco parts....

tomcat27 · Sep 17, 2015

there's a rebate on the Monroe's also! (4 for the price of 3)

daves87rs · Sep 17, 2015

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I seriously doubt AC Delco makes any of their replacement shocks and struts. They are probably just re-labled Monroes.

While true, still makes me wonder where they are sourced from...

Like the brakes currently on the car, are made by akebono, while most of their Delco sourced aftermarket lines are Raybestos.....

daves87rs · Sep 17, 2015

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Both are correctly called a "suspension damper" since their primary purpose is to dampen spring oscillations. A strut will take the place of a suspension pivot point, usually the upper. On a SLA suspension, the pivot points are the upper and lower ball joints. These are the points where caster is measured.

Macpherson struts encapsulate a spring under tension as part of the strut assembly. There is a modified strut suspension used on the 80s Camaros and 79-04 Mustangs where the spring is compressing in between the lower control arm and the engine cradle.

Or was your question more towards differences between brands of dampers?
\\\

Yep....thought I threw that in there...guess now....

bdcardinal · Sep 17, 2015

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Both are correctly called a "suspension damper" since their primary purpose is to dampen spring oscillations. A strut will take the place of a suspension pivot point, usually the upper. On a SLA suspension, the pivot points are the upper and lower ball joints. These are the points where caster is measured.

Macpherson struts encapsulate a spring under tension as part of the strut assembly. There is a modified strut suspension used on the 80s Camaros and 79-04 Mustangs where the spring is compressing in between the lower control arm and the engine cradle.

Or was your question more towards differences between brands of dampers?
\\\

Yep....thought I threw that in there...guess now....

Its ok, you got a free lesson on one of my pet peeves about part names. I grew up watching racing so I use words like "anti-roll bar" and "upright" to describe parts.

Neil_A · Sep 17, 2015

My ACDelco struts are made by Bilstein. Part of the FE4 package on my GXP. If they make them for your car, and you can afford them Bilstein makes some excellent stuff.

daves87rs · Sep 18, 2015

Originally Posted By: Neil_A
My ACDelco struts are made by Bilstein. Part of the FE4 package on my GXP. If they make them for your car, and you can afford them Bilstein makes some excellent stuff.

Well, they make shocks, no struts for the Balt though....

daves87rs · Sep 19, 2015

Wondering if monroe would be the same as AC.....

mjk · Sep 20, 2015

SteveSRT8 has had very good words for the Gabriel Ultra line......

asand1 · Sep 20, 2015

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Its ok, you got a free lesson on one of my pet peeves about part names. I grew up watching racing so I use words like "anti-roll bar" and "upright" to describe parts.

I hate when ricers/tuners call an adjustable billet strut assembly a "coilover". Technically my stock Maxima has coilover shocks in the rear already, and McPherson struts in front.

Oh, and I almost forgot, SENSEN

sciphi · Sep 20, 2015

I bet the Monroe OESpectrum struts are relabeled OEM units. That was the case with the OESpectrum struts I put on the Fit last month, and from others that have used them. The OES shocks were house-brand Monroe, though.

mjoekingz28 · Sep 20, 2015

Asand1,

So a strut can or can not have a coil spring?

Differences between shocks/struts

Similar threads