A strut assembly for use in an automotive suspension of a vehicle including a wheel carrier and a chassis includes an outer housing attached to the wheel carrier, a pressure tube disposed within the outer housing, a piston slidably carried within the pressure tube and disposed at the lower end of a piston rod. The outer housing of the strut assembly moves axially relative to the pressure tube under imposition of an axial load upon the strut. The strut assembly can further overcome the static friction forces contained within the strut assembly at a much lower axial input force than in conventional strut designs.