2003 Explorer 102K miles, Keep or Sell?

[imp]

3rd gens do have struts and they are your suspension...hence a strut is a shock absorber but the spring sits inside the strut...its 1 piece...where as other trucks and cars have shocks and springs where theyre seperate from eachother...

a better definition would be appreciaited thanks

Basically, a "strut", called properly, a "Macpherson Strut", replaces a ball joint, and allows use of a very small and not too strong control arm. The coil spring is not always surrounding the strut, but can be mounted elsewhere; the strut just seems to be a good place for the spring.
The strut incorporates a shock absorber as part of it's construction, but, the bearing where the piston rod rides must be much beefier, the piston rod much larger in diameter, as is the piston and large tube, since this bearing must absorb side loads which a regular "shock" never "sees".
Thus, on the 3rd. gen. Explorer, the independent rear suspension has a very strong, wide-set inboard, lower control arm, but a very puny and narrow upper control arm, to which the upper end of the strut is fastened using large rubber bushings, inboard of the top of the "knuckle" to which the wheel hub is fastened. The lower, stronger control arm supports the knuckle through a ball joint, the bottom end of the strut, the rod end, is fastened inboard of the ball joint by a rubber bushing, to the lower arm. The spring supporting the vehicle's weight surrounds the outside of the strut.
Because of the difference in distance of the top and bottom of the strut from the inner pivot points of the control arms, the spring gets compressed as the 2 control arms move upwards, and hold up the vehicle. The top of the knuckle is fastened to the outer end of the upper control arm by a bushing, which allows rotational movement of the end of the arm, as the knuckle and arm move up and down.
The knuckle thus is held in the correct position for the wheel to align properly with the vehicle frame, but is allowed to move up and down as any suspended wheel must. A "toe rod" is fastened to the knuckle at one end, the frame at it's other; this rod ensures that flexing in the knuckle-upper arm bushing, and the rotational ability of the lower ball joint, cannot cause any "steering" effect from the wheel.

This description is as best I can do, as I have no pic to follow; it's from memory. Small details wrong, let us know. imp

 

[matt0248]

These explorere technically have coil over shocks. Because they have both upper and lower control arm and upper and lower ball jounts. McPherson Struts typically eliminate the need for the upper control arm and ball joint.

 

[Thub]

I drove an Escape for a couple of weeks last summer as a rental. It was 2WD and the mileage didn't impress me all that much. I was getting 19-20 mpg around town and 24-25 on the highway. Considering the 2+ ton V-8 Explorer I have gets 16-17 mpg in town and 20-21 mpg on the highway, I expected better from the Escape.

We own a 2003 Escape V6 4wd and get 18-19 city 24-25 highway easy, Since its a rental I would assume it was the 2.5 I4, way underpowered if you ask me, that little motor has to work too hard to move the Escape around, I honestly think the 3.0 duratec could pull better mileage depending on driver habits, If you babied the 2.5, I could see you getting the epa rated 28mpg, but I highly doubt you did since it was a rental.

 

[94Eddie]

I drove an Escape for a couple of weeks last summer as a rental. It was 2WD and the mileage didn't impress me all that much. I was getting 19-20 mpg around town and 24-25 on the highway. Considering the 2+ ton V-8 Explorer I have gets 16-17 mpg in town and 20-21 mpg on the highway, I expected better from the Escape.

We own a 2003 Escape V6 4wd and get 18-19 city 24-25 highway easy, Since its a rental I would assume it was the 2.5 I4, way underpowered if you ask me, that little motor has to work too hard to move the Escape around, I honestly think the 3.0 duratec could pull better mileage depending on driver habits, If you babied the 2.5, I could see you getting the epa rated 28mpg, but I highly doubt you did since it was a rental.

It was a 2010 2WD V-6 Escape. It was OK power wise but it seemed to be somewhat noisy compared to an Explorer. I figured with a smaller engine, lighter weight, 2WD, newer technology etc. it would have gotten much better mileage than an Explorer. For the slight difference in gas mileage I would take the size, safety, hauling capacity, etc. of an Explorer over the Escape. Or I would get the hybrid Escape to make the MPG difference more substantial.

