A suspension actuator (1) for positioning a movably mounted component of a motor vehicle suspension, including a first actuator component (4), which is to be connected to the movably mounted component, and a second actuator component (3), which is to be connected to a fixed suspension component, wherein both actuator components can be axially adjusted relative to one another via a ball-type linear drive (5), which includes a threaded spindle (6) and a nut (7) running thereon. Either the nut can be driven via a drive motor (10) for the axial adjustment of the threaded spindle or the spindle can be driven via a drive motor for axial adjustment of the nut. A brake unit (14, 28), which can be actuated by an external force on the suspension side and acts on the nut (7) or the spindle and rotates them, and which builds up a friction torque opposing a nut rotation or the spindle rotation, which acts between the nut (7) or the spindle (6) and a fixed actuator element (22, 35) or between a drive shaft of the drive motor (10) and a fixed actuator element (45) associated therewith, is provided.