[AKADriver]

here's a post I made last week:

A "strut" in an automotive suspension is a vertical link that supports and locates the spindle or upright, and out of necessity of being vertical (in the direction of suspension motion) always includes the damper and usually includes the spring perch. This means that a strut mounts SOLIDLY to the spindle/upright at the bottom.

The 240SX front suspension is a standard McPherson strut type suspension, with the exception of the tension rods, which are a nice addition, when they work.

The 240SX rear suspension is a multi-link design that does not incorporate struts. The dampers are mounted via a bushing to the uprights, they do not serve to locate and support the uprights, and therefore are not struts. The damper assemblies DO include the spring perches, which leads most people to incorrectly call them struts, and most people know what you're talking about if you say "rear struts" to refer to the rear damper assemblies.

Also note my use of the word "damper" instead of "shock absorber". "Shock absorber" is an unfortunate misnomer. The springs absorb shocks, the dampers serve to damp the motion of the springs (hence "dampers").