92 Failed Spring

Ok guys, on my 92 GL the left front spring is "broken". From what I gather this is a common failure from moisture as there is not any caps on the top of the strut towers.

In looking at it, it looks to me like all the spring is there but the mount on the strut failed:confused:

Is this not unheard of?

I am going to replace both sides this weekend pending an answer on parts cost at the moment.

From what I gather I have to remove the caliper & rotor(s), seperate the tie rod, seperate the sway mount, and lower the axle shaft and control arm?

Am I missing anything else? Any ideas on how much a complete and loaded
assembly will run from Ford (since they're taking forever to get back)?


Thanks -dylan

I know Monroe make what they call "Quick-Struts" or something to that effect, they're probably at least $200 and I think you maight still need the mounting bolts and such... bare struts are around 60 and up I think,, spring breakage is quite common with Ford Taurus, there was a recall on newer ones a while back, not sure of the years involved, i know my 99 was in on it,, they didn't replace the springs if they weren't broken, but did put shields around the coils in front in case they break, so no tire cuttage and subsequent wild ride trying to stay on road..

I'm not sure what the deal is here, it looks to me like the whole spring is there and something else snapped because the spring is in the top mount at the bearing, covering the strut all the way down to the tie rod/sway mount. At that length, I'd say it's all there :dunno:

I do think I'm going to just go with a loaded-ready mount assembly.

I've been watching this thread, I just can't manage to get a visualization of what you have. The upper strut mount is complete, the spring is not broken, but the seat just above the top of the tire is ripped to shreads and will no longer support the spring?

If that is the case, the lower spring seat is part of the strut, to get a replacement, you'll need to replace the strut.

Any chances you can get a photo of what you describing?

-Rod

http://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/413818.jpg

That's the seat that is in shreds.

Okay, so the steel mount is still welded to the strut and in one piece, you just need the rubber isolator that keeps the spring from making all kinds of noise on bumps?

Maybe the struts were serviced at one time and the isolator was not seated properly when the spring compressor was released.

-Rod

Rod,

You're right on about the noise cancellation as it seems. Last night I stopped at the dealer looking for it, one guy pulled the diagram, and it's not there. Another comes along to help him out and says "oh yeah, we used to get bags of those". Goes to look for it, of course, there is none.

So, I pop the question, if it's not in the original parts diagram, is this a piece I can do without, or is it a corrective peice to aide in the fact the springs are a common problem? "Must be an aftermarket thing"

:wtf:
You just said you used to get bags of them :screwy: So, they refer me to call this guy in the morning because he's the expert on this model, whatever, heard that one before with my Buick 8 years ago when I was told I'd never get it to run right and not leak anything, and I'll be luck if I got 6 months out of the car.

Get in my car, start to go home and wouldn't you know, there's a Midas. Make a U-ey into their lot and testthe aftermarket statement. They claim unless there was a TSB that required the part, they do not add parts to suspension systems that are not in the original design. Furthermore, that's all it is for is soudn deadoning and ride quality.

Anyway, yes, the mount plate itself is there on the strut and does not appear to have any damage to it at this point. It just really really frustrates me as to why and how the spring failed in the first place when it seems that it is intact. :dunno:

Well, I guess I'm not understanding why you feel the spring failed, it sounds to me like a rubber piece that fits between the strut and the spring is damaged, but not the spring itself.

-Rod

Because, the spring is not compressed and seated. It is fully decompressed and sitting there over the strut, past the lower mounting plate. So, if it weren't a Macpherson, coil over strut, and it it did what it did, it wouldn't be anywhere on the car period.

Ahhh, gotcha. I still suggest that the spring is not at fault, but as you have suggested, you need the missing rubber piece to hold the spring in the seated position on the strut.

Unfortunately (I guess fortunately for me), I'm not going to be of much help here. I've never seen one of those fail and tried to purchase one.

-Rod

That's alright. I think I'm going to have to talk the wife into spending the extra cash on a pair of ready mount struts because I don't think the spring is at fault either and i'm not going to go through all this just to have it grenade again and tear up another tire.

Arrgggg!

$12 a piece, special order, will be in Monday for the insulators. O-well, hopefully that will get everything done and finally get his thing on the road. :)

Good luck!

-Rod

Ah-ha, forensics completed.

The cause, binded upper mount bearing, so it would appear that the spring was taking up the slack for the fact that the bearing was not turning and twisitng, until finally it couldn't twist anymore.

Unfortunately, the twits not in the zone at a certain parts vendor gave me the rear springs, so I had to resort to reusing the old one temporarily, replaced the blown strut and bearing assembly, replaced the seat-isolator and all seems well for now. Spring looks a little goofey to me, but it's in there for now. :dunno:

Yeh, so I hopefully have my Buick sold to pay up the rest of the parts to get this one done. And joys galore, during the test drive, there's clunking from the rear so...........

It never ends.

Update:

Finally unloaded my old but reliable Buick and put the Taurus into service. Aside from a rattle in the rear from the sway link bushings (or lack there of) all seems well.

However, in cleaning the back seat, my wife did make a discovery and a explanaition as to why I don't like the way the spring is seated on the strut. A half of a coil from the bottom of the spring. :eek: Broke so cleanly. :dunno:

Interesting. I hope it didn't land there after flying through the window....

-Rod

:lol2:

That would be a heck of a shot, but I don't think that's how it got there.