12 best shock strut manufacturers

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Comfortable driving on rough roads is provided by shock absorbers. They smooth out surface defects, prevent the machine from rocking, and ensure long-term operation of the suspension, steering and braking systems. There is a wide range of shock absorber struts on the Russian market. They differ in design, technical parameters and price. Today, leading positions are taken by European and American manufacturers, the Japanese are slightly inferior to them, brands from the CIS are improving their quality. To find a shock absorber strut for your vehicle, you should heed the recommendations of our experts.

The device and types of shock absorbers

Shock absorber strut device. To connect the car wheel from the bodies in front, shock absorber struts are used.

1. The shock absorber is the most complex and expensive part in the assembly. Its task is to damp vibrations and ensure good grip of the wheel with the road surface. The unit can be collapsible and non-collapsible. Sometimes motorists call the front strut assembly a shock absorber.
2. The spring is an obligatory element of the shock absorber strut. Its task is to mitigate body vibrations when driving through deep holes or “speed bumps”. Thanks to the spring, no shock occurs when the shock absorber is fully compressed or extended. In addition, the spring is responsible for the carrying capacity of the vehicle.
3. The support and thrust bearing ensure reliable fixation of the shock absorber to the car body. In the lower part there is a special hole for connection to the suspension.

Types of shock absorbers. Several types of shock absorbers are installed on modern cars.

1. Two-pipe designs are simple. A cylinder with a smaller diameter is placed inside the volumetric cylinder. The work of the unit is based on pumping oil from one container to another. This classic design has been around for a long time. Of the minuses, experts note a tendency to overheating and the need for installation at a certain angle (no more than 45 degrees).
2. One-pipe models are considered more advanced. They consist of one cylinder, floating piston and rod. Gas is pumped into the chamber, thanks to this scheme of operation, the shock absorber can be placed at any angle.
3. Combined shock absorbers have become widespread in recent years. They combine the advantages of one- and two-pipe models. These are reliability, performance and durability. The disadvantages include the high price.
4. Adjustable shock absorbers have been used in cars since the 50s of the last century. They are good in that the car owner can adjust the stiffness of the rack at will. If earlier it was necessary to adjust mechanically, today electronics do it for the driver, taking into account the conditions of the roadway. The disadvantage of this type of shock absorber is the high price.

We've selected the top 12 shock strut manufacturers for our review. All of them sell their products on the Russian market. When compiling the rating, the opinion of the expert community and the reviews of domestic motorists were taken into account.

Rating of the best manufacturers of shock absorbers

Nomination	a place	manufacturer	rating
Rating of the best manufacturers of shock absorbers	1	Sachs	5.0
	2	Monroe	4.9
	3	BOGE	4.8
	4	Delphi	4.7
	5	Bilstein	4.6
	6	LYNXauto	4.5
	7	KROSNO	4.4
	8	Kayaba	4.3
	9	TRW	4.2
	10	Tokico	4.1
	11	Koni	4.0
	12	FENOX	3.9

Sachs

Rating: 5.0

The German company Sachs manages to successfully withstand tough competition, both in the domestic and in the global automotive component market. Experts see several main reasons for the popularity of this brand's shock struts. First of all, it should be noted the versatility of the application. The same model can be installed on both a passenger car and a crossover, while the ride quality remains at a high level.

There are several types of shock absorbers in the catalog. The Super Touring series are the basic models for a comfortable ride. A more advanced level of driving is provided by the Advantage line. Sporting Set shock absorbers allow full control of the road during high-speed driving. The brand wins our ranking. Domestic users have no complaints about the original Sachs shock absorbers.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• versatility;
• variety of models;
• durability.

disadvantages

• not found.

Monroe

Rating: 4.9

Monroe shock absorbers are very popular among motorists in the vastness of the former Soviet Union. The American manufacturer has its own branch in Belgium, from where parts are sent to European consumers. Monroe has several successful lines. The Reflex series provides increased comfort to motorists. Products under the name Original are supplied to the conveyors of car factories. The Radial-Matic and Gas-Matic twin-tube shock absorbers have the maximum resource. It is recommended to install Van-Magnum shock absorbers on off-road vehicles. Experts praised the brand for its smart pricing policy. The American manufacturer is inferior to the winner of the rating only in durability. On average, according to the observation of users, the node withstands about 20 thousand km.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• wide range of models;
• reliability;
• good quality.

disadvantages

• limited service life;
• cheap packaging.

