Strut or shock?

[SVT_CT]

I went to NAPA and asked for 2 rear struts for my SVT (per suggestion of mechanic). They sold me Monroe Sensa-Trac 71984's.

I googled this number, and racepages.com says they are rear shocks for the Contour. The same website also shows rear struts with part # 801984. (links below)

Did I get the right part?
Thanks in advance.

Matt

Strut Link:
http://www.racepages.com/performanc...9&partid=6030&brandid=3086&skipped_brand=true

Shock Link:
http://www.racepages.com/performanc...999&partid=26&brandid=3086&skipped_brand=true

 

[ev1lbry4n]

yes you did. I work at a Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper and i also come up with both numbers. The # 801984 is the mid-grade (oem style) monroe-matic+ and the #71984 is the Sensa-Trac which are the top of the line monroe's

 

[Big Jim]

To also answer your question, struts are a type of shock. Your car uses struts. The listing is probably correct although the picture is of a generic shock.

I was had a disagreement with a parts guy when ordering brake shoes for my wife's 65 Mustang a few years ago. The catalog listed them as brake pads, not shoes. I finally told him to go back to the shelf and pull the part listed in the catalog and bring them up to the counter. I opend the box and they were indeed shoes. The 65 Mustang did not use, even as an option, disc brakes in the front on 6 cylinder vehicles, but the catalog said they did so he insisted that they had to be brake pads. By the way, the box identified them as shoes too.

So, struts are a type of shock. If they insist on selling you shocks, don't worry about the difinition, just conform that they are configured the same as what is currently on the car.

By the way, I'm not a fan of Monroe Sens-a-track. They claim it is superior to OEM, and it is not. I would prefer a factory replacement. You can get a great deal from Bill at Team Ford.

 

[2000SilverSVT]

Struts have a coil spring that is mounted to the shock at and then installed on the car.

Shocks are independant of the spring. Such as vehicles that have leaf springs. Shocks can be replaced without removing the spring. Struts cannot.

They both perform the same function and there is no way to install a shock in a car that uses struts.

 

[TourDeForce]

By the way, I'm not a fan of Monroe Sens-a-track. They claim it is superior to OEM, and it is not. I would prefer a factory replacement. You can get a great deal from Bill at Team Ford.

Definately OEM from Bill J for about the same price, perhaps less - delivered. If your mechanic is gonna install them for you, he might even be able to get a better deal locally and save you shipping if he can buy for resale.

 

[Auto-X Fil]

Struts have a coil spring that is mounted to the shock at and then installed on the car.

Shocks are independant of the spring. Such as vehicles that have leaf springs. Shocks can be replaced without removing the spring. Struts cannot.

They both perform the same function and there is no way to install a shock in a car that uses struts.

No. Struts serve as locating members of the suspension, and define it's path. Shock is a US term for damper, which just means something that dampens the suspension motion. We specify shocks as shocks which are not also struts, but they certainly can have springs over them. When a shock (strut or otherwise) has a concentric spring, it's called a "coil-over shock" setup, or "coil-over". Popular tuner culture has corrupted this a bit, only calling it a coilover when it has a threaded perch.

My Miata does NOT have struts, but it DOES have coilovers all around. My BMW has struts up front (coilover), and a shock in the rear which is neither a strut nor coilover. Mustang front ends have shocks which are struts, but are not coilover.

You should really stop posting and do more reading. It's not as much fun as you might think running around after you cleaning up your messes.

 

[2000SilverSVT]

No. Struts serve as locating members of the suspension, and define it's path. Shock is a US term for damper, which just means something that dampens the suspension motion. We specify shocks as shocks which are not also struts, but they certainly can have springs over them. When a shock (strut or otherwise) has a concentric spring, it's called a "coil-over shock" setup, or "coil-over". Popular tuner culture has corrupted this a bit, only calling it a coilover when it has a threaded perch.

My Miata does NOT have struts, but it DOES have coilovers all around. My BMW has struts up front (coilover), and a shock in the rear which is neither a strut nor coilover. Mustang front ends have shocks which are struts, but are not coilover.

You should really stop posting and do more reading. It's not as much fun as you might think running around after you cleaning up your messes.

Please forgive my ignorance on the strict difference between shock and strut. I will try to speak less out of my arse.

Here it is from Koni.
http://www.koni-na.com/faq.html


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Q: I often hear the terms strut and shock used interchangeably. Are they different?[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A:Shocks and struts are similar in that they both damp (slow down) the vehicles motion. The key difference of a strut vs. a shock is that a shock only controls the cars motion while a strut is a locating member of the suspension. What this means is that if you remove a shock the spindle or axle will still be completely attached to the vehicle. 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. It is often assumed that any damper with a spring is a strut, this is not the case.[/FONT]