MacPherson Strut

In MacPherson Struts, the shock absorber is built into the strut. The strut consists of a shock absorber unit, a coil spring, an upper pivot, and a lower clamp. The upper pivot mounts to the fenderwell. The rest of the unit rotates when the steering is used. The lower clamp secures the spindle and the strut together into a solid unit. Most shock absorber struts are hydraulic units. Some use low-pressure, gas to absorb energy. These are usually nonadjustable and nonrefillable. Like the shock absorber, faulty units must be replaced as an assembly.