Earlier in the year, I changed my spark plugs (yeah, I know, I'm awesum, right?) then the fuel control module above the spare tire. Then just a few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and had the dealership change that leaking exhaust manifold on the passenger side (they comp'ed me the manifold, only charge me labor!Hmmmm....). Been a really interesting year.Today, my buddy is showing me his broken front coil springs. He had the part in the bed of his truck. It broke the bottom coil right off at the spring seat on both sides. I thought I'd check to see if they changed the design from his ('04) to mine ('07), so I crawled under mine to look. What do you think I saw? Thaaaaaaat's right....Funny part was, two weeks ago we were riding the rails to trails on our bikes and when we left, we piled in the truck and just about the time I was going to start it, we heard a BANG! and the truck sort of lurched. I thought a tire popped. we all got out and looked a bit but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I wrote it off as parking break chatter. Sometimes when I set it too lightly, it will creep under load and groan a little. Turns out, the front passenger spring broke right at that very moment, while we were sitting still! Amazing! I just put two and two together today when I realized what happened.He's got 104K on his Screw short bed and never towed nothing. I have 109K and tow at max GCWR about 10 trips a year. I smell a rat! Anybody know if there's a recall or service bulletin on this? I'm checking tomorrow, but don't know if the dealership will get the job. He paid his local mechanic $600 for both sides and non-OEM parts. I'm betting FoMoCo will want double that. Merry Christmas to me!

Hi Moss, sorry about your luck. The front struts/springs on an F-150 are easy to replace. Took me a day to do a leveling kit, had to pop off the struts and find a strong enough spring compressor, but it's really straight forward if you want to save the labor. When I owned my 2010 F-150, I bought parts from Tasca since that was the best place locally and on the web that I could find decent parts prices. Re-did my leveling kit and changed from the daystar spacers to Bilstein 5100's (much better improvement, had longer range of articulation and more taught handling). Looks like the coil spring alone is anywhere between 55 and 85 bucks depending on which one you have. Pretty cheap part. So this could be a good time to change out your front struts as well since you'll have it apart anyways to swap the spring.Only thing is that after you re-assemble everything together, you'll need to get it aligned. But you can get close with a measuring tape and dial it in well enough to drive for a week or so until you can get it into the shop.

jus2shy wrote:Hi Moss, sorry about your luck. The front struts/springs on an F-150 are easy to replace. Took me a day to do a leveling kit, had to pop off the struts and find a strong enough spring compressor, but it's really straight forward if you want to save the labor. When I owned my 2010 F-150, I bought parts from Tasca since that was the best place locally and on the web that I could find decent parts prices. Re-did my leveling kit and changed from the daystar spacers to Bilstein 5100's (much better improvement, had longer range of articulation and more taught handling). Looks like the coil spring alone is anywhere between 55 and 85 bucks depending on which one you have. Pretty cheap part. So this could be a good time to change out your front struts as well since you'll have it apart anyways to swap the spring.Only thing is that after you re-assemble everything together, you'll need to get it aligned. But you can get close with a measuring tape and dial it in well enough to drive for a week or so until you can get it into the shop.Thanks for the info. I looked at a few youtube vids and it doesn't look too bad. I have a good jack and stands, air compressor and tools. Might give it a shot. I figure this is a "change them both" situation, especially since my friend had both break at the same time, and putting the old shocks back on seems silly. I'm going to check and see if Motorcraft sells them as an assembled unit. Looking on Ford Parts site they price out about $275 each side pricing piecemeal. My buddy got aftermarket assemblies for $180 ea. I'll need the ones for 8200 lb GvWR so don't know if aftermarket will work.

Sorry to hear about your troubles friend. I will say this though...at least you have a truck to keep maintaining! My older vehicle is a 2000 Lincoln Town Car. Nice car but I'm about to have to replace EVERY front end component due to wear. 154k miles though and it just keeps runningThanks!Jeremiah

mosseater wrote:Earlier in the year, I changed my spark plugs (yeah, I know, I'm awesum, right?) then the fuel control module above the spare tire. Then just a few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and had the dealership change that leaking exhaust manifold on the passenger side (they comp'ed me the manifold, only charge me labor!Hmmmm....). Been a really interesting year.Today, my buddy is showing me his broken front coil springs. He had the part in the bed of his truck. It broke the bottom coil right off at the spring seat on both sides. I thought I'd check to see if they changed the design from his ('04) to mine ('07), so I crawled under mine to look. What do you think I saw? Thaaaaaaat's right....Funny part was, two weeks ago we were riding the rails to trails on our bikes and when we left, we piled in the truck and just about the time I was going to start it, we heard a BANG! and the truck sort of lurched. I thought a tire popped. we all got out and looked a bit but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I wrote it off as parking break chatter. Sometimes when I set it too lightly, it will creep under load and groan a little. Turns out, the front passenger spring broke right at that very moment, while we were sitting still! Amazing! I just put two and two together today when I realized what happened.He's got 104K on his Screw short bed and never towed nothing. I have 109K and tow at max GCWR about 10 trips a year. I smell a rat! Anybody know if there's a recall or service bulletin on this? I'm checking tomorrow, but don't know if the dealership will get the job. He paid his local mechanic $600 for both sides and non-OEM parts. I'm betting FoMoCo will want double that. Merry Christmas to me!I've heard of Explorers busting coil springs, but not the F-150's. Mine is older than yours though and all 4 springs still are in one piece (knock on wood).