BOGE

Rating: 4.8

In the middle price segment, the leading position in the shock absorber market belongs to the German company BOGE. The products of this brand are equipped with new cars on the conveyors of European auto giants Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, and Volvo. Experts consider high quality and reasonable price as the reason for success. The manufacturer offers a wide range of shock absorber struts. The Pro-Gas series is characterized by softness and ergonomics. For commercial vehicles, the Nivomat line has been developed, which stands out for its powerful springs. Sports fans should pay attention to the Turbo-Gas series. The brand receives the bronze in our rating.

Users note the softness of the struts, road stability and durability. Of the shortcomings, the appearance of fakes in the Russian car market is often mentioned.

Advantages

• high quality;
• affordable price;
• stability on the road;
• durability.

disadvantages

• there are fakes.

Delphi

Rating: 4.7

The time-tested manufacturer of suspension struts is the American company Delphi. The brand boasts the invention of the famous McPherson strut found on most front-wheel drive vehicles today. Experts are somewhat surprised that such a giant has recently been losing ground in the auto parts market. The advantages of the brand include a rich assortment, even the owners of VAZ cars will find a suitable model in the catalog. At the same time, the manufacturer offers racks in different price segments. The brand stops one step away from the top three in the ranking.

The responses of Russian motorists to shock absorbers look quite contrasting. Some praise the nodes for their affordable price and reliability, while others scold the parts for fragility.

Advantages

• glorious history;
• large-scale production;
• a wide range of;
• competent pricing policy.

disadvantages

• fragility.

Bilstein

Rating: 4.6

The German company Bilstein is considered one of the best manufacturers of shock absorbers in the world. The manufacturer specializes in the production of auto parts for premium cars. Bilstein springs and shock absorbers are supplied to the assembly line of the Japanese automaker Subaru. In the catalog of the German brand, you can find several series of stands. A line with the characteristic name Sport has been created for fast driving on country roads. The trademark's trademark is the Sprint and Rally models created for rally cars. The experts appreciated the high quality, reliability and indestructibility of the shock absorbers.

The fifth place in our rating is due to the high price of spare parts. Not all users liked the characteristic stiffness of the racks.

Advantages

• high quality;
• reliability;
• durability;
• rich assortment.

disadvantages

• high price;
• rigidity.

LYNXauto

Rating: 4.5

In 1964, a small research laboratory Akita Kaihatsu appeared in Japan. She took up the study and verification of the properties of metals. As a result of evolutionary development, the manufacturer came to the creation of its own plant for the production of auto components. So in 2008 the LYNXauto brand appeared, which is still engaged in the production of spare parts. The manufacturer's catalog contains more than 20 product groups. The experts included the brand in the TOP-6 of our rating for good quality and reasonable prices.

Users have a number of complaints about LYNXauto racks. The ears of the ABS sensor wire holder are made very weak. In addition, counterfeit products are supplied to the market, which are unreliable.

Advantages

• good quality;
• acceptable price;
• interesting appearance;
• adaptation to Russian roads.

disadvantages

• weak wire holder;
• there are fakes.

KROSNO

Rating: 4.4

The Polish company KROSNO specializes in the manufacture of suspension parts. The manufacturer cannot boast of a variety of species, but shock absorber struts are in steady demand. Experts note the collapsible design of the units, which allows you to change individual parts. Also worth noting is the affordability of shock absorbers, almost the entire model range is oil-filled structures. With a quiet ride on modern roads, the racks last long enough. The brand deservedly gets into our rating.

About a third of Russian motorists complain about the insufficient durability of Polish spare parts. When driving on bumpy roads, knocks and leaks appear in the shock absorbers after a few months. It is good that the products are subject to repair.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• collapsible design;
• maintainability;
• stylish appearance.

disadvantages

• low resistance to bad roads.

