How to Replace Frame Bushings on a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

[@edwardperez8446]

Excellent video, I served as a guide to replace my 2002 ford explorer, thank you very much from Venezuela... excuses for my bad English, Greetings....

[@johnguilfoyle7491]

In a video about replacing body bushings, it would have been helpful to actually show replacement of at least one bushing.

[@weldingjunkie]

John Guilfoyle I was looking for this and was very disappointed what a waste of time and I never leave neg comments

[@paulahook1017]

STOP ISSA@@weldingjunkie

[@diannasmith5864]

I fixed my 2001 sport trac using your video and everything was as you said except bushing d in back. I took the bolt and screwed it in from the bottom until the end could be seen from inside the vehicle, then I took a punch and drove the bottom half out the bottom of the vehicle. The clip will bend and let the bottom half fall out if you hit it real hard. The new bushings lifted my vehicle about 1 or 2 inches and I can now see all of my fog lights, not just half of them. Thanks for the video.

[@minthillbilly]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experience with us. I'm glad the video helped. Please come back to our channel and watch more how to videos. Have a great day!

[@SqueakyLynn311]

@@minthillbilly I need some more help. Please contact me

[@monteil30]

I have to change all of my bushings. I appreciate you sharing this information.

[@maelizama]

Wow, This is an excellent video! We want more. I'm gonna dive in. Thanks so much!

[@rockyclarke887]

Thanks for the video....It was very helpful in doing this. One improvement...you don't need to remove the battery or the air cleaner box. If you look at the frame, there is a small hole that goes straight down to the nut. Use a long extension to reach it. I did my 2002 Ford Sport Trac this past Saturday. I bought the bushing kit from Amazon, about $125.00. Best to have someone helping you....vice grips only get you so far. ;-)

[@swashington942]

hey

[@DADSGARAGE-ip7th]

You live in the rust belt

[@bassiclymike]

This was helpful but would have been better if it showed how to actually get a bushing out and put one in. I'm doing a 2002 Explorer Sport (2-door); they're similar but the Sport has a 5th bushing all the way at the back. I'm pretty sure the A, B and C and possibly the D are the same if not very similar. A few things, from experience: 1) For the "A" bushing, you do NOT need to remove the battery and air box. There are holes in the core support directly above each "A" nut. All you need is an 18mm 1/2" drive deep socket, a couple extensions (maybe 18" total), a breaker bar and/or ratchet handle and some rust penetrant. Spray the threads exposed above the nut from above and let it soak. Go straight down through the holes in the core support to the 18mm nut. Break it loose with a breaker bar. If you have the penetrant on it long enough, you can ratchet it off once broken loose. Underneath use a 15mm socket and appropriate length extension on a breaker bar to break it loose. You may need big Channellocks or a pipe wrench to hold the top hardware piece from spinning with the bolt. This is all done underneath. Again, no need to remove battery or airbox. I didn't touch either and got the bolts and nuts out no problem. 2) Don't clean the old bolts, toss them! Buy new ones, they're not that expensive. Lowe's carries metric 10.9 grade bolts in m12-1.75 up to 90mm or so, maybe longer if you're lucky. I ordered the two longest bolt sizes from fastenal.com. Good stuff, good prices. Don't risk a failure on a re-used bolt. It might *look* OK, but it's how old? And exposed to weather, rust, stress, etc... Get new ones. Cheap insurance. Definitely going to need then in the A position. 3) Wire wheel all the hardware to clean it up. I soaked mine in rust remover first. Then coat it with a rust inhibitor. And definitely run a tap through the threaded portions. Make it smooth as possible so rough spots don't chew up the new bushings. 4) Cuss at that sumbitch truck and the dumbass engineer that thought sponge bushings were a good idea. I'll find you, sucker... ;-) With any luck I'll have a video up at some point for Explorer Sports. I haven't found any specific to Explorer Sports, but the principles here are pretty much the same. AFAIK, the '95-03 (2nd/3rd Gen) Sports use the same bushings. Suspension.com kit dfm002 is what you need for a 2 door Sport (not Sport Track or a 4 door Explorer). Looks similar to the prothane kit in the video with 2 additional bushings (5 each side), could be same manufacturer. Fairly dense black polyurethane.

[@bfromduarte]

That was educational. thank You. I know now what to expect and what parts i need to buy before i start this job.

