Rear sping not broken - slipped down

[madmaestro]

First of all,


Thanks to all for such an excellent resource. I've been lurking for a while but have been driven to search for answers after a couple of nagging problems.

I have a 2002 Explorer XLS V6. This is a stock soccer shuttle that gets regular maintenance. I bought it in fall of 2007 with 61k, and it just turned 70k last week.

I had it in for the 3rd oil change, and when I pulled into the stall, the Valvoline guy asked if I had any heavy objects in the back. After I shook off the willies once I figured out he was talking about my truck and not me, I told him "No".

He said it looked low on the left rear, possibly a broken spring. He said he would take a look while he was in the pit, but they didn't have the resources to repair even if it was.

He got the oil chage complete and then called up to me that it wasn't a broken spring, but it was still a problem.

It's the passenger rear spring, and it has slipped below the plate that it should be sitting on, nearly 2 coils have slipped past the plate at the bottom.

Forgive my lack of knowledge about suspension parts. The coil is rest on whatever is right below the strut.

Driving it feels very squishy, especially when taking any left turns.

I want to know if the spring, if not broken or damaged, could just be compressed and placed back in place. He seemed kind of dismayed when I told him I didn't offroad it, as he said that's how that happens. I hit a pothole in suburbia from time to time, but that's it.

Any ideas how standard driving could do this? Also, if no parts are replaced, how can I tell if this could happen again?

The squishiness has been there for a couple of months. Initially I thought it was low psi in the rear tire, so I kept checking it and keeping it up to snuff, but it never quite felt right. It did not drive like this when I bought it, so maybe I've been out 4-wheeling in my sleep.

I'm open for any answers you can share, from speculation on how it could have happened to what I need to replace (or not replace).

 

[corkey]

you are gonna have to look it over , and take it to a shop that does shocks and springs,, i am under the impression there is a collar that holds the spring on the bottom of those shocks,, might be the lip is broken,, , if it is ,you need to get another strut,,, they may be able to use the spring over again,,
take it to a good shop you trust,

 

[madmaestro]

So what could the spring have damaged since it did slip past the collar?

I'm not sure what sits right below the strut, but it's a piece of metal running horizontal from the passenger rear wheel towards the center of the rear.

I am just making the assumption that the spring may still be exerting force downwards onto w/e part it's hitting now, but it may not be.


Also, can anyone recommend a good stock replacement strut for the rear? Do new replacements typically come with new springs, or is this seperate if I do have to replace the whole strut?

 

[corkey]

the collar that holds the spring has got to be damaged,, i would have a good shop look at it , and tell you if the strut is toast or not,, it may be just a case of fixing the collar,, they may be available from Ford,,
the spring does still carry some of the weight of the back or it would be really loose on the strut,,and maybe even rattling,,
if the other side is okay , it might be that you just have to get another stock strut,, they sell them separetly , ,