[murcod]

The new shape Kuga has only just been released in the UK. I think Ford have been taking orders for a month or so, but I don't think deliveries have started yet?

So springs might take a bit of time from European sources.

 

[murcod]

The new shape Kuga has only just been released in the UK. I think Ford have been taking orders for a month or so, but I don't think deliveries have started yet?

So springs might take a bit of time from European sources.

Eibach in Europe lists a different front spring part number for Kugas built after 09/14 - I'm guessing that spring should suit the later models that are having problems?

View this in Chrome and allow it to auto translate PKW

(For some reason they list a third part number for the 1.5l EcoBoost FWD made from 01/16 - possibly because it's a light weight engine? The 1.5l TDCI from 07/16 has the same listing as the 09/2014 on 2.0l TDCI.)

So this should be the right fit for 09/2014 on models E10-35-021-05-22 .

 

[murcod]

I've got a set on order from the UK- I can take any measurements when they arrive if anyone wants them.

(I'm not going to be impressed if they don't fit my 2016 Kuga!)

 

[murcod]

Ok David, please let me know when they arrive as I have a set of irmscher springs and would like to compare side by side and measure. If yours fit then I know mine will fit. Message me on Facebook when they arrive and I'll come and meet you when ready.
Claude

Okay Claude, will do.

 

[murcod]

I got an Email this morning saying there will be a 3 week wait before they're shipped- they're a special order item and not stocked.

For anyone who has fitted them themselves: I notice Ford specify to disconnect the battery earth and show a special tool that wedges between the steering wheel and seat - to hold the steering wheel in the straight ahead position. It mentions damage to the electronic power steering can result if the instructions are not followed. "Damage to the steering gear internal power relay may occur resulting in steering gear replacement." Any comments? I've done plenty of spring swaps, but this is something I've never come across before.

It also specifies for a lot of the fasteners to be replaced (fair enough, but it will be interesting to see if they're stocked here in Australia.)

 

[murcod]

Thanks. I've done some research and while there aren't any Kuga/ Escape specific guides there are plenty of Focus ST videos on Youtube on how to replace the springs. None I watched mention anything about being careful of the power steering system, so I'm guessing you'd need to be fairly ham fisted to cause any problems. There are different guides depending on the build dates (something like pre 2013 and post 2013) which I'd guessing would match up with the difference in the Kuga/ Escape springs - so it appears there is more than just the spring change.

With the fasteners, some of them appear to to "torque to yield" type fasteners. eg. the manual says to torque to a certain value and then continue a further 180 degrees arc (or similar.) None of the Focus ST guides I watched said anything about replacing the fasteners. Only one used a torque wrench- but only for tightening the wheel lug nuts!

 

[murcod]

They've arrived. I'd be interested to hear if anyone who has tried the H&R's can see any differences from the shape of the front pair.

 

[murcod]

I've just taken measurements of the front springs. The small end coil (on either end) measure 112mm and 129mm OD; the larger coils midway 162mm OD. Height is 278mm.

So who's got a spare post 2014' Escape front coil lying around to compare?

 

[murcod]

Some other info- in the 2013 Escape workshop manual they specify certain bolts/ nuts need to be replaced.

They are:
- three bolts each side that bolt the front strut bearing plates to the body strut towers,
- the front hub bolt that secures the bottom of the strut to the hub (pinch bolt),
- the nuts that secure the sway-bar end links,
- the top nut that secures the strut shaft to the strut bearing top/ upper spring seat
- the rear lower suspension arm to hub bolt

I ordered them all through an Aussie dealer and below are the part numbers for my 2016 Kuga (Note- I didn't order the end link nuts as I've got after market end links.)

The bolts have blue thread lock material on them and the nuts have nyloc style inserts. The only bolt I would definitely say needs replacing (noting I'm not an Engineer) is the front hub pinch bolt- the manual says to torque it to a specific value and then tighten it another 180 degrees (IIRC.)

All up it was AUS$88 for them. I'm betting it would be substantially cheaper to purchase the equivalent parts in the USA.

 

[murcod]

I forgot to mention, if reusing any some Loctite 242 on them all would be a good replacement for the blue thread locking material that comes on them new.

 

[murcod]

Okay rears are in.

As previously stated it's a fairly easy job- especially if you've changed springs and played with sway bars before.

1. Jack it up. I did one side at a time using the normal jacking point (and obligatory safety stand underneath),
2. Take the wheel off,
3. Unbolt the sway bar end link from the hub (and HID level sensor if you've got HID's and are doing the RHS.) Be sure to use an Allen Key when undoing the end link (to prevent the threaded end rotating, which could damage the rubber boot that protects the universal joint),
4. You'll need to use the jack under the lower arm to release pressure on the sway bar end link when you're unbolting it (and also to align it when refitting.)
5. Use a second jack to support the lower suspension arm near the hub,
6. Remove the bolt that secures that arm to the hub,
7. Lower the jack under the arm until the spring is loose and remove it. Fit the new spring (closest spaced coils at the top)
8. Carefully jack the arm back up and wiggle the hub around to relocated the lower arm bush back into the hub,
9. Fit new lower arm/ hub bolt but don't fully tighten it,
10. Don't torque the sway bar end link nut or lower suspension arm bolt fully tight until the vehicle has the weight back on the wheels and is sitting at normal level. (ie. you might need to drive vehicle to get the jacked wheel back to normal height.)


A trip around the block (undulating bumpy surfaced roads) showed the rear a is lot more stable and doesn't pitch around like before. The drop is just about spot on the 30mm they claim with the front eyebrow height now around 5mm higher than the rear. The ride seemed to be much the same, perhaps even more composed due to less pitching?

I'll tackle the front tomorrow....

 

[murcod]

The Eibachs (Pro Kit E10-35-021-05-22) are in my 2016 Kuga and they fit perfectly. The last coil on the front springs are small diameter on both ends (which I think is where the H&R's don't fit because they've only got the small diameter coil on one end?)

As far as fitting them- what a nightmare. I found the best solution was to use two 650kg lashing straps to hold the springs compressed- fitted to the springs through the wheel arch gap. (With a thick block of wood under that wheel to compress the spring further than normal.) Tighten the straps up before jacking the vehicle to remove the wheel. The straps reduce the amount the lower control arm/ hub has to be pushed down to release the strut, so there's less risk of doing damage to the inner CV joint. I also used a second jack with a block of wood supporting under the spring perch (to hold the strut compressed/higher), then the knuckle separation was an easy job. Using the knuckle bolt threaded backwards as mentioned previously.

Refitting the strut, I fitted the straps to the springs before removing the spring compressors. I didn't remove the straps until I had the strut refitted and weight back on the wheel.

The only time I needed a second person was when I was reinstalling the struts- to start the bolts that secure the strut top to the body.

 

[murcod]

I did a couple of laps around the block. The rear set by themselves made the biggest change (improvement in handling/ reducing body roll), but the front needed to come down a bit for it to look balanced.

At the moment it's sitting 32mm lower in the rear and 23mm lower in the front. I'm happy with those figures- I don't want the front any lower so hope it doesn't "settle" any further. I'll post some before and after pictures in the next couple of days. The ride comfort seems to be about the same. I was surprised to find the OEM shocks/ struts feel more than up to the task.

Now to transplant a Focus RS drivetrain..... :laugh:

Edit: For anyone interested these are the straps I used to hold the springs compressed. Unfortunately there isn't enough space to fit spring compressors or ratchet straps. The low profile of the cam buckle type fastener fits nicely.

 

[murcod]

I'll wait until I've driven it some more to give a definitive answer.

 

[murcod]

Okay, I've been for a drive over some familiar roads and corners. Some of the roads are very bumpy/ undulating and in 70 and 80km/h zones. (Noting I haven't had a wheel alignment done yet. I've also upgraded the rear sway-bar bushes and have different width/ offset wheels and 255/40R19 tyres.)

Over your average road the ride doesn't seem to have deteriorated much, if at all. Large bumps of course are more noticeable- but that stands to reason when lowering any vehicle. The stock struts/ shocks seem to handle the lowered springs and be a good match- it's possibly more composed/ controlled over small/ moderate bumps than with the stock springs. There's a lot less body roll around one corner I'm familiar with- a tightening slightly off camber turn. Body roll is reduced and it's more like driving a decent handling car than a high riding SUV. Combined with the AWD it feels like a RWD when accelerating out of corners.

