Officially a MacPherson strut, named after its creator, a strut is a type of shock

absorber that has a structural role in a vehicle’s suspension. The strut includes a
shock absorber element, but it also serves to position the wheels, a task handled by
control arms in a conventional suspension design that employs dedicated shock
absorbers.
Like shocks, struts can lose their ability to damp bounces and compromise the car’s
road holding and braking. Mechanics might spot oil leaking from the strut, which
means the component is on its way out and should be replaced. Uneven tire wear is
another potential sign that the shock-absorber component is failing. Because of their
size and complexity, struts are more expensive to replace than shock absorbers.

Advantages
The struts of the MacPherson suspension do a great job of keeping the vehicle flat
on the road. They don’t take up too much room either, allowing more compartment
space for the passengers. Since the Macpherson suspension has reduced un-
sprung weight, it makes the vehicle a lighter weight than the double wishbone
suspension would make it. This lighter weight allows the vehicle to accelerate at
faster speeds. Furthermore, you will be more comfortable driving this vehicle too.
And if you are budget conscious, the MacPherson is manufactured inexpensively
which translates to a lower price for consumers.

Disadvantages
One of the biggest disadvantages of the MacPherson strut is that it is not quite
suitable for high-powered front- wheel drive cars. First, wide tires cannot be used –
large offset rims or spacers are required, which in turn increases the unsprung mass.
Secondly, when turning, by turning the entire column, the angle of inclination of the
wheels relative to the ground slightly changes and there is unfavourable friction in
the piston rod seat of the damper. This causes a reduction in grip in the corner and
disturbances in the transmission of torque to the wheels during acceleration and high
forces transmitted to the steering wheel. In terms of driving comfort, the
MacPherson’s disadvantage is also vibrations coming from the road. They are
partially eliminated by thick rubber cushions in the upper socket of the shock
absorber mounting. Due to the two mounting points, the MacPherson suspension is
also relatively fragile – it is easy to damage when driving over large unevenness.
The MacPherson suspension has a lengthy vertical assembly to it. If you need to
lower your vehicle for whatever reason, you could run into some problems there.
Anyone driving a race car or sports car will not want this suspension because those
types of cars are often lowered closer to the ground. Also, due to its vertical nature,
making turns could mean that your tires don’t touch the road as much. This will limit
your control of the vehicle tremendously.

Components
A complete strut assembly is a combination of two main parts: a spring and a shock
absorber. (Sometimes the term strut refers to the shock absorber portion only, but
other times the term is used to denote the entire assembly including the spring). The
spring, which is almost always a coil spring (in other words, one shaped like a spiral),
supports the weight of the vehicle and absorbs large bumps. The shock absorber,
which is fitted either above, below, or right down the middle of the coil spring, also
supports some or all of the vehicle’s weight but its main function is the same as that
of any shock absorber, namely to dampen vibrations. (Despite its name, a shock
absorber doesn’t absorb shock directly — that’s the job of the spring — rather, it
stops the vehicle from bouncing up and down after a bump). Because of its weight-
bearing design, a strut has to be much stronger than a normal shock absorber.
A MacPherson strut is a structural component in the suspension. It also serves as
the steering pivot for each front wheel, and it supports the weight of the vehicle via
the spring that is wrapped around it.
The function of a coil spring can be better understood if we visualize it as a long,
thin, torsion bar wound into a coil shape. Because the coiled wire twists during the
spring’s compression/extension cycles, the coil spring actually operates on the same
principle as a torsion bar.
Since a coil spring occupies a relatively small space, it can be used in a variety of
suspension designs including MacPherson strut, solid axle with trailing arms,
independently sprung rear axle, or any SLA suspension system using a spring or
coil-over shock absorber configuration. Most modern imports use the coil spring in
variations of the MacPherson strut design. In general, wire gauge, length, overall
diameter and numbers of coils determine the characteristics of the coil spring.
In some cases, a coil spring can be designed as a variable rate spring that increases
load-bearing capability as it’s compressed. Variable rate coil springs are often used
in chassis configurations that occasionally carry heavy loads.
Strut mount:
As the name (strut mount) implies, it’s a component that attaches the suspension
strut to the vehicle. In addition, it insulates the tire noise & vibrations from the
vehicle. Many (front) strut mounts also contain a bearing or bearing plate that serves
as the steering pivot.
A strut mount is like a sandwich. One side bolts to the vehicle, the other side to the
strut. In the middle is a rubber-like insulating material. So as the vehicle moves and
goes over bumps, the up & down impact pushes and pulls at the mount. The mount’s
job is to cushion the impacts to reduce the jarring effect, noise and vibration that
could transmit into the vehicle.
On many front struts, the mount also includes a bearing that the strut attaches to.
With one on each side of the vehicle, these bearings act as the steering pivots. The
bearing is a critical component that affects steering movement smoothness and
response.
Jounce bumper:
An integrated jounce bumper system that combines several components into one
improves driving dynamics and passenger comfort by absorbing impact and
dampening noise and vibration. The component is the result of an integrated design,
materials and processing approach by DuPont, automakers and OEM’s. Part of a
vehicle's shock absorber system, the jounce bumper is  designed to absorb impact
and dampen noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) by preventing the metal shock
absorber spring from fully compacting during shock impacts due to potholes, curb
and objects in the road. The component also offers an additional spring function to
improve vehicle behaviour when negotiating smaller holes on the road surface and
cobblestones or during quick direction changes or sudden braking
Spring insulators:
The springs themselves should last the life of your vehicle, but the spring insulators
will not. These are small, rubber pieces that are mounted at the top and bottom of
the coil springs. Their job is simple – they help to insulate the car against vibrations,
jostling and more. Spring insulators are not the most obvious element in your
suspension, but their role is pretty important.
Because your spring insulators are made from rubber, they’re going to deteriorate.
They won’t need to be replaced as often as your shocks and struts, though. Most
vehicle owners may have to replace them just once during their ownership.
The spring insulators on your car are in use any time your wheels are rolling, just like
the rest of the suspension. That means wear and tear is a factor here, but it’s not the
primary reason for insulator failure or degradation. You can chalk that one up to what
happens to rubber when exposed to the air and temperature fluctuations over time.
Eventually, it dries out and becomes brittle. When that happens, it loses its ability to
insulate, and will eventually start to fall apart.