Kayaba

Rating: 4.3

Japanese shock absorber manufacturer Kayaba is a leader in China. The young company holds about 80% of the Chinese market. Russian motorists are also familiar with the Kayaba racks, especially the owners of cars Toyota, Mazda and Honda. The lineup is quite rich. The Exel-G series is ideal for city driving. The Premium line has an increased level of comfort. Drift aficionados should take a look at the Gas-a-Just reinforced monotube models. The experts included the brand in our rating for stability and excellent performance on rough roads.

Domestic users like comfortable work, high-quality manufacturing, and a wide range of products. The disadvantages include the high price, the appearance of leaks during the warranty period.

Advantages

• high-quality assembly;
• comfortable work;
• stability;
• rich model range.

disadvantages

• high price;
• leaks appear during the warranty period.

TRW

Rating: 4.2

In the budget class, good shock absorbers are produced by the German company TRW. The manufacturer's catalog contains gas and oil shock absorber struts, and gas-filled models stand out from the competition at an affordable price. The experts learned that the shock absorbers themselves are made at Gabriel, while TRW is responsible for packaging and sales. Products are supplied to conveyors of such European car factories as Renault and Skoda. There are racks in the assortment for the VAZ model range. The brand deservedly gets into our rating.

Domestic motorists note the reliability of shock absorbers, even when driving on Russian roads, the struts nurture over 60 thousand km. And if you replace the rubber seals with polyurethane, then you can extend the service life by 10-20 thousand km. The disadvantages of users include unstable quality.

Advantages

• low price;
• smooth running;
• beautiful appearance;
• packing with instructions.

disadvantages

• unstable quality.

Tokico

Rating: 4.1

The Japanese company Tokico produces very comfortable shock absorbers. In our country, the brand is not yet highly popular. The experts found out that the production of shock absorber struts is established at two factories, one of them is located in Japan, and the other in Thailand. The quality of the products is at a high level, which is confirmed by the installation of shock absorbers on the model range Lexus, cars Toyota Camry and Toyota RAV-4. Tokico products are supplied to factories Ford, Geely and Chery. The brand is among the top ten manufacturers of shock absorbers in our rating.

Domestic motorists have tested Tokico shock absorbers for strength. They include a combination of price and quality to the pluses. But the Russian off-road destroys some of the racks after 10 thousand km.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• good quality;
• developed dealer network;
• rich assortment.

disadvantages

• fragility when driving off-road.

Koni

Rating: 4.0

One of the best manufacturers of shock absorber struts in the world is the Dutch company Koni. She specializes in premium products. Shock absorbers are supplied in large quantities to car factories in Germany, where they are given a lifetime warranty. The manufacturer offers several rack options. The Special series is characterized by excellent stability and softness. It is marked in red. The Sport line has the best stability and is yellow marked. The Load-a-Juster series, which is indicated in black, can withstand the highest loads.

The brand ranks at the bottom of our rankings for fear of frost. Racks begin to rattle in winter, even with a quiet ride.

Advantages

• high quality;
• excellent stability;
• lifetime warranty;
• variety of models.

disadvantages

• high price;
• cannot withstand the Russian winter.

FENOX

Rating: 3.9

Shock absorbers of the Belarusian company FENOX are very popular in the Russian market. The manufacturer produces gas-oil and oil models that are adapted to bad roads. For example, the front struts can withstand up to 80 thousand kilometers. The rear shock absorbers are comfortable, keeping the vehicle from swaying. But at high loads, their efficiency decreases. Experts consider FENOX shock absorbers an excellent option for modern AvtoVAZ models, as well as for the popular Renault Logan. The brand is at the bottom of our rating.

Users note rare cases of premature rack failure (up to 10 thousand km). Sometimes counterfeits come across on the market. Motorists refer to the advantages of shock absorbers as resistance to low temperatures (up to -43 ° C).

Advantages

• adaptation to Russian roads;
• durability;
• comfort;
• affordable price.

disadvantages

• there are design flaws;
• unstable quality.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.