The Complete Strut Assembly
The Complete Strut Assembly is available for certain models of cars that use the MacPherson strut suspensions. When replacing a bare strut in a vehicle, certain parts get reused. These parts are what make up the complete assembly. They include: the spring, upper strut mount / or bearing plate, the bump stop and the protective boot. Replacing the strut alone requires the reinstallation of all these used parts. Replacing the whole unit as a complete assembly drastically reduces the amount of work.
Complete strut assemblies are growing in popularity for manufacturers and consumers. Why replace the whole assembly when only the strut has failed? There are several reasons. The complete assembly typically costs twice as much if not more but may be able to save you money right away as well as further down the road.
Whether replacing these components yourself or paying a mechanic to do the work, advantages of using the complete assembly are seen immediately. No special tools are required. This makes the home job quite easy, there is no spring compressor required. At a shop you should typically see lower labor times; you might find that the extra money spent on the complete assembly is money saved from the reduced labor costs to install it.
Other advantages of installing the complete strut assembly on your vehicle are numerous. Getting a new spring is going to refresh your suspension and last longer than your old spring. This is because your old spring has sat under the weight of the vehicle for numerous years causing the spring to sag, corrode, and weaken over time. This causes your vehicle to sit slightly lower which changes the suspension geometry. Driving on a failed strut puts the spring to work even more as it is taking on all the forces of the road without the help of the strut to back it up. Other components of the complete assembly include the upper strut plate, bump stop and rubber boot. These are all components that wear out typically because of corrosion and dirt contamination. Replacing these components when tackling this kind of job is always a good idea; the failure of a small component like this shortly after the fact is a kick in the pants for obvious reasons.
The choice is clear when a complete assembly is available for your vehicle. The complete strut assembly is a money and time saving component. It is typically the most significant suspension part, and a great way to get your vehicle to ride like new.