And for those who are too lazy to click the link...
Q. Changing the shocks / struts on my vehicle will make it ride "better" or "softer".....
A. How a vehicle "rides" depends on many things. Tire pressure, the type of vehicle, suspension modifications, tire/rim size, road conditions, etc. If you bought a vehicle that rides terrible, there probably isn't much you can do about it. Lincolns ride like a luxury car, the same way a Corvette rides like a sports car. Both have shocks, yet ride entirely differently. Just changing the shocks/struts is not likely going to change what the vehicle manufacturer built into a vehicle. How a vehicle rides is something that cannot be plotted or graphed scientifically, because it is all a matter of opinion. There is no 'measurement' for 'ride'. A car/truck manufacturer spends millions developing a vehicle, if they cannot correct the "ride" for you, chances are you cannot by only spending a few hundred dollars on the suspension.
We do not recommend buying shocks or struts specifically for trying to change the "ride" of a vehicle, that is not what shocks or struts do. Their function is to hold the tires in contact with the road and dampen suspension vibration.
The products we carry typically are designed to give a vehicle better handling, control, and safety. None of the units we have would be valved as 'soft' as the units your vehicle came with.
Q. Shocks and struts have a strap on the them to help with installation....
A. The straps serve only one purpose, and that is to fit the unit in the box. All the manufacturers use certain size boxes. If the boxes they use are, say, 20 inches long, and a strut or shock is 29 inches long, that unit will get a strap to compress it to fit in the box. And if the shock is shorter than 20 inches, then a strap is not needed, since it fits in the box with room to spare.
Sure, sometimes they can help with an installation, but that was not the intended use of the strap.
Q. Heavy Duty Shocks always say Heavy Duty on them...
A. The term "Heavy Duty" is a generic one. It is our opinion that a shock that has more dampening power and durability over an OE or low pressure design unit, is for heavy-duty use. To us, that means any shock that is a monotube design. CLICK HERE to find out why monotube shocks have better dampening, run cooler, and last longer, that's a matter of science. Any company can slap the word 'heavy-duty' on their packaging, but that term does not give you any facts.
Note that not every vehicle needs a 'heavy-duty' shock either. There is nothing wrong with using a low pressure gas unit if light-duty use is all you need.
Q. Heavy Duty shocks have a thicker body diameter than a light duty shock......
A. Some shocks represented as a 'heavy duty' shock will be a twin-tube low pressure design. Those kinds of shocks get a lot of cavitation and heat, so shock manufacturers give them a large body resevoir to hold extra oil, to try and keep them cooler (such as a Monroe Magnum). Monotube shocks are a more modern design, and do not generate as much heat and aeration, so those kinds of shocks do not need the extra oil, and are slimmer in size / diameter.
Q. The tire store in town says I have to change my shocks / struts every 30,000 miles...
A. The shocks and struts we carry in most cases are considered an upgrade by the U.S Government, over the stock, O.E. suspension units. They can be changed at anytime, even right after you purchase a new vehicle. If the vehicle you drive is not up to your expectations, or un-controllable, you may want to consider better parts for your suspension to improve it's handling and safety. Also, you may have special needs for your vehicle that may not have been incorporated into it's design, such as some off-road driving, or towing.
Also, despite what some people say, there is no time limit, by years or miles, on when you have to change a unit. Though we do recommend, as part of normal maintenance, to routinely give your suspension a visual inspection to make sure it is in good, safe, working order.
Q. Shocks / Struts will hold up my vehicle or change it's height....
A. Shocks (or Struts) do not really hold up a vehicle. For example, if you ever took shocks off your pickup-truck or RWD car before, you know when you set it down off the jack, it sits pretty much the same as it did before you took the shock off. What "holds" the vehicle up is the coil springs, leaf springs, or in some cases, a torsion bar.
There are shocks which can help, or add additional support, such as Monroe Load-levelers or Monroe Air-shocks. But no shock (outside of some kind of racing unit) is really designed to support a 3000-5000 lb. vehicle. There is a limit to how much a shock can help (for instance, just changing shocks on a half-ton pickup truck will not automatically make it a one-ton model.)
The primary uses of these type products is to keep the rear of the vehicle level with the front, so you have a more balanced suspension while driving or towing.
(On strut installations, it is important you get the springs seated correctly, or that can effect installation, and may effect height. Follow your repair manual's instructions carefully, every vehicle is different).
Q. The more gas pressure inside a shock / strut, the stiffer the valving or ride will be...
A. That's not really the way it works. The Nitrogen gas only prevents aeration (foaming bubbles) inside the unit. How soft or stiff a shock / strut is, that is determined by valving.
Aeration inside a shock or strut 'kills' the dampening ability of the unit, so the higher the pressure (for instance, Bilsteins have 360 psi ), the less chance you will get any aeration and heat, and less chance the units dampening ability will fade.
Valving in a shock or strut is calculated using "Rebound" and "Compression" figures. While shock manufactuers rarely publish these figures, their engineers work hard to come up with the best valving for maximum control and performance.
