To absorb the shock of going over a pot hole, save space and to stop the car bouncing up and down when bounced.
The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson, who developed the design.
No, a Macpherson is a strut -shock combo unit that fits between the A frame and the vehicle frame.
some lightweight oil is poured into the strut body
You can go to any local mechanic to get your MacPherson strut installed. The mom and pop shops are usually cheaper, but take a little longer than the name shops.
The same way you do any macpherson strut assembly...If you aren't familiar with the procedure, take it to a professional. Spring/strut assemblies can be dangerous if not serviced properly.
A strut is actually part of the suspension and not the engine. The strut is a shock absorber surrounded by a spring and provides the upper pivot point for the steering. I suggest doing a google search on "macpherson strut".
One lower control arm for each front strut.
The strut consists of a damper and a spring (shock).
If you search "Macpherson strut" online, you can find many web pages that explain what that is. Wikipedia may be a good resource to give you some general information about it. For more technical information, you can try the Auto Zone website.
FRONT STRUT: Damper Shaft Nut >52 Ft-lbs, Strut Upper Mounting Nuts >24 Ft-lbs, Strut to Steering Knuckle Nuts >96 Ft-lbs; REAR STRUT: Damper Shaft Nut >55 Ft-lbs, Strut Upper Mounting Nuts >33 Ft-lbs, Strut to Rear Knuckle Nuts >89 Ft-lbs.....
2001 Mercury Cougar
Honda calls it a damper. If you want the front damper. Remove the brake hose clamps from the damper remove the damper pinch bolt (on the bottom). Remove the damper fork bolt. then remove the damper by removing the two 10 mm nuts on top. Do not try to Disassemble the Damper without a spring compressor.