We are looking for good strut to replace the rear axle

The main elements of car struts are shock absorbers. Both front and rear, they are not only responsible for the smoothness of movement and ride comfort. These parts dampen body vibrations during overcoming road irregularities, making movement safe, and braking and accelerating efficient. In addition, a well-maintained shock absorber ensures a long service life of many suspension elements. But sooner or later this detail will have to be changed.

Signs of a failing shock absorber

You can understand that the time has come to pay attention to the rack, you can by the behavior of the car on the road or during a visual inspection. In the first case, the malfunction is indicated by:

• ✅ buildup when accelerating and stopping abruptly
  
• ✅ the appearance of large rolls when cornering
  
• ✅ increase in stopping distance
  
• ✅ constant car pull to the side
  

During external examination, liquid spots are visible on the shock absorber body. It can be seen that the silent blocks wear out ahead of time.

Choice of shock absorber according to its type (working environment)

Inside the part is filled with a special liquid or gas. Based on this, manufacturers offer two main varieties.

Oil shock absorbers

Characterized by simple design. It uses a technical fluid with a certain viscosity coefficient. The main feature of this type of shock absorbers is that they work only in compression, that is, in one direction. The rod returns back thanks to the spring. It is generally accepted that oil shock absorbers are the softest compared to other types, provide maximum comfort, confidently “swallow” small pits. The advantages of these spare parts include:

• ✅ affordable price
  
• ✅ maintainability (although today few people are engaged in the restoration of shock absorbers)
  
• ✅ long service life (several years) in the absence of high loads
  

Of the negative sides, the dependence on the outside temperature stands out - if it is hot, the shock-absorbing qualities become worse, in cold weather the working fluid thickens, and the stiffness of the suspension increases. Also, oil shock absorbers do not cope well with increased load. There are many other disadvantages:

• ✅ at high speed, shock absorbers react poorly to road irregularities, while the car's handling deteriorates
  
• ✅ there is a cavitation effect with frequent off-road driving - air bubbles appear that worsen the damping properties of the product
  
  
  Despite the shortcomings listed above, oil shock absorbers firmly hold leadership in cars of the budget, medium and VIP price segments.
  
  
  

  gas structures

  
  Unlike previous products, there are two chambers inside. The role of the working medium is played by gas compressed to 12-30 atmospheres. It is inside a hollow cylinder in the first chamber. The second is oil. A similar technical solution made the work of the shock absorber two-way. The stem returns due to the expansion of the gas chamber after the external load is removed. Some car owners believe that such shock absorbers are better than oil ones. However, everything is not so simple here. Indeed, devices with gas well support the controllability of a car at high speed: there are no rolls, tires confidently adhere to the road surface. But there is a minus - shock absorbers have increased rigidity, you will feel all the bumps. Therefore, it is better to put such parts on sports, high-speed cars.
  
  
  Two types of shock absorbers can be installed on one machine.
  
  
  There is another category: gas-oil (combined) devices. They absorbed the advantages of the first and second types. For their manufacture, a two-pipe design is required. Oil and nitrogen are used as working fluids. However, this system is quite complex to manufacture and therefore expensive, which limits its distribution.
  
  
  When choosing, consider your driving style. If you move in a calm manner, do not like to "vomit" from traffic lights, buy oil shock absorbers. For fans of aggressive driving, extreme sports and drifting, gas or combined products are suitable.
  
  
  

  Brand selection

  
  Below are the leaders in sales of rear racks.
  
  

  Sachs

  
  The main advantage of these German shock absorbers is their versatility. You can put products on a sedan or crossover - the ride quality will remain unchanged. The manufacturer offers several product lines. Basic - Super Touring (sold complete with springs), for experienced drivers - the Advantage line, lovers of high-speed driving - the Sporting Set group. As for the resource of shock absorbers, it all depends on the operating conditions. If the rack is replaced in a specialized technical center, they will give a guarantee for 30 thousand kilometers. In reality, the product lasts longer.
  
  
  Shock absorber SACHS 170578 in the package. Average price: 1925 rubles. Photo: YouTube com.
  
