Steve Butters Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Hey guys looking for some guidance. My tendinitis is flaring up pretty badly right now, so I'd like to troubleshoot before I go tearing the car apart again.. 2014 Ford Escape.. I installed H&R lowering springs on it and am having issues with front driver side rubbing. The spring is touching the inside of the strut tower, like the coils are rubbing... So when you turn the wheel, the coil rubs then clicks when it comes free then catches and rubs again. The passenger side makes no odd noises at all. There's really only one way to install this stuff so I'm not sure what the deal is. Do you guys think an alignment would possibly pull the spring out away from the inside wall of the strut tower? If it was moved out a hair I don't think it would rub. The passenger side rubbed at first, but I lowered it down and did driver side and then passenger side didn't make any noise like it just needed to settle some... I let driver side sit overnight and it's still rubbing... My options now are to uninstall it and redo to make sure it's right, or go get it aligned and hope that fixes it. On any other car I'd just take it back apart, but this Escape is a motherfucker to remove struts on and I'm hoping I can avoid another 3-4 hours of work pulling it out... The ball joint is pre tensioned and a bitch to get back into the little clamp it sits in (uses a clamp instead of castle nut) Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 It makes me nervous to drive with how bad that spring is rubbing, but there's a tire shop like 5 miles away I could go get it aligned at... My only problem is, if I get it aligned and that doesn't fix it, I'll be taking it back apart and it'll need aligned again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 I think it needs aligned as the strut is rubbing also.... If I loosen the top bolts and lower the car slowly onto the ground, do you think it will push this out enough to tighten it down and get it to an alignment place? Trying to post pics, but for some reason don't have the option to paste in this window? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinNck1 Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Is the spring sitting the bottom of the strut correctly? I know on the vehicles I have lowered, the end of the spring must got into a notch, and if it is not in there right, the spring can be off-center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 (edited) Thanks to Judd and Pauly for helping me out... This car isn't that way, but it was the mount up top that was wrong, it's a wedge that controls the angle it's mounted and I had it spun the wrong way... All is good now! Edited January 11, 2016 by Steve Butters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 so what does a lowered escape look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 We got it all back together and any time I fixed one side, the other rubbed... So now both are set how I believe to be correct... It rubs on low speed right turns, like the spring binds up, but I'm thinking some camber adjustments will fix it... Dropped it off at Sears Auto for an alignment and told them if anything is installed wrong to just fix it... I've never had trouble like this on any car before, and it's not my first time doing springs... I just don't get it... Hopefully alignment will fix it, we're waiting on it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 It's not lowered much, Steph had a scare on the freeway and had to crank the wheel and it had so much body roll that it came up on 2 wheels... So we're trying to settle it down some with H&R springs.. I'll post a pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Kind of a dark pic, and don't mind the tape on windshield... I don't have wiper arms and all that back on it quite yet... I'll get a better pic when it's all sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 So Sears says there's nothing they can do for me.. They said the springs are installed right but the coils are just too wide for the car.. They said I need elongated holes in the strut tower to allow alignment to compensate for the drop... No idea why these aren't plug and play for me like the other people I've seen install them... They weren't willing to drill holes in the car so I picked it up and am going to drop it off at a performance shop who told me they will be able to elongate the holes if necessary to get it sorted... The saga continues... And the repair bill begins... Never thought I'd meet my match on suspension parts, but I'm throwing in the towel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 Pauly, it didn't work out... Long story short, I've spent a lot of money and time and now it's back to stock ride height... 