Confusion on front upper strut bracket part numbers - 2012

[buening]

I was hoping someone here may have some insight or experience. The front right upper strut bracket on our 2012 Limited is rattling and needs replaced. I called up the local Ford parts and got the part number they recommended, which is FB5Z-18183-A. I get home, remove the old bracket and it looks very different from the new one. My old bracket looks like this:

wheras the new part (DG1Z-18183-A) looks like this (upside down):

On the old part, where the strut shaft goes through and the nut tightens against, looks to be 1/4" thick plate whereas the new part looks to be thinner sheet metal. The base plate on the new bracket is round, whereas the old is rectangular with rounded ends. I'm not so worried about the shape, but the thickness of the shaft-to-nut plate.

According to the local Ford Parts Dept, the DG1Z-18183-A part number was changed to the FB5Z-18183-A. I emailed Tasca Ford with my VIN and they stated the FB5Z is the correct part number, but if I enter my VIN into Tasca Ford website it says the FB5Z does not fit my 2012 explorer and that I need BB5Z-18183-A (which the picture of BB5Z matches what I have on my car).

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-strut-mount-bb5z18183a

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-strut-mount-fb5z18183a


I'm so confused LOL. Anybody wanna help??

 

[sheltonfilms]

It's based on build date. The BB5Z-18183-A is for build dates up to 9/4/12. After 9/4/2012 they started building with the other one.

What is the build date of your car? It's on the VIN plate in the door jam.

 

[Flying68]

The old ones were obsoleted. The new ones use a ball bearing instead of a bushing ring. For what its worth, fordparts.com lists 18183 as the number (they never list the first 4 or the revision letter), but also gives the motorcraft part number as AD-1097 which corresponds to the new FB5Z number. I had to replace mine a couple of years ago and I believe the one my dealer parts department gave me was the AD-1097 (I will have to check though). Be careful when changing them though because the bearings are not sealed and you can pop the pieces apart and send the balls flying. Curiously I looked up a 2011 on fordparts.com and it says that the AD-1084 is for build dates before 3/6/2011 and that the AD-1097 is for dates between 3/7/2011 and 4/3/2016.

 

[buening]

It is a 1/12 build date per the door jam sticker, if that helps. So can anyone confirm if the BB5Z is the same as the old DG1Z? It sure looks the same based on pictures. Based on sheltonfilms info I should use BB5Z but Ford says to use the different FB5Z.....or is it a matter of installing the FB5Z regardless of what was oringinally used because it uses a better bearing??

 

[peterk9]

It is a 1/12 build date per the door jam sticker, if that helps. So can anyone confirm if the BB5Z is the same as the old DG1Z? It sure looks the same based on pictures. Based on sheltonfilms info I should use BB5Z but Ford says to use the different FB5Z.....or is it a matter of installing the FB5Z regardless of what was oringinally used because it uses a better bearing??

https://parts.levittownfordparts.co...ont-suspension-cat/struts-and-components-scat The parts site shows it is BB5Z-18183-A
Please add the 'Required' "Trim Level" (Limited) to your profile so it appears in the margin. That can at times be very helpful. Thanks,

Peter

 

[Flying68]

I looked at my old invoice and the part number listed was BB5Z-18183-A, but I distinctly remember it being a Motorcraft box with a Motorcraft part number on it. If I get a chance I will see if I can look at the part itself to see what it looks like.

 

[buening]

So it sounds like I need the BB5Z part based on my build date and should ignore Tasca and local Ford desk (who utilize the same software). Maybe for some reason my VIN is throwing their computer off and is suggesting the post-9/12 build date part.

 

[Flying68]

The old ones were obsoleted. The new ones use a ball bearing instead of a bushing ring. For what its worth, fordparts.com lists 18183 as the number (they never list the first 4 or the revision letter), but also gives the motorcraft part number as AD-1097 which corresponds to the new FB5Z number. I had to replace mine a couple of years ago and I believe the one my dealer parts department gave me was the AD-1097 (I will have to check though). Be careful when changing them though because the bearings are not sealed and you can pop the pieces apart and send the balls flying. Curiously I looked up a 2011 on fordparts.com and it says that the AD-1084 is for build dates before 3/6/2011 and that the AD-1097 is for dates between 3/7/2011 and 4/3/2016.

I went and looked at my old mounts that I still have laying around and they actually do have ball bearings in them, I think one of them though broke a piece of the plastic retainer that holds the two pieces together which is the part I assumed was the load bearing/rotational part. Anyway, they look like they fail because the unsealed bearings build up contamination over time and quit functioning. Maybe the new design fixes that problem.