  
  

  BILSTEIN

  
  Rear oil shock absorbers made in Germany are supplied to the Subaru assembly line. A series of "Standard" (blue or black) and "Sport" (yellow) are offered. Almost all products are single-pipe. Judging by the reviews, they serve at least 40 thousand kilometers.
  
  
  Shock absorber BILSTEIN15-062208 for Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Santana. Average price: 2717 rubles. Photo: YouTube com.
  
  
  

  Boge.

  
  The brand is constantly in the first positions in the rankings. It is installed on the brands VW, BMW, Volvo, Audi. The German company presents several product lines:
  
  
  • ✅ Basic series - Automatic is versatile and fits almost all passenger cars, excluding sports cars
    
  • ✅ Turbo Pro Gas - gas shock absorbers with mechanical adjustment for driving style and road surface
    
  • ✅ Nivomat - equipped with automatic adjustment
    
  • ✅ Hydro-pneumatic - hydropneumatic products with pumping
    
  
  
  According to car owners, Boge shock absorbers regularly serve 3-4 years, mileage up to 40-45 thousand km.
  
  
  Boge32-B71-0 shock absorber for Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen LT28. Average price: 4439 rubles. Photo: YandexMarket.
  
  
  

  TRW

  
  The company is from Germany, but in fact the main production is carried out in France (Gabriel enterprise). Most of the shock absorbers produced are positioned as products for a middle class car. According to TRW representatives, their shock absorbers are able to cover up to 60 thousand km.
  
  
  Shock absorber TRWJGT1014T for Volkswagen Tiguan in the package. Average price: 4122 rubles. Photo: YouTube com.
  
  
  

  Hello

  
  Dutch manufacturer. It does not offer a particularly extensive assortment, but the product is of high quality, the demand for it is stable, including in the Russian Federation. This is due to the reliability of the product, which is especially important for Russian roads. The shock absorber is placed on domestic cars ("Niva"). According to some experts, a two-pipe design, under certain operating conditions, is capable of "holding out" up to 60 thousand kilometers.
  
  
  Hola URBAN shock absorber for VAZ 2121. Average price: 1233 rubles. Photo: YandexMarket.
  
  
  

  SAAZ

  
  Russian brand. Oil shock absorber designed for installation on UAZ cars, models 3151, 3159, Hunter, Patriot. According to reviews, conveyor products can withstand at least 30 thousand kilometers.
  
  
  SAAZ shock absorber for UAZ. Average price: 1489 rubles. Photo: YandexMarket.
  
  
  

  Reinforced rear racks

  
  When it comes time to change the springs, many car owners, remembering the quality of Russian roads, think about strengthening the rear suspension. Installing more powerful springs guarantees an increase in stiffness and clearance (by a couple of centimeters). But this does not mean that in the future it will be possible to load cars to the eyeballs. If you are going to carry goods and building materials, it is better to buy a small truck, pickup truck. You can do without replacing the springs by installing special spacers under standard products - thicker rubber bands. Yes, the clearance will increase, but do not forget that in this case:
  
  
  • ✅ the center of gravity will shift, the car will become a little worse to drive
    
  • ✅ the rigidity of the suspension structure will be broken
    
  • ✅ the position of the shock absorbers will change, which will worsen their performance
    
  
  
  
  

  Difficulties with self-assembly of the rear racks

  
  One of the main mistakes when installing new shock absorbers is the lack of bleeding. Why is she needed? Products in the warehouse are stored horizontally, as a result of which the working fluid flows spontaneously (without load) and air enters the vacated space. If you neglect pumping, at first the shock absorber will knock, then it will quickly fail. The course of the procedure:
  
  
  • ✅ pull the rod to the maximum, squeeze and hold for 4 seconds
    
  • ✅ turn the rack over and pull out the rod again - repeat everything a couple of times
    
  • ✅ check how it works - the rod should be pulled out without jerking
    
  
  
  The second common mistake is replacing one rack: they should only be changed in pairs (inspect the springs along the way and, if necessary, also replace). When installing, put new anthers and bumpers in the kit. And the last thing: the final tightening of the shock absorbers is done when the car is on all four wheels.