Probably the stupidest question ever asked but ive never done a god damn thing in my life so i wouldnt know. What is a strut? is it the same thing as shocks or do some cars have shocks and some cars have struts or do they have both? to get rims and lower my car do i need new struts and springs?? I need anwsers my friends.

 

Struts work just like shocks to dampen the movement of the suspension to help control ride motions and keep the tires in contact with the road. However, unlike shocks, struts are an integral, structural part of the car's suspension. In many front wheel drive applications, the strut forms the mechanical axis around which the front wheel turn.

The hydraulic systems inside struts are very similar to those in twin tube shocks. It's the outside structure that makes struts different than shocks. Some struts are constructed using cartridges that house the hydraulic assembly. These struts can be rebuilt be replacing the cartridge. However most struts use an integrated design and must be completely replaced when they fail or become worn.

While many do-it-yourselfers can tackle changing shocks, replacing struts is a much more complex job requiring specialized equipment. In most cases, when struts are replaced, the car's front end must be aligned.

Taken from:
http://www.kyb.com/support/shocktypes.php