AZNBIGPIMPN505

when im getting shocks an struts do i need to get four of each or what. im kinda confused so please let me know

climbengruven

Depends what ya need, you could buy one, or if they are going to be a different stiffness, ya would want to get at least a set for te front or rear so its somewhat even (if ya cant afford to buy all 4 at once)

AZNBIGPIMPN505

so do i have to buy 4 struts an 4 shocks or just two of each?

chris_c

if you are posting in the correct forum [eg+ civic] you have struts, not shocks. a strut is a damper with the spring coiled over it [spring and damper can be together as one unit].

a shock is just a seperate damper used on different types of suspension, leaf spring would be an example.

you need 4 struts...

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

One strut (sometimes also called shock) for each corner of your car.

AZNBIGPIMPN505

thanks everyone

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if you are posting in the correct forum [eg+ civic] you have struts, not shocks.
you need 4 struts... </TD></TR></TABLE>

No, he needs 4 shocks. The correct term for shocks / struts is dampers, because they dampen the motion of the spring.

Civics up to the 7th gen (2001) use coil over shock suspensions; meaning it's a coil spring placed over the shock. The new civics come with McPhearson struts in the front. It's a space saving and less complex design, but has poorer handling charachteristics.

AZNBIGPIMPN505

so i need all four shocks for my 99 civic??

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Is everybody confused yet?

Yeah, if your buying shocks, struts, dampers, WHATEVER, you can ask for any of these & you will get the same thing. Just do your homework. There are a lot of brands & most of them aren't worth the money (for perfomance shocks).

If your just replacing them with stock ones, get the best deal you can find.

Koni "Sports" (usually called "Yellows") rule the street perfomance market.

Why are you looking to buy new shocks anyways?

chris_c

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EX_AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

No, he needs 4 shocks. The correct term for shocks / struts is dampers, because they dampen the motion of the spring.

Civics up to the 7th gen (2001) use coil over shock suspensions; meaning it's a coil spring placed over the shock. The new civics come with McPhearson struts in the front. It's a space saving and less complex design, but has poorer handling charachteristics.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

good deal, got my terms in proper order now.

If you remove a strut the spindle or axle will be able to move outside of its normal motion. Shocks and struts may or may not have a spring mounted to them either.

so, the proper term would be a "shock tower brace" for the pre 7th gen civics as opposed to the "strut tower braces" they are all marketed as heh?...

taz77

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if you are posting in the correct forum [eg+ civic] you have struts, not shocks. a strut is a damper with the spring coiled over it [spring and damper can be together as one unit].

a shock is just a seperate damper used on different types of suspension, leaf spring would be an example.

you need 4 struts... </TD></TR></TABLE>

that isn't necessarily true... a strut is just defined as having the dampener and coil spring as one assembly AND the upper mount of the strut is also used as a pivot point for the steering axis.

there are some set ups that only have one of these attributes such as civics up to and including 6th gens, only using the coils around a dampener but not a pivot point for the steering axis (those use ball joints). there was also a ford i think that uses the strut as a dampener that provides a pivot point at the upper mount but has a seperate coil spring away from the assembly. these are called modified struts.

chris_c

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by taz77 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

that isn't necessarily true... a strut is just defined as having the dampener and coil spring as one assembly AND the upper mount of the strut is also used as a pivot point for the steering axis.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

see my second post in this thread. i had the misconception [common albiet] that the spring and damper as one unit was referred to as a strut. but i knew that a coilover type system was not a strut. now i understand [took 5 minutes to read on something i never looked at because it seemed very basic]. EX_AutoXer's post made me look into it.

anyway, you can have a rear strut too. that stated the damper used as the steering axis is not what defines a "strut" though it is a feature of one. if you remove a rear strut the rear hub assembly will pivot down from the lca point. any suspension system that uses the damper as a locating member of the suspension is "strut" type.

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AZNBIGPIMPN505 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so i need all four shocks for my 99 civic??</TD></TR></TABLE>

Correct.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94eg! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, if your buying shocks, struts, dampers, WHATEVER, you can ask for any of these & you will get the same thing. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The terms are used pretty interchangably, but since he seemed a little confused as to what they actually were, I thought I might throw the info out there.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you remove a strut the spindle or axle will be able to move outside of its normal motion. Shocks and struts may or may not have a spring mounted to them either.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly; shocks and struts are just types of dampers. The term has nothing to do with the spring mounted to it.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
so, the proper term would be a "shock tower brace" for the pre 7th gen civics as opposed to the "strut tower braces" they are all marketed as heh?... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yup. I was calling it that, but everone always corrected my by saying 'strut bar', so I just gave up.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by taz77 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
a strut is just defined as having the dampener and coil spring as one assembly AND the upper mount of the strut is also used as a pivot point for the steering axis.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is true of a McPherson setup, but not all struts. And the spring / strut are not a single assembly; on the 7th gens, the springs and struts can be replaced independently, just as all other civics.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chris c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
anyway, you can have a rear strut too. any suspension system that uses the damper as a locating member of the suspension is "strut" type. </TD></TR></TABLE>

True. My friends Celica had struts in the rear. When I went to replace them, it was the first time I had seen that. I always assumed shocks were always used in the rear.

JeffS

What a confusing thread... some of you should really try to refrain from posting this misinformation.

A shock and a strut are not the same thing, although many people use the terms interchangeably. At one specific corner, your car either has a shock or a strut. Most older hondas have four shocks. The newer ones like the RSX and EP civic have shocks in the rear and struts in the front.

Neither a shock nor a strut include a spring. The spring is a seperate component that can always be replaced independently. Calling all shocks struts has always been a pet peeve of mine. I tend to let it go though since it's so widespread. The term "strut tower bar" doesn't help things any.

Ghetto Civic HX

To the origonal poster...if you're going to a shop just ask for "shocks" for your specific car. If your car come with "struts" they'll let you know. If you're ordering online, most website just list shocks and sturts as "shocks". Pic out your car and order them, they'll send the right ones

AZNBIGPIMPN505

thanks