 

[Thub]

It was a 2010 2WD V-6 Escape. It was OK power wise but it seemed to be somewhat noisy compared to an Explorer. I figured with a smaller engine, lighter weight, 2WD, newer technology etc. it would have gotten much better mileage than an Explorer. For the slight difference in gas mileage I would take the size, safety, hauling capacity, etc. of an Explorer over the Escape. Or I would get the hybrid Escape to make the MPG difference more substantial.

Power wise that thing should have been amazing it has the same hp rating as a V8 gen 3 explorer and at least 210 ft-lbs, and its lighter weight than its AWD counter part. I've heard the newer duratecs are quite a bit louder but I think my explorer is way to quiet, I like to know the engine is running and hear a little roar when I give it. The duratec series engines are by far my favorite ford motors, besides for the trusty vulcan push rod power. I don't see much pay off in the escape hybrids unless you are doing mostly all city driving.

 

[94Eddie]

Aside from the engine noise, there seemed to be a lot of road noise at highway speeds. More than i expected from a 2010 vehicle. I don't race around much so I can't say what the ultimate performance of the V-6 may have been. It was plenty for the way I drive. I have a lot of respect for the Duratec engines too. There is a DOHC 3.0L in our Taurus and it has ran basically trouble free for 140k miles.

I just expected more from the Escape I drove. Especially regarding gas mileage. It was a rental and I never had a reason to know the MPG ratings of the Escape. As I put miles on it I expected better gas mileage. The difference between a 3,300 lb. 2WD V-6 Escape and a 4,000+ lb. 4X4 Explorer with a V-8 isn't all that great.

 

[ddderek]

<snip>The difference in MPG is so small between them that it doesn't justify the cash outlay for the Escape. I would be better off paying the extra gas cost of driving the Explorer. <snip>.

Unless you do as I did and buy an Escape Hybrid... On a previous venture I bought my wife an 2006 Escape Hybrid with 15,000 miles for $20,000... We get 28-33 MPG and it is fun to drive around town in electric mode!

 

[94Eddie]

Unless you do as I did and buy an Escape Hybrid... On a previous venture I bought my wife an 2006 Escape Hybrid with 15,000 miles for $20,000... We get 28-33 MPG and it is fun to drive around town in electric mode!

I have tried to talk my wife into getting a low mileage hybrid Escape and she won't have it. How is the acceleration for them?

 

[imp]

These explorere technically have coil over shocks. Because they have both upper and lower control arm and upper and lower ball jounts. McPherson Struts typically eliminate the need for the upper control arm and ball joint.

Technically, you're absolutely right. The upper arm, though, is very narrow at both inner and outer ends, so without a quite strong coil-over shock assembly, the upper arm would flex excessively forward and backward. I am guessing the industry has taken to calling them "struts", maybe, and I don't have my Ford Manuals here with me to see what they call them. Thanks for setting me straight, though. imp

 

[ddderek]

I have tried to talk my wife into getting a low mileage hybrid Escape and she won't have it. How is the acceleration for them?

Actually I was quite surprised and pleased with the acceleration. It is a four cylinder with the acceleration of a six cylinder because of the electric assist.

You get your best gas mileage in City/off-highway driving, so for us the vehicle is perfect. She actually doesn't drive far enough to realize it's full potential, but it is a fun car to drive.

 

[ddderek]

Technically, you're absolutely right. The upper arm, though, is very narrow at both inner and outer ends, so without a quite strong coil-over shock assembly, the upper arm would flex excessively forward and backward. I am guessing the industry has taken to calling them "struts", maybe, and I don't have my Ford Manuals here with me to see what they call them. Thanks for setting me straight, though. imp

You are correct, when I had mine replaced they replaced them with what is called a "quick" strut. The coil and strut are one unit and repalced together.