rubber donuts that are between the frame and the carrage

[Michael Moore 2]

I am looking for S/T owners that have had to replace the body mount bushings total of 14 , 7 on each side. My bushing are falling apart, chunks of rubber are coming out of the mounts. I just priced them out at my local ford dealer they came to a total of 725.00 for all the bushing.

Has anyone replaced these bushings them self and if so how long did it take and what tools were needed ? I have a 2001 S/T 220000 miles on it. I bought it used looks like it may have been up north due to the rust underneth and possibley the deteration of the body mount bushings.

I will look online for a better after market price on the bushing kits if anyone knows of a site please pass on.

Thanks in advance. javascript:insertAtCursor(document.forms['MESSAGEFORM'].MESSAGE,':grin:')

 

[H D]

Check this:

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Hugh, looking at the newer pictures of yours you need new bushings too.

 

[RON LAPOINTE]

KF04009BK is the part # and its $144 shipped on Amazon.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Mike,



See the link below. Here is the Energy Suspension part #9.4102G (G for the softer black ES bushings) that I used. I purchased more than I needed to minumize the use of washers because each box comes with a set for both sides. In the future I plan on replacing the "new" front body to cab OEM bushings as well, but since we were in a hurry and I already had the new OEM bushings a couple of yrs. ago we went ahead and used them. I also plan on replacing the bottom half of the bushings at the rear of the cab.



If you are on a slanted driveway as I do you need to place blocks at the rear wheels before jacking up the cab. You need to remove both of the front seats. The front frame bushings on either side of the radiator were the first to be loosened but not replaced. You will need to heat up the bolts (3 each side) that hold them in place to free up the NASA blue lock tight. It is helpful to have an assistant, extra large channel lock plyers, and a hand held battery powered air wrench with a 12" long extention to reach the ones behind the back seat (if you do not have or can borrow one, the maybe you can rent one). Total time was about 6 to 8 hrs.



Rodger

 

[H D]

Hugh, looking at the newer pictures of yours you need new bushings too.

Yup. This spring. No noise from them and the ride is smooth, but they are in need of replacing.

 

[brian brown 3]

I checked mine when I first read about this, and I guess the southern climate doesn't deteriate them.. mine look new... 2004 @ 110K miles



another good reason to live here..

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Sporttrack4me, actually if you look and see how many members have already or need to replace them they live down south. They dry, hot climate dries them out and destroys them. ALso depends on if it sits outside or garage kept.

 

[EddieS'04]

I checked mine when I first read about this, and I guess the southern climate doesn't deteriate them.. mine look new... 2004

ST4me,



I live in houston area. My '04 has needed it for a yr now. There are barely any cushions left. When I get to it. They will be other than oem. Even if it rides harder.

I did have the name of the company that made them for ford. Sent them an email of their crappy product. Also made a complaint to NHSTA about safety.

Shame emough folks havent complained to both. Maybe ford would have done a recall.



I asked the members here to do the same. I think maybe only 2 or 3 joined me. This is not a new discussion at all.



BTW, mine looked ok until I inspected them. Once touched they crumble. This is not normal. Ford designed the Trac to be a sport truck. But they used shocks and cab bushings from a girly mans cars.



I will need to do something within 6months. So the cab wont be rocking on the metal frame.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Eddie, that sucks. There's a member on the explorerforum that just replaced his fairly cheap. This is a huge topic over there since alot of members bodylift their Trac's. I think it was Gse Brent that made the thread called bodylift fail that has the discussion on replacement bushings that look to be alot better then oem parts. Give it a look. :haveabeer:

 

[Michael Moore 2]

Thanks Guys I can always count on this site and the people that support it .:haveabeer:

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Guys, check out post #47 on the thread titled "Deteriorated Body Mounts " on the 2001-2005 Sport Trac section on explorerforum.com.



:banana::haveabeer:

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Thanks Steve for linkeing it. I was posting from my phone so couldn't link it.:haveabeer:

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

I am curious as to how the Daystar compare to Energy Suspension?

 

[POJ Irving]

Eddie, I live down south, Florida to be exact and I have had this issue for more than 2 yrs. Although I didn't contact the company that supplied this "crappy product" to Ford, I did email Ford and the NHTSA on several occasions. I even went as far as filling out the complaint form sent to me from the NHTSA. If you do a search on the site you may find the response to my email from Ford.



This is one crappy part I am looking forward to getting off my ST, and it wont be replaced with Ford OEM. By the way Rodger, thanks again for the update with the product from Energy Suspension, now that I know they work I can now get my supply.



PJ

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

You're quite welcome, pj. :driving::supercool: