Rear Strut Replacement

All2kool

All2kool

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I don't have the smoothest ride but hey, it's my LS and not my Town Car. I'm almost certain that my Rear Struts were factory installed - 149k miles ago. Thinking I should replace them (and the springs?) and am wondering if this is a simple procedure. Does one simply remove the bolts and install a new assembly? I did a search for a video but came up empty-handed. I can get a completely assembled Strutmasters kit delivered to my door for $385.

I was under the car and spotted this piece of tape across the bottom of the Coil Spring. Is this put on at the factory? If so, it's confirmed that my current setup is indeed, 149k miles old.

Tape.jpg

Tape.jpg
 
All2kool said:
I don't have the smoothest ride but hey, it's my LS and not my Town Car. I'm almost certain that my Rear Struts were factory installed - 149k miles ago. Thinking I should replace them (and the springs?) and am wondering if this is a simple procedure. Does one simply remove the bolts and install a new assembly? I did a search for a video but came up empty-handed. I can get a completely assembled Strutmasters kit delivered to my door for $385.
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Welll.... Since that company thinks the LS has air suspension, I wouldn't trust them.

AFAIK the stock springs aren't available. The hardest thing is removing the springs from the shocks (the LS does NOT have struts). You will need a spring compressor. If you do end up doing it yourself, mark one of the bolts on each shock (and of course the corresponding hole at the shock tower) as the assembly goes in only one way.

You should be able to do all 4 in a couple of hours.
 
LS4me said:
Welll.... Since that company thinks the LS has air suspension, I wouldn't trust them.

AFAIK the stock springs aren't available. The hardest thing is removing the springs from the shocks (the LS does NOT have struts). You will need a spring compressor. If you do end up doing it yourself, mark one of the bolts on each shock (and of course the corresponding hole at the shock tower) as the assembly goes in only one way.

You should be able to do all 4 in a couple of hours.
Click to expand...

Not trust Strutmasters? They may be the #1 company for aftermarket suspension parts. They use US made Eibach Springs. As for their incorrectness regarding Air Suspension, I do believe it's really just an error on the part of the web design company they likely hired. My guess would be they borrowed a page from a Town Car listing and inserted the LS Kit.

Both AutoZone and O'Reilly's refer to the part as a STRUT, likely because of the way the part fits to the top of the vehicle body. A Shock Absorber doesn't bolt to the body.

As for replacing the Rear Suspension apparatus, do any other components need to be removed (other than the wheel) first? Or does one just remove the wheel, remove the 6 bolts holding the Rear Suspension apparatus in, replace with a new Rear Suspension apparatus and reattach the bolts to the newly replaced Rear Suspension apparatus?
 
All2kool said:
Not trust Strutmasters? They may be the #1 company for aftermarket suspension parts. They use US made Eibach Springs. As for their incorrectness regarding Air Suspension, I do believe it's really just an error on the part of the web design company they likely hired. My guess would be they borrowed a page from a Town Car listing and inserted the LS Kit.

Both AutoZone and O'Reilly's refer to the part as a STRUT, likely because of the way the part fits to the top of the vehicle body. A Shock Absorber doesn't bolt to the body.

As for replacing the Rear Suspension apparatus, do any other components need to be removed (other than the wheel) first? Or does one just remove the wheel, remove the 6 bolts holding the Rear Suspension apparatus in, replace with a new Rear Suspension apparatus and reattach the bolts to the newly replaced Rear Suspension apparatus?
Click to expand...

I know and they are wrong (even Ford tries to call it a strut). It's a coil-over shock. A strut is part of the steering geometry; which is not the LS design. You would also need an alignment after replacement. The LS doesn't need to be aligned after replacing the shocks.

EVERY shock I've replaced over the years bolts to the body... Including the LS.

All 4 shocks are held in with 4 bolts at the top of their respective towers.

Have you looked here??? Like most shock replacements it's pretty straight-forward. I actually found the fronts easier by disconnecting the upper control arm. The rears need some twisting to get between the rear toe links and the lower control arm (I think that's the part, it's been a while...).

My mechanic charges $25 per to change the shocks. Well worth it to me!!
 
Excellent. I did have that page bookmarked (your link has an extra http//: in it however). Seems straight forward and no hassle. It's just the rears that need replacing, fronts seem to be fine.
 
LS4me said:
A strut is part of the steering geometry; which is not the LS design.
Click to expand...

Except you can have struts in the back with no steering and call them struts. Struts are part of the suspension and dictate it's path of movement. They're part of the suspension geometry. A separate spring/shock (such as in a double wishbone suspension) controls the speed of suspension motion, but doesn't control it's path

Strut: if you remove it, the wheel/knuckle is free to move in almost any direction

Not strut: remove it and the wheel moves in the same exact motion as it would if the coilover was still in place. The knuckle still only has one degree of freedom
 
All2kool said:
I guess I should have stressed 'directly to or into the body'. Shock Absorbers bolt to bracket which are of course, is attached to the body.
Click to expand...

Non coil-over shocks just bolt to the body on top. At least our old Le Baron (K-car) did. The "bracket" on the coil-over is there to hold the top of the spring to the shock.

The front handles slightly more weight and I would imagine if the rears are bad so are the fronts; unless they're new. Also, the "bounce test" is totally ineffective on the LS.
 
LS4me said:
The front handles slightly more weight and I would imagine if the rears are bad so are the fronts; unless they're new. Also, the "bounce test" is totally ineffective on the LS.
Click to expand...

Well, when I go over a speed bump, the rear just feel flat and hard. The front feels fine and I can get some nice soft bounce out it. The rear is stiff, almost as if the Rear Suspension apparatus is non-functioning or rusted stiff.
 
