How many struts/shocks in '98 Camry

Ok, forgive me. I'm a woman. I USED to know a lot more about cars, but they were Chevys.
ANYWAY...how many struts and/or shocks are there on a '98 Camry?
I'm 99% sure my struts need replacing. I'm hearing rattling in the suspension sometimes. From the rear, it almost sounds like I have something rattling around in the trunk, but I don't. My car is kept VERY clean and empty. So, before I go to Sears (who's having a sale on struts & shocks this week) I want to be prepared.
Thanks very much!

Just my opinion, but I would stay with genuine Toyota parts. Replacement struts carry a lifetime warranty on parts and labor.
But first - check the stabilizer bar bushings. Much cheaper and easier to replace and can cause the symptoms you're describing.
I'm not certain of this, but suspect your car may never ride the same if you have Sears change the struts. Plus they're generally not known for quality of service. Last time I bought a battery there, I asked whether the code date was less than six months. They answered, of course, we sell a lot of these. Later discovered it was of older manufacture and returned it, wondering why I couldn't have figured out the code while I was there. They exchanged it for one of recent manufacture. Point is, the guy seems to have lied to me. Wouldn't be the first time a mechanic did that, but wasn't Sears investigated and fined for unfair business practices a few years ago?
Suspension and alignment work is fraught with dishonesty. Had someone at Discount Tire look me straight in the eye telling me the Bilsteins on my Mercedes needed to be replaced with their store brand when I knew they were fine already.
Once had another tire shop convince me to change the shocks on my full size Cadillac, because "over 30,000 miles they all need to be replaced". Car never had as nice a ride quality after, and even though I had nice yellow color shocks, I never repeated that mistake.
With the Camry I actually paid to have the dealer remove the aftermarket struts (prior owner) and replace with factory units. Now I don't get that jolt in the steering wheel going over bridges, yet there is good control even at very high speed.
Toyota has different struts tailored exactly to your specific vehicle. Aftermarket manufacturers generally have one model number to cover a variety of applications.

Thanks for your reply. The only reason I figured Sears was because I thought they had a fairly good rep. At least, I know they always did for tires (and before your experience - batteries). Plus they have Monroe & a few other name-brands that are on sale this week. Midas quoted me $500.00 to replace the struts. I can't believe it would cost me that much! Aside from that, like you said, how do I find someone I can trust to tell me if it's the stabilizer bushings, rather than the struts, when they can obviously make a killing on the struts? I had an unfortunate incident occur w/a local Toyota dealer who I THOUGHT I was going to have a GREAT long-time relationship with. So, now I'm stuck without a dealer, too! Which is why I was going to go for aftermarket stuff elsewhere.

I also still need to know how many struts/chocks there are.

There is plenty that can be making noise down under to include shocks/struts, suspension components and bushings, cv joints to name a few. If you're concerned with knowing your vehicle better so as not to be duped by an unscrupulous mechanic, I would recommend going down to your local parts store and purchasing a manual for your vehicle. It can be difficult at first because the instructions will be throwing terms at you that may be familiar to you. Good news though. When a term comes up your unfamiliar with look it up. See where it is located. Try and ascertain its function. It's pretty much all there - just need to stick with it. I personally would recommend a Haynes over Chilton. Although I like the layout of a Chilton, the Haynes seems to have better pictures and diagrams, expanded test/check procedures, and in general seems to be written more with the novice in mind. Another good source is to talk with the sales associates at the parts store. They are not on commission based on the amount of parts they sell and therefore are a little more likely to deal with you honestly. Although they are not certified mechanics, most are motorheads and see the same problems on a recurring basis. Purchasing a manual will make you a little bit smarter on your vehicle and boost your confidence when dealing with a shop. I don't know the exact set up of your car but I would imagine that you have a couple struts in the front and shocks in the rear. A shock absorber is simply a hydralic tube that connects between the body and the suspension to dampen the effect of bumps and smooth it out so you don't go oscillating down the road. It works in conjunction with the coil or leaf springs which absorb the initial energy created by a bump. A strut is basically the shock absorber and spring in one unit and serves the aforementioned purpose. There are a few tests you can perform on the shock absorbing system. As you drive do you notice that your bouncing excessively? Is handling around corners degraded? Lean on your fenders. Does the car depress and bounce right back and stop or does it oscillate a bit. Does it make noise when you do this? All of these may be an indication that shocks are due. Again, all this and more in your manual. By the way, your shocks are 7 years old and are probably due depending on your mileage. I wouldn't think that your suspension components are wearing out this early although it may be possible if it has been "rode hard."

A usefull site for anyone:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

There are 4 Struts on your 98 camry,2 at the front and 2 at the rear, one for each wheel. The front struts are a bit more expensive than the rear strut.It takes about 1 1/2 hours to change a strut. Struts should be replaced in pair.Two at the front or two at the rear.Toyota struts are the best . KYB gr-2 struts are just as good. The noise that you hear from the rear of your camry could come the strut mount or stablizer bushings.I would say the stablizer bushings are most likely cause of rattling noise.

Lunachk,

I had the exact same noise you are hearing from the rear of my wife's 98 Camry. It also appeared to be coming from inside the trunk. I went through everything in there and insulated everything I could think of. I chased that noise for 2 years before I found it, and that was after reading a post on another Toyota forum (Toyota Nation). It was the rear sway bar bushings. They were worn and were allowing the sway bar to contact the undercarriage when going over almost any bump. This is a cheap and easy repair and you can easily test for the problem. Jack up the car and support the rear safely on jackstands or alternatively take it to a shop and have them put it up on a lift with the rear wheels hanging (not a drive on hoist). Now grab hold of the rear sway bar and try to move it side to side. If you can move it with just light effort, the sway bar bushings are worn and need to be replaced. The bushings run around $15 each at the Toyota dealer's parts department (there's one on each side) and labor at an independant shop shouldn't be more than 1/2 hour. What actually happens is that wear and tear makes the hole too large and the swaybar can move up and down along with side to side too easily. You will see what I mean when you compare the size of the hole in the new bushings to the old/worn bushings. This repair shouldn't cost you more than $80 total parts and labor if done at at independant shop.

Good luck.

Mike