A MacPherson strut is a common automotive suspension system consisting of a control arm and a strut that serves as a shock absorber and contact point for the wheel. It is less expensive and takes up less space than a double wishbone suspension.
A MacPherson strut is one of several common automotive suspension systems. It typically consists of a single control arm that connects to the bottom of the wheel hub, and a strut that installs between the top of the hub and the body of the vehicle via a bushing. When the wheel is turned from side to side, the entire strut usually rotates against the hub. This locks the wheel in place while allowing it to move up and down while the vehicle is being driven.
The strut component of the MacPherson strut serves the dual purpose of a shock absorber and one of two contact points that hold the wheel in place. A typical shock only dampens the shock input from the road when driving, but a strut combines this with the role of the upper wishbone in a dual wishbone suspension. The strut housing which is generally responsible for substantial lateral stresses will generally include a shock absorber insert and coil spring on which the weight of the vehicle actually rests.
Some MacPherson struts will include a variable camber adjustment. While most struts simply bolt-on straight, these applications will include two bolt-on points where the strut mounts to the hub, one of which will be eccentric. This normally allows the angle at which the strut mounts to be adjusted before the bolts are tightened, resulting in a useful camber adjustment. A lean angle is simply a measurement of whether the top of the wheel is leaning toward or away from the vehicle.
MacPherson strut suspensions were first seen on vehicles in the late 1940s and early 1950s and continue to be popular. While competitive double wishbone suspension can provide certain performance benefits, the MacPherson strut is typically less expensive and takes up less space. The MacPherson strut is built into some vehicles to reclaim space in the engine bay as vehicles have gotten smaller.
A double wishbone suspension will often take up more space and may be more expensive due to containing more components. Instead of the single wishbone that mounts to the bottom of the hub, this suspension includes a second wishbone that connects to the top of the hub. This takes the place of the strut in steering the wheel. A shock absorber is typically used to serve the same purpose as the shock insert found in a strut.
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