Are they struts or shocks?

[yaofeng]

I call the front struts and the rear shocks.

[vping]

I've heard either term used but I am trying to find front struts on ebay for my 1990 535I and I am not sure if I am better off searching for shocks or struts. If I do not use ebay, I don't want to sound like an idiot at the counter when I ask the parts guy for what I need.

Are they struts or shocks? I always assumed Struts.

[whiskychaser]

I've heard either term used but I am trying to find front struts on ebay for my 1990 535I and I am not sure if I am better off searching for shocks or struts. If I do not use ebay, I don't want to sound like an idiot at the counter when I ask the parts guy for what I need.

Are they struts or shocks? I always assumed Struts.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD68&mospid=47405&btnr=31_0145&hg=31&fg=10
Picture is worth a thousand words:D

[Qube]

Plagiarized...


A strut is an upper suspension locating member that is typically a vertically oriented metal tube that is connected to the hub.

A shock is a hydraulic device the dampens the motions of the suspension springs.

On a McPhereson and Chapman Strut suspension the strut has a coil spring located around it and the spring sits on a lower spring perch attached to the strut. In addition, a shock is installed inside the hollow tube of the strut with the shock body clamped in the tube and the shock shaft is attached to the vehicle body at the upper spring perch.

Typically McPhereson type strut is used in a steering application (front suspension) and a Champman type strut is used in a non-steering application (rear suspension).

If you've ever removed it, you'll know what it's all about. Else, picture is worth a thousand words indeed!

[BigKriss]

shocks

[vping]

Well at the time of my inspection he said I needed front struts and upper strut bushings. I just want to try and locate these so I can order them and install them.

[AngryPopTart]

Struts do include an integrated shock absorber, but a shock on it's own never has a mounting plate for the spring or the ability to act as part of the spindle assembly. Obviously, our cars have struts. Just about any truck has shocks and no struts. In fact if I think about it, struts pretty much go hand-in-hand with unibody cars.

[vping]

Does anyone have any experience with these? Again no affiliation, just trying to get new struts.

Are these better than OEM? I figured if I am changing them, I might make it handle a little better too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__KYB-GR-2-GR2-SHOCKS-BMW-E34-525i-528i-535i-88-90_W0QQitemZ160240171260QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ20 PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem? hash=item160240171260&

[repenttokyo]

i put bilstein Sports on my car, 189 is really really cheap for 4 shocks.

[Dave M]

front shocks and rear drum brake pads please :D

[vping]

i put bilstein Sports on my car, 189 is really really cheap for 4 shocks.

Really really cheap but in a good way yes?


front shocks and rear drum brake pads please :D

Meaning?

[healtoeit]

I call the front struts and the rear shocks.
The shock goes into the strut...I'll post pics...I got all this **** in my garage
The pic is worth a thousand words

[pundit]

The term 'shock absorber' is a total misnomer as it is generally used.

It is the spring that absorbs the 'shock'.
Therefore the spring, in the true sense, is actually the 'shock absorber'.

The device so many incorrectly name as the 'shock absorber' is the 'damper' which is designed to control, or 'dampen' the spring oscillations.

The Poms actually named it correctly.

[genphreak]

Strut- A tube (or hollow casing), mounting and spring assembly that accepts a shock absorber into its central hollow section. The term strut may include the shock- in the case of struts supplied by a breaker that can't be bothered taking the shock out. A new strut supplied by a spare parts retailer will not include a new shock absorber ;)

Strut insert - A shock absorber that fits inside a strut

Shock absorber - A strut insert or lone damper that absorbs shocks applied along the length of its body.

Coil-over - A strut which generally is narrower in diameter to factory struts, only an inch or so wider than the shock that fits inside it. A coil over generally has a ring which can be turned with a special tool such that it moves on a thread either pressurising or loosening the spring- causing the ride height of the car to be changed (but never giving a factory ride), these are generally for racing use only as one's butt does not easily forget the lumps in the road you encountered riding atop these things.
OK, but the rear of your e34 doesn't seem to meet these criteria, right?

Right! An e34's rear shocks (like many cars) are actually a pseudo strut at the rear, where there is no tube for it to fit inside, like there is at the front. The strut itself is actually structural. The shock body includes the spring perch and a structural lower mount (but appears just like a normal, non-structural shock). It can be lightened like this as the rear strut does not turn- neither does it take the load the fronts do. So just call this a strut, damper or shock absorber depending on how you feel at the time. Just know; if a parts shop try to give you one without a spring perch, it won't be the right one!

This all confused me when I got my first bimmer - they are commonly like this on many models.

Beware, at the parts warehouses ignorance of the terminology often causes considerable casternation among staff that should know better.

[Dave M]

Meaning?

Sarcasm. Brake 'shoes' and 'pads' are another naming convention that puzzle me.

Dave

[vping]

True. Why are they named as such is a wonder but I've always know the difference.

Strut vs shock I get a little more now. I actually thought that the strut was the entire tube and the shock, when in actuallity you take it out of the car, dis-assemble it and replace only the inner shock.

I'll probably go with the 4 on ebay for budgetary reasons and basically keeping it stock. If I create another car to race around town in I might get myself in trouble.

Now I need to figure out if the upper bushing my mechanic was reffering to is a strut bushing, strut bearing, shoch bushing or shock bearing and I need to locate 2 of them for my car.

[tjar66]

I just bought from them all went well and have them in the car now

[genphreak]

If you are doing the front of your car, replace the strut inserts, the upper arm (thrust arm) bushings, and consider replacing the arms themselves (they have ball joints that wear out, as well as bushings). The lower bushings don't tend to wear very much. The aluminum lowers are about $120/pair and the thrust arms should only be Lemforder with M5 thrust arm bushings retrofitted- these may cost $200 to $300/pr? Only buy from someone like BMA if you want these, they know what to supply...

If your sway bar links are worn, a set of those you will need too. Front and rear- and the rear will need pitman arms, upper strut mounts (front ones don't tend to wear much, so it is unlikely) and perhaps rear subrame mounts- these are a pain to install- but a good shop can handle it.

If considering springs, just get the Sashs kit- matched shocks and springs that are second only to the Koni/Eibach setup.

[e34.535i.sport]

Now I need to figure out if the upper bushing my mechanic was reffering to is a strut bushing, strut bearing, shoch bushing or shock bearing and I need to locate 2 of them for my car.

I would put money on him meaning the 'top mounts'... Which mount the 'shock' or 'strut' (whatever you want to call it) to the car.

I'm changing mine when I change the front shocks - the mounts are in my boot now. He might call them 'shock bearings' as they actually spin around and therefore have some sort of bearing inside. The front mounts are considerably more expensive than the rears over here.

I done a write up on changing the rear mounts so when you do the rears have a look at this (you can just swap the shock once the spring is off):

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=35703&highlight=rear+shock+mounts

[whiskychaser]

Sarcasm. Brake 'shoes' and 'pads' are another naming convention that puzzle me.

Dave
Sorry, nothing to do with this thread - but shoes are for drums, pads are for discs. Its best not to mix them up. Or did you mean why are they called shoes and pads?