What are wheel struts?

The term "strut" applies to more than just wheels. A strut is a brace connected at each end, which acts to restrain, or control, the movement of anything. The best example that almost everyone has seen, at least in photographs, is wing struts on an airplane. The struts are the long "bars" that connect from the underside of a top [or high] mounted wing, to the lower edge of the fuselage. This forms a mechanical triangle which reinforces the wing and prevents "flapping" tendencies [bending] of the wing. On bi-planes, the bars [both vertical and angular] are also struts. On most vehicles, a wheel strut connects from a wheel suspension member to the frame or body to restrict the movement of the suspension assembly, which improves control and "rideability." In many late model vehicles, a strut for the front wheel suspension consists of combining a coil spring AND a shock absorber into a single component which is connected from the top of each front wheel to the unibody "frame" in a vertical "tower" which is a part of the unibody.