Sport Aftermarket Struts/shocks

[XplrSprt]

Hey guys, I've search all over the forum with no luck, I'm currently in the process of changing my front struts. At around 20k miles I took my 2014sport to the dealer because the passenger strut was shot, fluid was all over the place. After that (around 5k mi later) i installed H&R springs and now again at 38k mi the same side strut is shot, no problems on the driver side at all. Took it to dealer cause I have extended warranty and the guy didn't wanted to help me because I modified my suspension. I really don't wanna buy the strut at ford, is there any other manufacturer that offer struts for our Sports? I only found Monroe does them for PI models wich is the same but that's the only option we have? Thanks.

 

[peterk9]

If you were looking for a warranty repair then the dealer was correct. Once you modify the suspension your 5 year/60k powertrain warranty is void. I don't know why they would not have repaired it though if you were willing to pay for it.

Peter

 

[XplrSprt]

Hey Peter, I knew beforehand that the warranty was lost, the first time the strut went bad the advisor helped me and replaced it under warranty because it was under the 36k original warranty. Unfortunately this time he wasn't able to fix it under the extended warranty. They would fix it if I pay out of my pocket, they gave me a quote of $380 for strut and labor, but strut been shot two times already both under 20k miles so there's no way I'm gonna spend $380 just to drive 20k miles and then repeat I guess. For what I've seen in most of the threads, I've concluded that MotorCraft struts is junk, that's why I've been looking for options of different strut brand for replacement but only have found Monroe.

Leo.

 

[BMan5150]

If you are using lowering springs, that's why the stock strut are failing prematurely the second time. They are not designed for the ride height the lowering springs provide. I've always ran struts-shocks designed specifically to match the lowered ride height aftermarket springs often provide.

That being said, I love Bilstein HD struts and shocks. I've put them on two different vehicles including my current BMW 335. However, I don't believe they have come out yet with a set designed for our Explorer Sports.

 

[XplrSprt]

I know, I've been looking everywhere and found nothing. So everyone is using MotorCraft shocks when shocks fail??

 

[XplrSprt]

Well, i end up buying MotorCraft struts. Just picked them up at the dealer, gonna install them this evening. Let's see how much they last again.

 

[XplrSprt]

Passenger side strut was the one bad like I said.

Brand new ones.

One assembled, one to go.

After I finish inhalation, went for a test drive and my explorer felt so beautifully smooth.

 

[Nasty]

If you were looking for a warranty repair then the dealer was correct. Once you modify the suspension your 5 year/60k powertrain warranty is void.

Peter

Void only pertaining to the part you replaced or any others they can prove that were damaged by the installation of said part.

The dealer (or FoMoCo) can't just deny the whole vehicle's warranty otherwise it would create a monopoly on maintenance / replacement parts for the auto manufactures. That's why we have the Moss Magnuson Warranty Act. Extended warranty is probably a whole different game.

 

[XplrSprt]

Void only pertaining to the part you replaced or any others they can prove that were damaged by the installation of said part.

The dealer (or FoMoCo) can't just deny the whole vehicle's warranty otherwise it would create a monopoly on maintenance / replacement parts for the auto manufactures. That's why we have the Moss Magnuson Warranty Act. Extended warranty is probably a whole different game.

The first time it went bad, they replaced under warranty because I was still under the 36K warranty. This time it was already under the extended warranty I bought, so they didn't want to replace them. Everything else is covered, only suspension is not.

 

[reserved50]

I doubt the springs made it fail so early, would mean the struts were barely adequate in the first place. Whoever installed the springs did they avoid any damage to the strut shaft, even a tiny scratch there would make them fail, a pair of pliers on there would ruin them instantly.

 

[XplrSprt]

I did the installation, but I took the struts to a local shop to have the springs swapped, I was there the whole time and they used the adequate press to do the job. the second time was at the dealer, so I doubt it was installation failure. I understand if both struts went bad, but it was just the passenger side both times. The driver side strut was two year old and it didn't even squeak or anything.

 

[reserved50]

I wonder if other Sports have leaking front shocks also, or they got overlooked, might have been a bad batch

 

[Saffer]

I need to do mine, have the shocks just need to install them. Do you recall the torque values for the various bolts ?

Thanks !

Passenger side strut was the one bad like I said.

Brand new ones.

One assembled, one to go.

After I finish inhalation, went for a test drive and my explorer felt so beautifully smooth.

 

[XplrSprt]

I need to do mine, have the shocks just need to install them. Do you recall the torque values for the various bolts ?

Thanks !

I didn't find any torque specs anywhere, but I torqued the strut-to-spindle bolts to 148ft/lbs, the stabilizer link to 85ft/lbs and the upper strut nuts to 26ft/lbs. those are specs for my 2014 mustang, I know they r different complete vehicles but I didn't have anything else. I even checked the flex forums and didn't found specs for those either.

 

[reserved50]

184 for lower strut bolts
111 sway bar link
41 upper strut nut
98 for strut rod

they seem really tight but that's what the specs are. I found 166ft/lbs for the mustang front lower strut bolts though.

I know I jinxed myself but the lower front control arm bolt that you can see when looking under the front of the vehicle I had reset at ride height. I drove FORWARD on a level surface and had the bolts loosened a few turns then retightened on both fronts, it seemed to take the squeak away people are having over bumps and prevents bushing wear IF you changed your springs.

 

[XplrSprt]

Thanks for that info, I'll re torque everything today. I forgot to ask the technician at ford about the torque specs when I went to pick the struts at the dealer. What he did told me, was to careful pry open the strut bearings, they are contained in a plastic ring so they'll not fly out, and to put high temp bearing grease. That would help the bearings to last longer.

 

[XplrSprt]

Well just an update, I followed ford technician about putting bearing grease on the strut mounts, they went bad pretty quick. I had to replace them with new units because I had a rattle in both struts. (Sorry for the dirty engine bay)

 

[J_C]

You're driving it like you stole it, wearing out parts faster, then given an option to buy police severe duty struts, opt for the same thing that has failed twice.

None of it makes sense.

 

[XplrSprt]

Lol, It's my wife's daily. It's a '14 and has only 47k miles. Never been driven off road, and have only seen track around 3 times but I doubt going a straight line would make any damage. You don't know what r u talking about dude, but thanks for your comment .

 

[J_C]

Lol, It's my wife's daily. It's a '14 and has only 47k miles. Never been driven off road, and have only seen track around 3 times but I doubt going a straight line would make any damage. You don't know what r u talking about dude, but thanks for your comment .

Well, you asked for a resolution and two options are treat it better or get severe duty shocks. I've seen plenty of women drive SUVs like they think they're race cars, gender has nothing to do with it.