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A shock limits the amount of time the sping takes to compress, then quickly allows it to rebound (eliminating constant bouncing).
A strut does the same, but there is one major difference, A strut also provides lateral load bearing, whereas a shock does not.
To use a shock, you need a spring, and two arms, an upper, and lower. The arms do all the location work (keeping the wheel straight up and down). A strut eliminates the upper control arm, and uses a very strong rod to locate the upper end of the wheel. The strut does not allow a fine degree of suspension tuning (only goes up and down linerarally), and that is why people complain about the struts in the new civic. The gemometry is compromised, becuase you want more than simple up and down in suspension, since when a vehicle corners, the body rolls, causing the wheel angle to change. A two-arm suspension can compensate for this through static geometry, but a strut cannot. So they lean the strut inwards (camber) and hope all goes well.
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