In any vehicle, a person may find both gas struts and shock absorbers. Both are necessary for a smooth and comfortable ride and both improve the safety of the vehicle, assisting with its’ suspension.
However, despite the many similarities between shock absorbers and gas struts, both of which are available from a number of suppliers such as www.acecontrols.co.uk, there are also a number of differences which mean that the two are entirely different.
Both can be found inside the suspension element of the vehicle but have different roles inside that suspension. Shocks for example absorb the actual bumps from the road, dampen the vibrations and help to ensure a smooth drive, whilst struts assist with these tasks but also serve as pivots for the steering rack and replace the needed upper arm control.
Whilst struts are often found at the front of a vehicle (apart from on the boot of the car or van), shocks are often located towards the rear.
When building a car, many engineers have noted that whilst a shock absorber might be missed from the structure, the car could be driven without them. However, it would be impossible to drive a car without the use of gas struts.
The reason for this is because unlike shock absorbers, gas struts are necessary for the structural support of the car. They help the vehicle to stick to the road and ensure that in the event of the movement of bouncing of the car, the springs are able to compress and recoil as they must in order to escape harm to the vehicle or the driver.