01 expl-sport loud knocking in rear over bumps

[thechad728]

Replacing bushings...start to finish

Hey guys...I had the same problem and found a lot of help here...thanks everyone for the help...after reading all the different ways everyone fixed theirs, I wanted to tell the next guy how to do it from start to finish, with the right parts, in the shortest time...

1. Buy the parts from Ford. 1L5Z-1000155-CA is your upper bushing (the thick one) and costs about $30. 1L5Z-1000154-CA is your lower bushing (the thinner one) and costs about $15. You shouldn't need the bolt (you can re-use your old bolt if you follow these steps).

2. Remove the interior trim piece along your rear bumper.

3. Remove the two blue bolts (one on either side of your bumper). Screw one bolt back in about a half inch and beat it with a hammer to release the lower bushing. Unscrew the bushing off the bolt and remove the bolt (do the same on the other side).

4. Jack the body up to separate it from the frame (just like in ONTHEFRITZ's picture tutorial). Make sure your jack support is as far back on the leaf spring as possible without slipping...if you cut a shim to fit between the jack support and the front leaf spring mount it should keep it from slipping on you. I did mine one side at a time just to be a little more safe.

5. Once you have it jacked up high enough, you should be able to easily slide the old bushing out and install the new upper bushing.

6. Once the new upper bushing is installed, lower the body. Slide the new lower bushing up into the upper bushing until it clicks. Replace the old bolt and tighten with a torque wrench.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 for the other side.

8. Re-install the interior trim piece, get in and drive your new explorer.

 

[skrylla]

I can't say how glad I am to see that you guys are benefitting from my rather un-scientific method.

Teak: yeah you need to stabilize the lower end of that bolt. I used a Vise grip, same way Stantron mentions. Hook it onto the bolt and it will bind against the bumper, you'll be able to back the bolt out. After that, do whatever it takes to beat the crap outta that lower part and get it off. I probably did it the hard way; it sounds like hammering on the bolt will knock it out, from the posts I've seen here.

I said I'd post the schematic when I got a chance... so here it is. This is the part list from the Ford dealer, so you know it's accurate.

Otherwise, I should say the EX is still goin' strong...

[/IMG]

 

[skrylla]

(Got the pic figured out)

 

[ThePhoenix]

i imagine only some of mine are going...i only hear the sound on turns to the right...its like someone dropped a book on the floor like in high school. wham

that chart helps me see whats needed

thanks

 

[ThePhoenix]

update: I checked...my right rear bushing is disintegrating...when I touched it, some crumbled. I need to check more of them,but the sound is only right rear so far.

Can you buy these bushing separately?
is there an upgrade?
Chaz

 

[ThePhoenix]

left side

right side

sorry for the camera phone shots...

so these are gone...esp the right side one

can I buy them separately?

 

[Silver X]

You should be able to order the individual bushings from your local Ford dealership.

 

[Firedawgy]

Thought I would throw in how I fixed mine and maybe it will help someone. Mine was actually very very easy except when I was messing around and clicked the lower and upper bushings together, warning, don't do that unless they are in place. First of all I did only the rears, the rest looked good believe it or not, and I had no bushing left on the rear. I bought them from Ford, 2 upper and 2 lower bushings and 2 new bolts (MAKE SURE THEY ARE LONG, I THINK 5 1/4 INCHES) the total came to $89. Drop the spare tire. So under the rear I go, vice grips and 10mm socket in hand. First I clipped the vice grips to the passenger side lower bushing bottom, the disk part, make sure its mega tight. back up top now, lift the tailgate and remove the trim piece just in front of the bumper inside the compartment. Grab your trusty impact wrench with a 18mm driver. Slowly start looseing it, so the vice grips swing around and hit the frame to stop turning, I continued slowly with the impact until it was free. Pull the bolt and then slide it back in a couple threads, wack the head of the bolt with a mallet and pop that bottom bushing loose, loosen the bolt and remove it. Heres where a neighbor with a body shop paid off, borrowed his PortaPower with the wedge, slid that bad boy in there by the upper bushing and 5 pumps later I was able to release the old bushing and insert the new one, release the wedge, lock the bottom bushing in, and slide the new bolt in from the top, torque to 60lbs. Do the same thing on the drivers side but you have to drop whatever black box is there first, thats what the 10mm socket is for. Shizzzzam I was done in about 30 min, and that was with 1 beer break. Amazed even myself. Hope this helps some of you out there. I know I searched high and low for some non dealer rear bushings, but they are sold only in sets for the entire truck. So my suggestion, get a PortaPower, rent one, steal one, borrow one, whatever, just get one.

 

[damcd53]

thanks

good information "the chad728" I followed your instructions and I got all 4 bushings done in about an hour and a half.

 

[94explorerboy]

What is funny to me is that if you are going to replace these bushings you have to replace them with the same exact crap.
You would think Ford would have gone with a different material but nope.
If you order one you get the same exact crap that is on your vehicle now that disintegrated in the first place. :thumbdwn:

 

[ThePhoenix]

from what I can see, the ones on my truck in the far back (pictured above) and the two forward of them in front of the wheel well are falling apart. I would love to replace just these four.

I guess this is on my to-do list...after front suspension and intake gaskets ...and maybe after fixing death rattle...man, 4 major fixes for a 9 year old truck/. Thanks blue oval parts buying team

 

[94explorerboy]

Just got through replacing the drivers side rear one based on the directions provided by skrylla. Those directions were great!
I used a bottle jack instead of the factory jack because it was easier to crank up and down, but other than that everything else was the same as in the directions provided by skrylla. I did however paint the bottom part of the bolt black so maybe it wouldn't look like a rusted mess in a couple of years.
I ordered the parts online:
Lower $10.96, Upper $19.86, shipping $9.95.

I did not order the bolt because the dealer said that they were only available in a four pack and I only needed one so I crossed my fingers that I could reuse the factory one. The factory bolt worked out fine.

As you can see my drivers side rear one was shot.

 

[ThePhoenix]

where did you get the bushings?

 

[djstatix]

I had the same issue with my 2001 sport. The rear frame bushings wore out and the banging noise going over bumps was enough to make me postal by the end of the drive. Seems like you all have figured out the culprit. I had 4 of these mounts put on/ cut out and replace by a dealer and it cost me over $400. I didn't have the time nor the equipment to replace them on my own. Deployed right now to Iraq.

 

[diesel_s]

dude, i had the same problem, its a combination of things, first off, your rear body bushings need to be replaced.......polyurethane bushings work best....tougher and last much longer......second.....have your leaf springs checked out....as an improper alignment of the leaf springs can lead to this issue......

 

[chewy4x4]

has anybody used the daystar kit

 

[ThePhoenix]

anyone? where did you get the part Explorer boy? and whats a daystar kit?

 

[chewy4x4]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370320069116&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[thshc8]

I ordered the bushings for the passenger side rear from ford in june, but they have been on back order with no expected ship date since then. Can anybody help me find them?

 

[Xplorer82]

Wow. i bet this is where i am getting my noise from. i do not get the noise while driving over bumps in the road, Only when im pulling into the gas station, driveway or turning on a road where the ground is uneven. i know it is not my sway bar bushings/links because they are all new.

i have noticed that my mounts didnt look good awhile ago, but i didnt worry about it and honestly never thought about it the hundred times i crawled under the truck uninstalling and reinstalling my links/bushings thinking it was the sway bars links/bushings..

next on my "to do list"

thanks guys