Super bouncy ride

[MaxinRelaxin]

Anyone know if my 2012 expeditions ride quality being so bouncy on the freeway is because of struts and shocks? 100k on it. Just seems it should handle better.

 

[Thunderbirdsport]

If they're OEM Motorcraft stuff, they're bad. There's a whole 3 ring circus of debates about what's a good replacement, as not all brands of shocks are equal.

I can tell you that I went with Bilstein 4600 all around and am super pleased with the ride. Some might say they're a little too stiff, but I don't think so. Maybe if you have the 20" wheels they possibly could be, mine are 18"..The Expy is a truck, built on a truck frame. I don't consider it to be rough riding at all. I was actually surprised at how "un-rough" it rode after the new struts.
Be sure to check your ball joints and end links too. I had to do an alignment after I did mine, and I also put in new upper FCA/ball joints. (it did need it before though, so...)

Either way, if it's bouncy and feels extremely loose and tends to wander, then yeah, struts (or shocks, same thing in this case) are bad. Are you the original owner and/or know if they've ever been changed?

100K seems like a good life for OEM stuff, btw. Some folks with newer Expy rigs have their OEM stuff blow out and leak with well under 50K. Several posts about them.

 

[MaxinRelaxin]

If they're OEM Motorcraft stuff, they're bad. There's a whole 3 ring circus of debates about what's a good replacement, as not all brands of shocks are equal.

I can tell you that I went with Bilstein 4600 all around and am super pleased with the ride. Some might say they're a little too stiff, but I don't think so. Maybe if you have the 20" wheels they possibly could be, mine are 18"..The Expy is a truck, built on a truck frame. I don't consider it to be rough riding at all. I was actually surprised at how "un-rough" it rode after the new struts.
Be sure to check your ball joints and end links too. I had to do an alignment after I did mine, and I also put in new upper FCA/ball joints. (it did need it before though, so...)

Either way, if it's bouncy and feels extremely loose and tends to wander, then yeah, struts (or shocks, same thing in this case) are bad. Are you the original owner and/or know if they've ever been changed?

100K seems like a good life for OEM stuff, btw. Some folks with newer Expy rigs have their OEM stuff blow out and leak with well under 50K. Several posts about them.

thanks for the Information. Im not the original owner. They look like the OEM original struts and spings.
Im pretty sure im going to get Bilsteins 4600s too. Ill check the ball joints and such as well.

Question, How would i know if i need new COILS as well? or the Bilseitns shocks should probably be it?

 

[Thunderbirdsport]

If your coils are stock (you don't have quickstrut replacements) then you're good to go.

In my case, the rear coils I reused were the quickstrut coils while the fronts were OEM. So mine sags in the rear even though the resident "expert" swears springs don't sag or settle.
I compared the quickstrut rear springs I have vs the Moog coils I ordered and the Moogs are much thicker, in addition to more coils.

Again, if you have OEM springs all around you're good to go. (If you need springs for whatever reason, rockauto has the Moogs for front & rear for what I think is pretty reasonable prices..)

When I do my rear spring swap, I'll compare with a pic the quick strut spring next to the Moog to show the difference. I'll bet a busted spark plug the Moog coils are taller unloaded...