Front Strut Coilovers Replaced

[apenland01]

So I learned a lesson on this Explorer this weekend while replacing my front strut assemblies. You have to drop the knuckle from the ball joint anyway so the strut assembly will clear the arm, so you may as well replace the upper control arms with new ball joints while you're at it. I had to use the small pitman arm puller on both front ball joints to release them.

Unfortunately, I did the rear strut assemblies first on Saturday afternoon thinking they would be most difficult, but I should have started with the fronts. If I had started with the fronts, I would have realized what was involved and just done the front struts AND the upper control arms that I already have in the garage waiting to go in.

Because I have to drive it for work this morning, I only did the struts to make sure the project got finished yesterday. I'll be doing upper control arms with ball joints next weekend.

The rears are a piece of cake compared to the fronts on this 2005 4x4 Eddie Bauer. If you have a ratcheting 13mm box wrench for the top strut bolts, 15mm for the sway bar end link, it won't take you more than hour per side.

 

[Number4]

I don't recall dropping the front knuckle from the upper control arms, just undoing the sway bar....I think.

Backs can be tricky due to the rubber bumper that hides one nut. Had to hacksaw mine off.

 

[apenland01]

No rubber bumper

I don't recall dropping the front knuckle from the upper control arms, just undoing the sway bar....I think.

Backs can be tricky due to the rubber bumper that hides one nut. Had to hacksaw mine off.

The back ones had no rubber bumper or anything to block access to the nuts, it was very straightforward and easy access. I pulled the plastic shroud back and there wasn't any issue. It sounds like maybe the 05 didn't use these bumpers. The old struts were Ford factory and I bought the truck new, so there hasn't been any modifications.

The problem with the fronts 4x4 is that you run into a problem after you drop the bottom of the strut through the lower control arm, you are about 1/2" short of getting the top of the strut assembly to stand up. The bottom of the strut spring hits the axle and tie rod, so you can't move it down more. Maybe it is different for different strut assembly manufacturers. I used KYB strut plus all around. You have to release the ball joint to get the assembly in, no matter what.

 

[drdoom]

My '05 has the jounce bumpers, and yes they do keep things interesting. I hacked mine out with a knife, and put the piece back in with glue once I had the nut tight.

 

[apenland01]

hmm

You have the same truck as mine, so I wonder why I don't have those rubber bumpers? Anyway, I guess the best advice is to check whether your truck has the bumpers and plan a way to deal with it ahead of time.

 

[Number4]

The 02 had long/wide bumpers, not sure about '03. My '04 and '05 have much shorter bumpers.

I could not get a swivel over the bumper at all like some, and had to cut it up. I picked up some off an '02 while at the wrecking yard, just because.

Perhaps your rear shocks have already been replaced once?

 

[apenland01]

The 02 had long/wide bumpers, not sure about '03. My '04 and '05 have much shorter bumpers.

I could not get a swivel over the bumper at all like some, and had to cut it up. I picked up some off an '02 while at the wrecking yard, just because.

Perhaps your rear shocks have already been replaced once?

Mine were marked Ford and haven't been replaced. I've owned it since it was brand new and those were definitely the originals.

It was built in 04/05 and I know it was an early model based on my stereo system and build date, so maybe that has something to do with it. I know there was a few design changes with the builds after July 2005.

The trash man got 2 of them today, but I don't know whether I threw out the rears or the fronts. I'll check tonight and try to post pictures if they are the rears.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

So I learned a lesson on this Explorer this weekend while replacing my front strut assemblies. You have to drop the knuckle from the ball joint anyway so the strut assembly will clear the arm, so you may as well replace the upper control arms with new ball joints while you're at it. I had to use the small pitman arm puller on both front ball joints to release them.

you don't need to drop the knuckle out of the upper control arm to remove/replace the coil over shock. removing the sway bar end link will do the job.

 

[apenland01]

you don't need to drop the knuckle out of the upper control arm to remove/replace the coil over shock. removing the sway bar end link will do the job.

That's what I thought too, but the coilover assembly wouldn't clear the arm to stand up straight into position. The only answer I saw was to drop the knuckle. It was easy enough, I was just mad because I could've done the upper arms while I was at it if I had done the fronts on Saturday afternoon instead of the rears.......