2013 Explorer leans in curves and dips hard

[jtc24]

I have a 2013 Explorer with 85K miles. Over the past few months I've noticed that it really leans in curves and dips hard when I run over a dip or other imperfection in the road. It came to my attention when I starting driving our new 2018 Sienna last summer when we got it, which holds the road and handles as you would expect a new car to do. Then, when I'd get back in the Explorer, I realized how badly it was handling compared to when it was new.

I would appreciate any advice on what needs adjusting, repairing, or replacing.

 

[Odrapnew]

Shocks/struts may need replacing.

 

[domct203]

Check your sway bar end links and bushings also.

 

[Livernois]

Yes you need a suspension upgrade. Also not sure if you have a sport or platinum but lowering springs make it handle way better also. But usually around 85k you need struts and shocks anyways.

 

[03WIExplorerLtd]

I realized the same thing after my Sienna had new struts...Explorer rides poorly....ordered Motorcraft shocks for rear as they are original at 127k and will install soon. I wish the Monroe quick struts had a good reputation as they make sense for DIY vs taking out struts and having some else decompress and mount springs on new strut. I am cheap.

 

[jtc24]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I have read that OEM shocks are the way to go, despite the additional cost.

Where would you start first, shocks or sway bar links and bushings? Or would it be better to just do it all while they're in there? I haven't checked prices, so doing it all at once may not be an option if it's too expensive.

Also, is this something a reliable privately-owned repair shop can handle, or would I be better off paying more to have it done at a dealership?

 

[Odrapnew]

Skip the dealer.
Any halfway decent independent shop would have no problems with it and should be able to diagnose a little better than through a forum.

The way you described the "dips hard" with road dips has me thinking shocks/struts. I am assuming you mean full vehicle dips in the road get it to compress a lot more than it should.

Could be bushings too, but the issues I've seen on here that are bushing related result in thump or clunk(same with sway bar components). Do you have any clunks or thumps when hitting bumps?

 

[jtc24]

No, I haven't noticed any noises at all, but I will make a point to turn heat and radio off and pay attention in the morning. I live on a curvy secondary road, and when I go around curves, it feels like the inner wheels are going to come off the ground. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but you get the idea. As for the dips in the road, it feels like they're six inches deep. The new Sienna travels this same road every day and remains level and smooth the whole way. This Explorer once did, as well, and I'd like to get it back to that. I'm willing to spend if it will get results, as I'll likely be in this vehicle for 4 1/2 more years.

 

[xlt03]

Thought I saw a YouTube video from Fordtechmakuloco where he said Ford now has the Motorcraft version of quickstruts. It was one with him working on a Escape.

Go with independent shop. Start with quickstruts and when they are replacing them they can peek at sway bar bushing and sway bar link and replace as needed.

 

[03WIExplorerLtd]

Thought I saw a YouTube video from Fordtechmakuloco where he said Ford now has the Motorcraft version of quickstruts. It was one with him working on a Escape.

Go with independent shop. Start with quickstruts and when they are replacing them they can peek at sway bar bushing and sway bar link and replace as needed.

Older Explorer has Motorcraft quickstruts, unfortunately newer one do not (02 to 10 only)..... I emailed KYB recently if they planned to add a new SKU for the explorer. We will see what they say, if anything.

 

[jtc24]

Yes, please let us know what you find out. Thanks.

 

[VCFP153]

I realized the same thing after my Sienna had new struts...Explorer rides poorly....ordered Motorcraft shocks for rear as they are original at 127k and will install soon. I wish the Monroe quick struts had a good reputation as they make sense for DIY vs taking out struts and having some else decompress and mount springs on new strut. I am cheap.

127K on original shocks...persistence right there.

 

[03WIExplorerLtd]

127K on original shocks...persistence right there.

It's time for them. No leaks or major clunks.

 

[jtc24]

A follow-up to this discussion from last year...I can't believe it's been over a year since.

I discussed the issue with a local shop, and he advised me to not do anything until I got new tires, and that these issues are often improved or resolved with a new set. The tires still had a significant amount of life left in them, so I wasn't too eager to ditch them at that point. Here we are a year later, and they were down to about 4/32" of tread and not handing wet roads as well as I'd like. So I finally replaced them after tolerating the rough ride for months.

I must say that it's like a different vehicle! If I had known it was going to make that much difference, I'd have done it months ago, tread remaining or not. I don't have a new one to drive and compare it to, so I don't know how close to "new" it is (it's got 98K on it). I can say, though, that it drives better than it has in a long time, presumably since the previous tires were new 60,000 miles ago. I've been buying tires for 35 years, so I'm well aware that a new set can make a difference, but I've never seen this big of an improvement in any vehicle before.

Just thought I'd pass this along for the sake of anyone who may be wondering if they need suspension work. New tires may be the solution.

 

[jtc24]

Well, another update after two years. The new tires helped for a while, but the issues mostly returned once the new wore off them. I had the clunking noise described in Front end clunk - bushing failure? and replaced the sway bar links with Moog brand, hoping to fix that. It has fixed the clunk (hopefully permanently, but we'll see), but also has tightened up the handling and the swaying and leaning in curves has been reduced noticeably.

It still rides a bit rough over rough roads, so shocks and struts are likely needed to improve that, but I'm hoping to sell it in just over a year and don't want to put any more into it, at this point, than I have to.