Suspension Issues

[4X4RE]

I have had my 2007 Expedition EL for about a year now. I have had a strange issue ever since I bought it. One wheel (Passenger side rear) behaves differently than the others. It behaves fine on big bounces but little things like driving over a manhole cover and instead of a lite thud I get more of a 3 bunce dribble. We have tried:
Replacing the struts... No Change
Replacing the tires... No Change
Swapping rear & front tires... No Change
Swapping right & left rear struts... No Change

My local mechanic can't find anything wrong. The Ford dealership can't find anything wrong. My friend thought the symptoms sounded like a cracked leaf spring until I pointed out that the truck doesn't have leaf springs.

HELP!!!! Any other thoughts before I give up and resell the truck?

 

[Trainmaster]

Sway bar bushings?

 

[1oldtimer]

control arm bushings

 

[BrooklynExp]

I have the same problem with my 07, rear passenger wheel. My mechanic said is fine. I think my shock absorber is shot. When I pushed it up and down the right side bounced way more then the left. I am trying to find a shock absorber other than stock but it seems impossible.

 

[4X4RE]

Mechanic says that everything else seems "tight". What would be another oddball thing that could cause these symptoms?

 

[Adieu]

Maybe they did the alignment backwards? The usual recipe compensates for the weight of a driver on the left, but if they did it the other way around it would double the imbalance when you're alone in your truck

Also, is your sway bar link in the back detached and/or shot? The stock ones are crap and deteriorate into wet cardboard level stiffness eventually.

 

[BrooklynExp]

That sounds accurate. I started having this problem right after an alignment.

 

[Modelcarguy]

Did you check the play and runout in the affected wheel hub? If that wobbles, it will cause this effect. I know, it happened to me…

 

[purevw]

I have the same problem with my 07, rear passenger wheel. My mechanic said is fine. I think my shock absorber is shot. When I pushed it up and down the right side bounced way more then the left. I am trying to find a shock absorber other than stock but it seems impossible.

Where are you located? O'Reilly lists a dozen different struts for an 07. Many come with a lifetime warranty, which from experience I can vouge for O'Reilly. They have always replaced lifetime warranty items, no questions asked. I'm sure Autozone and Advance Auto would have as many. I replaced all 4 on my 2011 a few months ago, with the replacement springs installed. It wasn't a hard job to do. The YouTube videos I watched have a person removing much more than is necessary. A good shop manual gives better information. It's possible to buy the struts without the springs, but then you need a special spring compressor to install them. Most off the shelf compressors will not fit Expy springs because of the wire diameter, not to mention the danger of taking you head off of the tool accidentally releases the spring.

 

[Goofy173]

Pull the ABS fuse and see what happens.

 

[4X4RE]

Interesting... Which number is the ABS fuse? The schematic I found showed 3 diferent ones.

 

[BrooklynExp]

Where are you located? O'Reilly lists a dozen different struts for an 07. Many come with a lifetime warranty, which from experience I can vouge for O'Reilly. They have always replaced lifetime warranty items, no questions asked. I'm sure Autozone and Advance Auto would have as many. I replaced all 4 on my 2011 a few months ago, with the replacement springs installed. It wasn't a hard job to do. The YouTube videos I watched have a person removing much more than is necessary. A good shop manual gives better information. It's possible to buy the struts without the springs, but then you need a special spring compressor to install them. Most off the shelf compressors will not fit Expy springs because of the wire diameter, not to mention the danger of taking you head off of the tool accidentally releases the spring.

I'm in new york. From what i've seen nobody makes aftermarket shock absorbers for the air ride.

 

[4X4RE]

I took it to shop #3 who agreed with the others that everything they can see is good and tight. HOWEVER, they did come up with a possible cause that they could not as easily see. They said that there are about 8 bushing up in there that they can not check without dropping the rear end. Unfortunately, they said that it would be almost $2,000 to do the job with no guarantee if that is actually the problem or not. I'm not sure I'm ready to spend that much on a maybe.

 

[4X4RE]

Well, I got confirmation that I am missing bushings and that is causing my ride issue.
They also say that they can't fix it and that it has to go to a body shop. Don't know what the cost will be yet.

 

[ogre20012001]

Well, I got confirmation that I am missing bushings and that is causing my ride issue.
They also say that they can't fix it and that it has to go to a body shop. Don't know what the cost will be yet.

What bushings are you missing that require a body shop?
Are you missing body mount bushings?

 

[richs fishes]

I've got a very similar issue I've been trying to track down with the rear right wheel. So far I cant see any suspension parts that look worn enough to really cause the problem. I've never thought the body mounts could be the casue, but I do know that some/most of mine looked like they were destroyed and/or gone. I recall doing real quick research on trying to fix these and I think the answer was no one has the parts even if you're willing to do the work. I could be wrong on that though.

 

[PacTow]

2007 EL. After changing rear shocks, same thing, loud knock right rear on bumps. Changed shock, same knock. Body mount bushings worn and compressed. Changed all, problem solved. Changed in driveway. Loosen bolts (use some penetrating oil on bolts) then use floor jack to raise body to slide old out and new in. Had a 03 F250 had to do the same. Think YouTube may have a procedure?