- Basics of Shocks & Struts -

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05-13-2007, 08:00 AM

BeachBumMike

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Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: SpaceCoast, Florida

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- Basics of Shocks & Struts -

Basics of Shocks and Struts
Pat Goss

We get lots of questions about the differences between shock absorbers and struts. What is the difference?

Shock absorbers[/align]

A shock absorber on an automobile does one thing and one thing only, keeps the car from bouncing. Struts are considerably different. Struts are a structural part of the suspension system and are mounted to the chassis of the vehicle on the top, and they come down through. They give us a place to mount the coil spring, and the spring is what maintains the height of the vehicle, so we have a plate in here for the spring. It also replaces the upper control arm and it connects directly to the knuckle on the car, which in many cases gives us a minor ability to adjust alignment.

Okay, so there is a big difference here, what's the advantage? Well, shock absorbers usually give you better handling, while struts give you a lower initial cost for the vehicle.

Strut system[/align]

Now if you want to check these, and they should be checked on a regular basis, you're going to do two things; number one you're going to bounce the vehicle up and down, and you do that over each wheel. Consider the normal state of rest and then you get it bouncing so that it bounces above and below the normal state of rest. You're going to let go of it in the down position and it should come right back to the center and stop. If it continues to oscillate, the shock or strut on that corner of the vehicle is bad, and you always replace them in pairs, two fronts or two rears.

Second thing you do is you raise the vehicle up and you look for any signs of oil leaking out of that shock or strut. If oil is leaking out it's bad and again you replace the pair of them, the fronts or the rears.

Strut spring[/align]

But if you want to replace them yourself, the shock is not much of a problem. Just follow the directions that come with the shock absorber. But the strut, remember that spring? That thing could be very dangerous. Don't just go un-bolting parts of the strut because you could be in for a nasty surprise when that spring takes off. To do a strut you have to have spring compressors such as we have mounted on this spring right here. This will compress the spring and give us the ability to handle it. You have to be careful with it because it's still dangerous, but you should be able to change the struts yourself.

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05-13-2007, 08:42 AM

mickey

Join Date: Apr 2005

Posts: 4,810

RE: - Basics of Shocks & Struts -

Thaniks Space man !!
i would not say you no nothing you know somethign . we just havent foudn it yet be we will keep looking for ya buddy
Keep you chin up!

05-13-2007, 01:05 PM

BeachBumMike

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Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: SpaceCoast, Florida

Posts: 16,095

RE: - Basics of Shocks & Struts -

[align=center]Members, what's your choice for Shocks & Struts ?[/align][align=center]

[/align][align=center]Special D / Classic [/align][align=center]The red KONI line is meant for drivers who want to improve their car in general; better comfort and road-holding combined with a higher level of safety. [/align][align=center]KONI Special D / Classic shock absorbers are available for most performance cars. KONI select the most appropriate technology for each car from the wide range of shock absorber types. Each shock absorber is then customized for the car model. Hence, a KONI Special D / Classic is always the best choice, for replacement as well as improvement.[/align][align=center]More on the KONI Special D / Classic shocks >>[/align][align=center]Sport [/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Many of the KONI Sport dampers are externally adjustable by means of a ****, so they need not be disassembled from the car. The fine-tuning of the damping forces to personal driving style and to different driving conditions is therefore not more than a matter of seconds. The KONI Sport is valved a bit more aggressively than our Special D for performance driving.
More on the KONI Sport shocks >>[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Sport Lowering Kit[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]The sporting motorist who wants nothing but the very best in road-holding is offered a unique range of KONI Sport suspension kits: complete kits consisting of matching KONI Sport shock absorbers and lowering springs. These kits will give the car absolutely superb road-holding qualities and the looks of a real sports car.[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]More on the KONI 1130 Sport Lowering Kits >>[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]FSD shocks, Fsd/Eibach kits[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Looking for a no compromise ride and handling package. KONI shock absorbers in cooperation with Eibach springs offers a lowering spring and shock kit like no other. This package will lower your car about 1"-1.5" and will improve the ride quality at the same time. This package make a large change on all cars but the improvement is even more pronounced when used with large low profile tires. This is possible with KONIs patented FSD technology. FSD technology produces less force for a given shock velocity at high frequency than the force for the same shock velocity for low frequency.[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]More on the KONI 2100 / 2150 FSD Kits >>[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Coil-over kits[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]KONI Threaded Suspension Kits include four KONI Sport valved struts and/or shocks featuring threaded adjustable lower spring perches (where applicable) and progressive rate lowering springs designed for performance street driving. The kits are engineered in a joint effort with KONI divisions in Holland, Germany and North America and are tested on Germany's framed, high speed Autobahns.[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]More on the KONI 1150 Threaded Suspension Kits >>[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Sport Springs[/align][align=center][/align][align=center][b]KONI is proud to introduce a new and exciting line of Sport Springs that compliments an already impressive line of shock absorbers. Lowering a car can give it the exact degree of cool and performance