On 24 Jan 2004 00:05:34 GMT, "Tegger®"
<teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:

>George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> spake unto the
>masses in news:kjd110l4e15f4f9pvc2bmgdvbvi5fb9jrn@4ax.com:
>
>> On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:48:42 GMT, "Suzanne" <suzanne@brime.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I have a 1993 Honda Accord, are there shocks OR struts on the car?
>>>Thanks
>>
>> Though even some service managers will call them struts, they're not.
>> There are so many cars now which use the execrable MacPherson strut
>
>
>"Execrable" it may be, but have you ever driven a new Toyota Corolla? I HAD
>to check underneath twice to make certain they were actually struts, the
>cars handling being so good I was sure they were not.

I haven't driven a Corolla but as recently mentioned that's what I'd look
at in that segment right now... if I was looking. I'm told by "experts"
who have done competitive testing that Mazda currently has the best
suspension geometry in the business - nearest to perfect wheel travel with
minimal bump/steer/shock effects.

Even if its "OK when new, the trouble I've found with MacPherson strut in
the past is the way it deteriorates to mediocre handling so quickly, it's
tendency to induce tire imbalance and its long-term wear... it doesn't have
any. The damper mechanisms, piston/cylinder just take a beating from the
side forces.

>> that anything with a concentric spring/shock is called a strut.
>> Strictly speaking a "strut" is a combination damper (shock absorber)
>> and structural part of the suspension... which is not the case in the
>> '93 Accord's double wishbone suspension.
>
>
>Does not the Accord have Macpherson struts in the rear?

Not that I know of. AFAIK the '93s had what was claimed to be double
wishbone geometry but with lateral links and a trailing arm - a slightly
more robust version of the Civics/Intgras of the same era:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X25651C27 The more recent Accords >'98 have a
double wishbone with multi-link in the rear.

Besides I'm a little pedantic here: MacPherson is front only to me - in the
rear it's a Chapman strut... even without RWD.:-)

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??