How to Change the Struts on the Front End of a 2003 Ford Escape

Ford provided full-size SUV shoppers the options of the Excursion and Expedition models, it gave mid-size SUV shoppers the option of owning the Explorer, but it had nothing to offer to compact SUV buyers. This gap in Ford's SUV lineup led to the release of the Escape, a compact SUV that gave customers the handling and feel of a car with the roominess of an SUV. Staying true to its car-based platform, the Escape had front independent suspension that used two MacPherson struts. Replacing the 2003 Escapes front struts requires great care, as the strut spring is highly compressed and can cause personal injury if not handled carefully.

Instructions

Removal

1

Loosen the Escapes front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket, then raise the front of the SUV with a floor jack. Slide jack stands under the vehicles subframe and lower the Escape onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the front wheels off the front hubs.

2

Trace the rubber brake hose upward until you can reach the metal bracket securing it. Pull the brake hose from the metal clip; notice that the brake hose has a metal fitting at this spot that allows the bracket to hold it.

3

Remove the bolt securing the anti-lock brake system wiring bracket to the strut, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the ABS wiring bracket off the strut.

4

Unfasten the upper nut on the stabilizer bar link, using a ratchet and socket, and pull the stabilizer bar link from its mount in the strut. Position the stabilizer link away from the strut -- there is no need to remove the link completely.

5

Remove the two strut-to-steering knuckle nuts -- the lower nuts -- with a ratchet and socket while holding the bolts steady with a combination wrench. Pull the strut-to-steering-knuckle bolts from the strut.

6

Remove the four upper strut nuts, which are located under the hood, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the strut assembly -- strut and spring -- downward to remove it from the Escape.

7

Repeat steps 2 through 6 to remove the strut on the other side of the Escape.

Disassembly and Reassembly

8

Compress the strut spring, using a strut spring compressor. The exact process varies, depending on the type of compressor you use, but the goal is to compress the spring so the upper bearing plate bears none of the spring's force. Refer to the compressors instructions for specific direction.

9

Hold the upper strut stud steady with a combination wrench and loosen the upper strut nut with another combination wrench. Remove the combination wrench from the upper strut stud and remove the upper strut nut.

10

Remove the components from the strut in the following order: metal sheet plate, upper strut mount, trust bearing plate, thrust bearing, upper spring seat, upper spring seat isolator, strut spring with spring compressor attached, dust boot, rubber bump stopper and lower spring seat.

11

Install the components on the new strut in the reverse order of the removal process in Step 3. Hand-tighten the nut onto the upper strut stud.

12

Rotate the spring seat so its form matches the form of the strut exactly; the strut and seat both have a stepped section, and they must match up with each other. Rotate the spring until the flat end on the bottom of the spring bumps up against the stepped part of the spring seat. Slowly decompress the spring by loosening the spring compressor until the strut bears the springs force.

13

Hold the upper strut stud steady with a combination wrench, then tighten the upper strut nut to 76 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and crows foot attachment.

14

Repeat steps 1 through 6 to disassemble and reassemble the other strut.

Installation

15

Guide the upper strut mounting studs through the four upper mounting holes and hand-thread nuts onto the studs. Press the lower strut mount onto the steering knuckle, lining up the bolt holes in the knuckle with those in the lower strut mount. Insert the lower strut bolt through the bolt holes and hand-tighten nuts onto the bolts.

16

Tighten the lower strut nuts to 85 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket as you hold the bolts steady with a combination wrench. Tighten the four upper strut nuts to 41 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

17

Reinsert the sway bar links upper stud through its mounting hole in the strut and hand-thread its nut. Tighten the sway bar link nut to 35 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

18

Set the ABS wiring bracket onto its mount on the strut and tighten the bolt to 13 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

19

Press the metal fitting on the brake hose into the bracket on the strut until it clicks into place, securing the brake hose.

20

Repeat steps 1 through 5 to reinstall the strut on the other side of the SUV.

21

Place the front wheels back on the SUVs front hubs and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground and tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 98 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

22

Drive the Escape to an automotive repair facility to have a professional four-wheel alignment performed. Failure to do so may result in excessive tire wear.