Shocks vs Struts: What's the Difference and Which Does Your Car Have

The difference between shocks and struts is that a shock only damps spring movement, while a strut is a structural part of the suspension that also holds up the car and locates the wheel. Every strut contains a shock, but a shock is not a strut: remove a shock and the car still sits on its springs, but remove a strut and that corner collapses.

That difference changes how hard the job is, what it costs, and whether you need an alignment afterward. Most replacement shocks and bare struts on our store cost $80 to $240 each, and most complete strut assemblies cost $115 to $300 each. Browse KYB shocks and struts, Monroe and Gabriel.

What a shock does

Your springs hold the car up. Left alone, they would keep bouncing after every bump. A shock absorber (or damper) stops that. Inside is a piston on a rod, moving through oil. As the suspension moves, the oil is forced through small valves, which turns the motion into heat.

Shocks are velocity sensitive: the faster the suspension moves, the harder they resist. A shock bolts between the body or frame and the axle or control arm. It does not carry the car's weight and it does not set any alignment angle. The spring might sit next to it, or around it, but the control arms decide where the wheel goes.

What a strut does

A strut does the shock's job and also replaces part of the suspension linkage. The most common design, the MacPherson strut, puts the damper inside a strong tube, wraps the coil spring around it, and bolts the bottom directly to the steering knuckle. The top bolts into the strut tower through a mount, and on front struts that mount usually contains a bearing so the whole strut turns when you steer.

So a strut carries the weight of the car, takes side loads in corners, acts as the upper pivot for steering, and helps set camber. That is why KYB describes struts as usually more complex and more expensive than shocks, and says they need a wheel alignment after replacement.

Shocks vs struts compared

Which does your car have?

The quickest answer is in the owner's manual or a parts listing for your car. Many vehicles use both: a common layout is struts at the front of a front-wheel-drive car and shocks at the rear. You can't swap one for the other, because the rest of the suspension is built around what the car came with.

To check by eye, turn the wheel to full lock and look behind it:

• It's a strut if the spring wraps around the damper, the top bolts into the tower with a few studs, and the bottom clamps to the knuckle with two big bolts. There is no upper control arm above the knuckle.
• It's a shock if the damper is a separate tube with a bushing or eye at each end, and upper and lower control arms (or a solid axle) hold the wheel. The spring may be beside it, or wrapped around it on a coilover shock.

Names get blurry on trucks. Many modern pickups use a coil spring around the front shock in a double wishbone setup, and parts makers often call that a strut. Belltech, for example, sells front "leveling struts" for the Ram 1500. Functionally it is a coilover shock, because the control arms still locate the wheel. If you are leveling or lifting a truck, our guide to leveling kits vs lift kits covers what changes.

Signs your shocks or struts are worn

Dampers wear slowly, so most drivers adapt without noticing. KYB lists these as the main reasons to replace them:

• Nose dive and body roll. The front dips hard under braking, or the body leans more in turns.
• Lost ride control. The car floats, bounces or wallows over dips. KYB says this decline is often noticed around 50,000 miles, though roads and load change that a lot.
• Leaks or damage. Oil running down the body, or a broken mounting bracket.
• Uneven tire wear. A tire bouncing over bumps wears in patches, often called cupping.

Don't judge a shock by pushing it in by hand. KYB says the valves are calibrated for the force and speed of a moving car, which you can't reproduce by hand, so an easy push does not mean it is worn. A clunk over bumps is often not the damper at all. Worn sway bar links and ball joints make similar noises, so rule those out first.

Bare strut or complete assembly?

You can buy a strut two ways:

• Bare strut. Just the damper body. You move your old spring, mount, bearing and boot onto it, which means compressing the spring. That needs a proper spring compressor and care, because a compressed spring stores a lot of energy.
• Complete strut assembly. A new strut, spring, mount and boot, ready to bolt in. Monroe calls these Quick-Struts, KYB calls them Strut-Plus and Gabriel calls them ReadyMount. They cost more up front, but you skip the spring compressor and get new mounts and springs at the same time.