All2kool said:
Well, when I go over a speed bump, the rear just feel flat and hard. The front feels fine and I can get some nice soft bounce out it. The rear is stiff, almost as if the Rear Suspension apparatus is non-functioning or rusted stiff.
Click to expand...

Can you bounce the rear at all?

Good shocks should feel stiff when you push down on the fender or quarter panel. If you can push down easily and get a soft bounce, IMHO, the shocks are shot. The LS has a stiffish suspension by design.
 
with that kind of millage, its probably safe to say the fronts are long over due for replacement too, while they may not feel too bad to you, I doubt they feel like a brand new set (of quality parts)
 
LS4me said:
Can you bounce the rear at all?

Good shocks should feel stiff when you push down on the fender or quarter panel. If you can push down easily and get a soft bounce, IMHO, the shocks are shot. The LS has a stiffish suspension by design.
Click to expand...

Not really. The front has some vertical movement and just a touch of softness. The rear is rather stiff and springs right back with no bounce at all, for the slight amount that I can compress it by sitting on the rear bumper. If I were to rate the movement on a scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being like no shocks and just coil springs, the fronts are a good solid 3-4 and the rear is a stiff 1. I can easily push down or lift the front, not so with the rear.
 
All2kool said:
Not really. The front has some vertical movement and just a touch of softness. The rear is rather stiff and springs right back with no bounce at all, for the slight amount that I can compress it by sitting on the rear bumper. If I were to rate the movement on a scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being like no shocks and just coil springs, the fronts are a good solid 3-4 and the rear is a stiff 1. I can easily push down or lift the front, not so with the rear.
Click to expand...

That sounds like the rears are good and the front shot. When I had the new shocks on I could barely compress the fender/quarter panel.
 
LS4me said:
That sounds like the rears are good and the front shot. When I had the new shocks on I could barely compress the fender/quarter panel.
Click to expand...

When I say "I can easily push down or lift the front", by that I mean, I can. The front is not shot by any means. The rear is just way too stiff, IMHO. It really just shouldn't be that stiff. Any bump I go over and I feel like I'm driving the No. 24 in a Sprint Cup race.

What brand was OEM and what brand is best aftermarket? Seems the choices are Sensen, KYB, Gabriel and Monroe.

RockAuto has Motorcraft Front Shocks (MOTORCRAFT ASH24465) listed for $12.22 each - what is up with that? The lowest price I have seen for these anywhere is $100 each.
 
The brand is Motorcraft.

I wonder if the previous owner mixed nonsport/sport/euro shocks front to back.

$12.22 is suspicious, but RockAuto is generally a reputable company. Could be listed wrong, could be a major closeout
 
LSFrank said:
I wonder if the previous owner mixed nonsport/sport/euro shocks front to back.

$12.22 is suspicious, but RockAuto is generally a reputable company. Could be listed wrong, could be a major closeout
Click to expand...

Could be. I mean, any novice can clearly feel the difference.

As for RockAuto, I've never been disappointed with them but I get the feeling the decimal point may have been put in the wrong place. $12 for a $110 part is odd.
 
All2kool said:
What brand was OEM and what brand is best aftermarket? Seems the choices are Sensen, KYB, Gabriel and Monroe.
Click to expand...

motorcraft are definitely the best, everything aftermarket (stance excluded) seems to be way too soft and complained about almost all the time.
 
All2kool said:
I was under the car and spotted this piece of tape across the bottom of the Coil Spring. Is this put on at the factory? If so, it's confirmed that my current setup is indeed, 149k miles old.

View attachment 828473714
Click to expand...

Looking at images of used Rear Shocks on Google and what do I see? That little piece of orange tape! Yeah, my Rear Shocks are toast - and factory installed.
 
All2kool said:
When I say "I can easily push down or lift the front", by that I mean, I can. The front is not shot by any means. The rear is just way too stiff, IMHO. It really just shouldn't be that stiff. Any bump I go over and I feel like I'm driving the No. 24 in a Sprint Cup race.
Click to expand...

A shocks job is to control the rebound of the spring. A failed/worn out shock will not control the spring which leads to "floatyness". Soft shocks will let the spring bounce more resulting in the ride of an old Cadillac, Lincoln or Buick.

A new shock will keep the spring from too much jounce and will feel stiffer.

I still think the fronts are shot; especially if they are factory. One test, when you have the shock out see how easy the shaft compresses.
 
LS4me said:
A shocks job is to control the rebound of the spring. A failed/worn out shock will not control the spring which leads to "floatyness". Soft shocks will let the spring bounce more resulting in the ride of an old Cadillac, Lincoln or Buick.

A new shock will keep the spring from too much jounce and will feel stiffer.

I still think the fronts are shot; especially if they are factory. One test, when you have the shock out see how easy the shaft compresses.
Click to expand...

I've ordered Sensen Rears and MotorCraft Fronts from RockAuto. Fairly certain the ride quality will be better after an install. As for the rears, I wouldn't be surprised to find them completely seized.
 
All2kool said:
I've ordered Sensen Rears and MotorCraft Fronts from RockAuto. Fairly certain the ride quality will be better after an install. As for the rears, I wouldn't be surprised to find them completely seized.
Click to expand...

By Sensen I hope you don't mean Monroe SensaTrac! Those are CRAP!!!!!!! Same with Gabriel......
 
All2kool said:
No, not Sensa-Trac, just Sensen. Read a few reviews before deciding to give them a try.
Click to expand...

Never heard of these guys... It'll be good to hear your review of them. It would be nice to have a quality alternate to the factory dampers....
 
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