what is the difference between a coil over and a strut?

 

A coil-over has the ability to raise and lower the height of a vehicle. Then you can break it down into coil-overs for show, and coil-overs for racing.

 

so a strut is basically a fixed height/stiffness coil-over?

 

a strut is an essential component in determining the camber and caster characteristics of your suspension

a coil-over is essentially a replacement for a shock, the puts the load of the vehicle on the shock mount, instead of wherever else the vehicle may be designed to hold the load


a standard macpherson strut does have a coil spring around it
a coil over also has a coil spring around it

 

You're mixing components and suspension systems.

3rd Gen's have a strut type suspension. There are three "links" to the system, including the lower a-arm, the strut and the body. Since a 3-link mechanism is effectively a triangle, it can not move. One link has to incorporate a sliding feature, in order to function. The shock cartridge is used as the sliding feature, and the cartridge is combined with the structural element, with the spindle attached.

A "strut" type suspension does not always incorporate a concentric spring, and the 3rd Gen is an example of a strut suspension that does not have the spring in a "coil-over" configuration. You could revise the 3rd Gen design to a "coil-over".

Strut style suspension:



The 4th Gen's have an unequal A-arm suspension. This is a "4-link" design, incorporating the body, lower A-arm, steering knuckle, and upper A-arm. Now you have a 4-link mechanism that can move, and you need a spring to support the system, and a shock to dampen the spring. The spring and shock can be mounted together (coil-over) or separately. The 4th Gen has a coil-over configuration, but its not adjustable. Add a movable lower spring seat, and now you have an adjustable height coil-over configuration.

Unequal A-arm suspension:

 

well...i couldnt have gotten a more specific answer. with pics and all.

thanks fred

 

As always, Fred has a thorough and instructive answer... but you could definitely have gotten a more SPECIFIC answer:

"Coil-over is when spring and shock are mounted together"



Interestingly... I'd always assumed that Unequal A-arm was superior to strut suspensions by virtue of it's better resistance to uncontrolled deflection... but it turns out that's not always the case. In rally racing the cars use strut suspensions which provide for increased suspension travel at lower gain levels than similarly sized Unequal A-arm designs. Suspension design is cool stuff.

 

it is. the funny thing was this was all to settle an argument with a friend. he didnt believe me when i told him that my car had a coil-over type suspension. stupid ford boys...

 

If you REALLY want to get technical, check out the Suspension section of this website and really school your friend. http://www.autozine.org/technical_sc...ech_index.html

 

i already owned him...i just wanted to make sure i was correct.

 

Coil-over simply implies the spring coil is *over* the damper. Struts can be and most are, some aren't like the 3rd gen or the Fox and SN95 Mustang's. Shocks can be, and in the case of the 93+ F-body the front shocks are coil-over, but the rears are not. Both are shocks however, we do not have struts on the front of the 4th gen car.

Strut vs. shock is determined simply by the way the suspension is designed. A strut is a locating member of the suspension. If you didn't have the shock on the front of a 4th gen, the rest of the suspension could still be put together.