[@mikemalloy1681]

Thanks for the info. I need to do this on my 1989 Bronco 2. They are crumbling, and I have never replaced them and was not sure how to do it until this video. Thanks..

[@CarlGwyn]

Two comments. Emphasizing one earlier; you don't have to remove the battery or air cleaner or anything. There are access holes in the radiator support that allow you to pass a long extension through to reach the front bolts. Also, when you go to remove the bolts, heat the bottoms with a propane torch and remove them while hot. They will then come out easily.

[@PCFithian]

Thanks for posting, very helpful. I'm about to tackle this on an old 2001 Sport Trac I recently acquired.

[@minthillbilly]

That's great! Thanks for watching. Please come back to our channel for more How To videos and be sure to Subscribe so that you will see our new videos when they are released. Have a great day!

[@PCFithian]

Hi Minthillbilly. Do you have a solution for cutting out a siezed lower control arm bolt in the bushing sleeve other than a 6" cutting wheel in a grinder? I've tried about everything else, including heat, PB Blaster, and candle wax. It ain't budging. I'm replacing both control arms anyway on this 2001 Sport Trac

[@blakensteina1blakensteina162]

Thanks for uploading Great help !!

[@larkincurtis8566]

How did you hold the assembly from turning at the bottom.. Did you actually change the bushings..?

[@chrisz.9974]

Is it necessary to jack up the actual frame? Or can I do this while the truck is on all 4 wheels?

[@darrylbooth6706]

What size bolt are you using as a replacement bolt? Are all the bolts the same length? If not what are the different sizes I will need?

[@terryfritz1901]

great video very detailed. One question, I would like to buy new bolts before I take it apart since this is my only vehicle. do you have a list of the bolt sizes?

[@muffy2293]

he says 12mm by 1.75 like 8 times

[@zerkfiter]

@@muffy2293 😁

[@monti409]

This is great, i will be requiring this work done on my 2002 sport trac , but i noticed you did not list the size of the bolts, i would appreciate that information upon making my order. Thanks, once again great training video.

[@0pee]

Thanks for the video it has been helpful. I have a couple questions for you, Do you have a total cost of bushings also a part name/ number so I can get these for my Explorer. Last but not least my Explorer is a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport but it is Not a Trac. Do you know if these parts will work with my Sport? Thanks

[@russellmitchell3927]

Well how in the world you get them out, working on a '01 ranger that's being a pain they just keep spinning

[@AlicesWondereland]

Glad I found this. I just noticed mine are shot.

[@mechanicandskills7215]

Would have loved to hear it before and after the fix for sound reference

[@Magestrix]

Do you remember how much you charged for this? I bought a kit for my 2001 Ford Explorer Sport and I'd like a ballpark idea of what I might be working with.

[@moreno23loco]

Great video.... But can you really feel the diference once you drive it with new bushings? Or it is just to eliminate the noises coming from the old ones?

[@MUSTANG408W]

+viktor more Yes, I installed the red ones in my 2002 shortly before this guy posted this video. The company is PROTHANE and the part number for the kit is 6-116. They come in red or black. I chose red because I like everything to be identifyable under mine. The new bushings eliminate the body's tendency to want to roll and the noises in the floorboard from worn bushings are gone.

[@calemecarceldiego]

is there any torque spec required for the bolts?

[@conniemartin5161]

This is great! I did have a question. It looks like you jacked the wheels/frame off the ground, before lifting the body with the bottle jack. Is there a reason why you needed to have the wheels off the ground?

[@jamestrads497]

How much was the labor for this?

[@SqueakyLynn311]

What is the best way to get the upper and lower to seperatr

[@0727bmac]

Where did you buy the new bolts? What sizes were needed. I have searched and have not found any info on this. Thanks

[@bassiclymike]

You can get most of the bolts at Lowe's. m12-1.75 thread, 10.9 grade. I ordered the longest from Fastenal.com, Lowe's didn't carry them over 90mm. You'll need various lengths between 50mm and 120mm. If in doubt, just measure it after you take it out. Most are longer than they need to be.

[@Dontez82]

Great video!

[@juanhinojosa9784]

the kit that you bought from prothane, did it came with the bolts or you had to buy them separately?