Last 1/2 ton truck I had was a F100, and it had the springing of a Crown Victoria.On SuperDuties, we worry less about springs and more on lower ball joints and tie rod ends. I do appreciate the beef of the heavier duty trucks, however.

Another new F-150 adventure | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

Fordlover
Explorer
Sep 12, 2014
mosseater wrote:
Earlier in the year, I changed my spark plugs (yeah, I know, I'm awesum, right?) then the fuel control module above the spare tire. Then just a few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and had the dealership change that leaking exhaust manifold on the passenger side (they comp'ed me the manifold, only charge me labor!Hmmmm....). Been a really interesting year.

Today, my buddy is showing me his broken front coil springs. He had the part in the bed of his truck. It broke the bottom coil right off at the spring seat on both sides. I thought I'd check to see if they changed the design from his ('04) to mine ('07), so I crawled under mine to look. What do you think I saw?

Thaaaaaaat's right....

Funny part was, two weeks ago we were riding the rails to trails on our bikes and when we left, we piled in the truck and just about the time I was going to start it, we heard a BANG! and the truck sort of lurched. I thought a tire popped. we all got out and looked a bit but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I wrote it off as parking break chatter. Sometimes when I set it too lightly, it will creep under load and groan a little. Turns out, the front passenger spring broke right at that very moment, while we were sitting still! Amazing! I just put two and two together today when I realized what happened.

He's got 104K on his Screw short bed and never towed nothing. I have 109K and tow at max GCWR about 10 trips a year. I smell a rat! Anybody know if there's a recall or service bulletin on this? I'm checking tomorrow, but don't know if the dealership will get the job. He paid his local mechanic $600 for both sides and non-OEM parts. I'm betting FoMoCo will want double that. Merry Christmas to me!

I've heard of Explorers busting coil springs, but not the F-150's. Mine is older than yours though and all 4 springs still are in one piece (knock on wood).
jerem0621
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2014
Sorry to hear about your troubles friend.

I will say this though...at least you have a truck to keep maintaining!

My older vehicle is a 2000 Lincoln Town Car. Nice car but I'm about to have to replace EVERY front end component due to wear. 154k miles though and it just keeps running

Thanks!

Jeremiah
mosseater
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2014
jus2shy wrote:
Hi Moss, sorry about your luck. The front struts/springs on an F-150 are easy to replace. Took me a day to do a leveling kit, had to pop off the struts and find a strong enough spring compressor, but it's really straight forward if you want to save the labor. When I owned my 2010 F-150, I bought parts from Tasca since that was the best place locally and on the web that I could find decent parts prices. Re-did my leveling kit and changed from the daystar spacers to Bilstein 5100's (much better improvement, had longer range of articulation and more taught handling). Looks like the coil spring alone is anywhere between 55 and 85 bucks depending on which one you have. Pretty cheap part. So this could be a good time to change out your front struts as well since you'll have it apart anyways to swap the spring.

Only thing is that after you re-assemble everything together, you'll need to get it aligned. But you can get close with a measuring tape and dial it in well enough to drive for a week or so until you can get it into the shop.

Thanks for the info. I looked at a few youtube vids and it doesn't look too bad. I have a good jack and stands, air compressor and tools. Might give it a shot. I figure this is a "change them both" situation, especially since my friend had both break at the same time, and putting the old shocks back on seems silly. I'm going to check and see if Motorcraft sells them as an assembled unit. Looking on Ford Parts site they price out about $275 each side pricing piecemeal. My buddy got aftermarket assemblies for $180 ea. I'll need the ones for 8200 lb GvWR so don't know if aftermarket will work.
jus2shy
Explorer
Sep 12, 2014
Hi Moss, sorry about your luck. The front struts/springs on an F-150 are easy to replace. Took me a day to do a leveling kit, had to pop off the struts and find a strong enough spring compressor, but it's really straight forward if you want to save the labor. When I owned my 2010 F-150, I bought parts from Tasca since that was the best place locally and on the web that I could find decent parts prices. Re-did my leveling kit and changed from the daystar spacers to Bilstein 5100's (much better improvement, had longer range of articulation and more taught handling). Looks like the coil spring alone is anywhere between 55 and 85 bucks depending on which one you have. Pretty cheap part. So this could be a good time to change out your front struts as well since you'll have it apart anyways to swap the spring.

Only thing is that after you re-assemble everything together, you'll need to get it aligned. But you can get close with a measuring tape and dial it in well enough to drive for a week or so until you can get it into the shop.

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Another new F-150 adventure

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