Strut Assembly: Comfort and Safety in One |
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Anthony Fontanelle
January 16, 2008
A comfortable ride is a requirement for some motorists while others consider safety as their priority. To achieve both, motorists opt for an efficient strut assembly. Struts are associated with the suspension system and are used as shock absorbers as they minimize the effects of hitting a bump on the road. The only difference is that struts no longer need an upper suspension arm since they use a different type of front suspension.
A vehicle’s handling and smooth performance rely on the strut assembly. It is composed of different suspension parts that include the coil spring, the spring seats, the shock absorbers, the strut bearing, and steering knuckle. Along with these components, struts are able to keep the tires on the road. In a strut assembly, the spring supports the weight of the vehicle to enable it to easily glide on the road. The internal shock absorber, on the other hand, helps reduce the bounce of a vehicle each time it passes through a bumpy road.
Two kinds of struts are being used in cars today—the MacPherson strut and the Chapman strut. The more commonly used is the MacPherson strut, which can be found on the front and rear suspension. It was named after Earl S. MacPherson, the engineer who came up with the design. The MacPherson strut is widely used on the front suspension due to its steering pivot or kingpin and suspension mounting for the wheel. Meanwhile, the Chapman strut is intended as a shock absorber and a wheel location device. Named after Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, this kind of strut is also designed to resist lateral forces. The Chapman strut is found at the rear suspension.
As an integral part of the suspension system, the struts in the strut assembly are recommended to be checked at least once a year, preferably during wheel alignment. One can consider the excessive bouncing, rocking back and forth, drifting, or nose-diving while breaking as signs of trouble in the strut assembly. When any of these occur, having it immediately checked is advised.
Source: Amazines.com