[@vwkenart]

thx for posting great video

[@wandcpaintingandremodeling5509]

How to get the body raised up high enough to change the back bushings

[@kenpachizaraki1947]

Thank you.

[@lavalmoore9415]

How did u remove the rear took the bolts out but still has a tube that look like it’s one piece

[@minthillbilly]

The rear ones will come out as well. Its been awhile since I made this video but I remember that there are 4 bushings on each frame rail.

[@jpwolbert9376]

Laval Moore The rear bottom, “D”, piece has a clip that is used during assembly to keep it aligned and centered. This clip can be released, once the lower piece has dropped down, by using two lengths of piano wire (3/32 or so) forced on each side of the oblong hole. Then the lower piece will come out easily. The clip can be seen with a flash light viewed from the top. The bottom piece can be forced down by tapping the bolt head with a long punch, after it has been partially extracted.

[@bassiclymike]

use a length of 1/2" conduit to press in the prongs holding the top and bottom together. Push in from above to compress the prongs on the lower portion.

[@rickyg4800]

did you have to grease the Bushings? Some are complaining of squealing with urthane

[@bassiclymike]

turn the radio up

[@rubenoliveras3923]

Great thanks one of the videos that i se

[@rayfonseca2598]

minthibilly, great video, I would like to ask you how did you manage to get the D bushings apart. I was told that I need to drive a 1/2 inch conduit into it to release the clip inside.

[@markcarr5142]

6 years ago for you, but I just did my son's bushings on his Sport Trac. The rear was a bitch, but being an automotive technician, I did all the work on a lift. The D mount needed to be seperated with an air hammer I replaced with poly bushings.... And hit, does it ride so much better.

[@andresolvera2243]

how did you remove the one in the middle...the one located by the passenger side seat?

[@MUSTANG408W]

+Andres Olvera use and impact air gun on the bolt head and use a large Visegrip or large jaw locking pliers under the truck on the botton half of the body mount shell. As the bolt turns the Visegrip will hold the shell in place against the frame.

[@stanmartin7710]

@@MUSTANG408W I had to drill two holes in the bottom bushing, and hold it with a cam wrench.

[@SqueakyLynn311]

@@MUSTANG408W I'll try but it's still spinning

[@SqueakyLynn311]

@@stanmartin7710 who Carrie's that wrench

[@stanmartin7710]

@@SqueakyLynn311 made it.

[@vegeto9092]

How much torque did you use to tighten the bolts?

[@negritorican]

as per manual 59 pounds of torque.

[@nestoreduardo.zarateglz.1388]

Cómo lo puedo traducir a español...gracias.

[@johnfrittman3477]

Thanks for the video ,now I know what I’m up against.....

[@SqueakyLynn311]

what is the size for the bolts?

[@minthillbilly]

12mm

[@SqueakyLynn311]

How in the hell do you keep the bottom of the mount from spinning?

[@minthillbilly]

You will have to hold it with a large pair of channel locks. Its been awhile since I done that job but I remember all the locktite on the factory bolts made for a difficult time in removing. That's one of the reasons I speak about using a tap and die set to clean up all the threads before reassembly.

[@SqueakyLynn311]

@@minthillbilly the mount directly behind the driver seat which has the brake cable running thru it is the hardest for me because it's so tight in there. I tried the channel locks and heat. I'm about to drill holes today and hold it in place with a tool.

[@minthillbilly]

Do you have a welder? you could weld a cheap socket to it just for removal. Then you could cut the old socket off after its removed or just leave it. That would be a last resort..... maybe try heat again and focus that heat in the middle where the bolts goes through. The problem is that killer lock tite that ford puts on those bolts.

[@SqueakyLynn311]

Now my problem is that the bottom of the bushing is spinning when trying to unbolt it

[@minthillbilly]

Try channel locks or a large pipe wrench to hold the bottom nut

[@Franciscoreyesmtz]

Te falta mucho como se quita o se istala me parece que deberias decirlo

[@aux1z11]

2 minute job with plasma cutter

[@envisionCamusa]

AND WHAT DID WE LEARN? Not much because not one wrench was turned to show the procedure. Nothing related to the actual removal or installation was shown in this video. Two thumbs down and a cursory zerbert from good measure.

[@josy525]

Pero dices como los quitas porqueria de video

[@bobbylloyd8898]

Thanks for wasting my time bud