If you go bare, KYB recommends replacing the strut mount and boot while you are in there. A worn mount or bearing can cause clunks or a notchy feel when you turn, and the boot keeps grit off the new shaft. Struts can't be refilled or rebuilt, though some have a replaceable cartridge, which KYB says you can spot by a large hex nut on top of the strut body.

Install time and difficulty

Shocks are often a hand-tool job: two bolts or nuts at each end. Rear shocks on many cars and trucks take under an hour each. Rusted hardware is what turns it into a longer job.

Complete strut assemblies are a moderate job. Expect to undo the knuckle bolts, the top mount nuts and often an end link or brake line bracket. Many owners do a pair in a morning.

Bare struts take longer and carry more risk because of the spring compressor. If you don't own a good one, a shop is the better choice.

Either way, plan an alignment after replacing struts, since the knuckle bolts locate the wheel. Some knuckle bolts are also used for camber adjustment, so mark their position before you take them out.

What it costs

On our store, most individual shocks and bare struts cost $80 to $240, with the median around $140. Complete strut assemblies mostly cost $115 to $300 each. Strut mounts sold separately run about $83 to $138. Add an alignment for any strut job.

Replace them in axle pairs. A new damper on one side and a worn one on the other makes the car react differently left and right.

Shocks, struts and modified suspension

If you are lowering or lifting the car, think about the dampers at the same time:

• Coilovers replace the strut or shock and the spring with one height-adjustable unit, so you don't buy struts separately. Compare the options in coilovers vs lowering springs or browse coilovers.
• Lowering springs shorten the stroke your stock dampers work in. Worn or stock-length dampers can bottom out, so many owners pair springs with shorter or performance dampers.
• Lifted trucks need shocks long enough for the new height. Bilstein's 5100 range is a common choice; see Bilstein 5100 vs 5160.
• Lowered strut cars often need camber correction after a big drop. See camber plates and alignment and camber kits.

Common mistakes

• Replacing only one side of an axle.
• Reusing a cracked strut mount or torn boot with a new strut.
• Skipping the alignment after a strut job.
• Using a cheap or worn spring compressor on a bare strut.
• Buying a strut for a car that came with shocks, or the other way around. Check the listing for your exact model, trim and position.
• Putting standard dampers on a car with electronic or air suspension without a kit made for that conversion.

Our picks

• Monroe Quick-Strut 171119L, $167.99. A complete front-left assembly listed for Toyota models from 2010 to 2021, for owners who want to skip the spring compressor.
• KYB Strut-Plus SR4629, $254.99. A complete assembly listed for the 2006 to 2011 Honda Civic Coupe EX and LX.
• KYB SM5907 strut mount, $137.99. Listed for Toyota and Lexus models from 2014 to 2022, for anyone fitting bare struts.
• KYB MonoMax 5650008, $137.99. A monotube shock listed for Ram models from 2014 to 2025, sold individually.
• KYB Gas-a-Just KG54340, $109.99. A gas shock listed for GMC and Chevrolet trucks from 2006 to 2019.

FAQ

Can I replace struts with shocks?

No. The car's suspension is designed around one or the other, and a strut carries loads a shock is not built for. Buy whatever your car came with for that position.

Do I need an alignment after replacing shocks?

Usually not, because shocks don't locate the wheel. After replacing struts you do, since the strut bolts to the knuckle and sets camber.

How long do shocks and struts last?

It depends on roads, load and driving. KYB says ride comfort and control often decline around 50,000 miles, so start checking for nose dive, body roll and leaks around then.

Should I replace all four at once?

Replace at least both on the same axle. Doing all four at once makes sense if they have the same mileage and the car feels tired at both ends.

Is a coilover a shock or a strut?

It can be either. On a MacPherson strut car, a coilover replaces the strut. On a double wishbone car, it is a coilover shock with the spring mounted on it.

Sources

• KYB: What's the difference between shocks and struts?
• KYB: How do I know if I need new shocks?
• KYB: Should I replace other parts while having my struts replaced?
• KYB: Can you test a shock by compressing it by hand?
• AAA Club Alliance: The difference between shocks and struts