13-15 escapes are the same, but apparently they changed the suspension in 14.. So the springs are just a bit wider which causes the binding, and they aren't seating properly up top... The shop called H&R to confirm with them... They do not support any model besides 11/12 and 13.. There's a bunch of threads of people installing these on escape forums on their 14s/15s and the shop searched online and saw the same thing, he said most likely those people are getting lucky and getting it lined up just right to where it fits like we had it on the one side... He says it's a major safety issue... I'll probably sign up on the escape forums later and post up what I've run into to possibly help people from making this mistake in the future We've decided to just keep it for a month of two more and then trade it in on an FRS... If we can't make this thing more stable, we'll just get something else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 so what does a lowered escape look like? Same pile of shit, only lowered? LOL Seriously though, it sucks that you went through all of this only to find that they don't REALLY fit the way they need to. How does it drive though? Does anyone else make springs for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Judd it drove nice when they were on... It's back to stock now... Lesson learned for sure, don't try to mod soccer mom vehicles lol... Idk if anyone else makes springs, I haven't found any... At this point I'm over it, we're just going to trade it in... She likes to modify shit too much to own something like this with no aftermarket support... An FRS will be replacing it soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 This install has followed Murphys law to a T... Had to rent some special tools, bought a special tool (which then broke), I've done the install like 5 times now... I had less trouble doing the headgasket on her last car than fuckin springs on this one... Suspension should be straight forward, this was a nightmare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted January 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Bonus points for making it fit though Haha... No wonder it took so much effort to get it all back together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh1234 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 I put some Eibach springs on Isaac's mother's car when I was young and dumb(er). Installed, aligned, took home... she drove it and said, "Nope!". I had to put it back to stock the same day. Sorry about your trouble, but lesson learned.. maybe? I know I learnt my lesson. Haha, I had Intrax on one of my Stealths... 3S's were notorious for wheel gap. I LOVED them things... Made the car look 50 times better, and I never cared about the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted March 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) Solved the problem! Edited March 28, 2016 by Steve Butters 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted March 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) It's a 16 v6... She didn't like the ecoboost 4, not enough torque. GT was out of her price range. This v6 is quite impressive though, 300hp and limited slip.. Sounds nice too. Take the horse emblem off and nobody will know a difference lol... She's never owned a car with more than 170hp so it'll be a good fit for her. Anyone on my fb don't say anything... She's keeping it under wraps until her brother visits next weekend Edited March 28, 2016 by Steve Butters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 I'm not a Ferd guy but it is Purdy. Congrats to the Mrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted March 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Tim she wasn't sold on this body style... But it's grown on her after going to look at them. She wanted a 13/14 grabber blue gt, but Ford dealers aren't allowed selling that year right now due to recalls.. They said it's been 6 months and no eta.. Only place we'd find one is an independent dealer, but because escape was on lease we were stuck dealing with originating dealer (ford credit doesn't allow customers to sell or trade in lease cars except at original dealer)... So her plan now is to daily this one until it's paid off then get the 14 as a Sunday fun car and just have both lol... We drive a lot, so always have to have a dedicated daily to cram miles on, and this will be hers... The escape had 57k after 2.5yrs... Gonna try to be a hair easier but her commute is 40 miles each way and it adds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted March 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 And no more fucking leasing.... What a hassle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 48 minutes ago, Steve Butters said: The escape had 57k after 2.5yrs... Gonna try to be a hair easier but her commute is 40 miles each way and it adds up. Yea your preaching to the choir on the better half running up miles. My wife has a 73 mile each way commute. Might as well say 150 miles a day minimum. Her 07 Impala has 175, 000 miles and counting. No point getting rid of it till it blows up. Don't see the point of racking up miles on a new car that would have a payment. 47 minutes ago, Steve Butters said: And no more fucking leasing.... What a hassle I used to lease too, but yea they are a pain in the ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlboro man Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 Damn bubby that's a rough looking daily driver wish I could downgrade to one 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx3vfr Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 12 hours ago, Steve Butters said: It's a 16 v6... She didn't like the ecoboost 4, not enough torque. GT was out of her price range. This v6 is quite impressive though, 300hp and limited slip.. Sounds nice too. Take the horse emblem off and nobody will know a difference lol... She's never owned a car with more than 170hp so it'll be a good fit for her. Anyone on my fb don't say anything... She's keeping it under wraps until her brother visits next weekend The 2.3 has 320ftlbs the 3.6 has 280ftlbs...... And the 2.3 weighs less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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