For me, a worthwhile upgrade that I'm very happy with (coming from a background of owning numerous hot hatches.) Getting in and out it's noticeable that it's lower, but it's still a lot higher than a normal car. A lot of cars will bottom out reversing out our driveway (it's entertaining when people do U turns in our driveway) but there's still plenty of clearance with the lowered springs.

For anyone thinking why didn't you just buy a Focus ST wagon- we don't get Focus wagons in Australia. I also don't like the tractions issues associated with powerful FWD vehicles.

I'll get a picture up on the weekend. I took one with my phone but the wide angle lens doesn't give the proper perspective of how it looks.

 

[murcod]

I didn't get a chance to go back to the same spot where I took my "before" pics, but here are some before and after shots for the Eibachs previously mentioned.

Standard height, stock rims with 235/45R19 vs 19x8.5" ET45 with 255/40R19 tyres

Eibach springs fitted - these will fit later than 2014 models.

IMHO that's about where it should sit from the factory.

 

[murcod]

Those Team Dynamics wheels, David?

Yes, Pro Race 1.3 - 19x8.5" ET45mm (with 255/40R19 ContiSportContact 6 tyres.) They're actually 2kg less per wheel than the stock 19x8" ET52.5mm with ContiSportContact 5 in 235/45R19.

Car looks great, David. The factory ride height seems to be biased to the "utility" part of "sport utility" while yours now is biased towards "sport". For my use, I need all the clearance I can get on job sites, so I prefer the higher factory height.

If I did nothing but street driving, I'd certainly prefer the stance you got out of yours.

Thanks.

There's still a decent amount of clearance- it started with 193mm going by the specs from Ford. I'm guessing the lowest point is at the front where it's dropped by just over 20mm. The 19" wheels are more of a concern for me, I scraped one of the stock wheel rims last year on dirt tracks while on holidays. I'd fit a set of 17" wheels with slightly higher tyres if I was doing that sort of thing again.

 

[murcod]

Morning David, i've scowered these forums and your post seems to be the most informative in regards to lowering the newer 16/17 vehicles.
Funnily enough, I sell them new (8 years now) and my partner has just purchased a 17 Ambiente FWD auto white and is requesting wheels & suspension (keeper). In my reading I see the Eibach springs are the only ones that fit these newer models? Wondering if you had any hints or tips for me as to where you got yours from and how long they took.
Wheels coming are Niche Essen 20x9 +38 in Black with 245/40R20 and are 6 weeks wait from USA so waiting for springs isn't an issue.

Thanks
Jeremy

Hi Jeremy, I checked over Eibach's various sites to be sure what part number would be correct and then ordered them from Demon Tweaks in the UK. I ordered part number E10-35-021-05-22 which suits the post 2014 1.5l EcoBoost and 2.0l TDCi (diesel) engined models- there isn't any 2.0 Litre EcoBoost petrol engine listed as it isn't available in the UK.

There was a three week wait for them to be made. I used Demon Tweaks as their prices are good and their sales support excellent. (I previously ordered the wheels from them.)

PS: I assume you're in Australia or NZ with an Ambiente?

 

[murcod]

Looks like they might be a bit lower than my Eibachs?

PS: You do know the rear shocks can be done from underneath- no need to pull the interior trim apart. (By undoing the two bolts that secure the shock top mount to the body.)

 

[murcod]

Just placed an order for the H&R 51603-2 springs. Since the struts need to be removed I'm going to replace them with Bilstein B4's and rear shocks to match. Side note, new Flow One Race Spec F1 wheels on the way as well.

You can get B6's for the rear, but you might have to order them from the UK. The part number is 24-156530.


Be careful with the B4 struts for the front as I notice Bilstein specify the same part number for 2013 through to 2016. The design was changed around late 2014 IIRC. The spring tapers to a smaller diameter coil on both ends for the post 2014 models. People have used the earlier model springs to get around it, but you've already bought the later model lowered springs.



https://www.bilstein.com/us/en/prod...=4050365326053705778&ModelId=4814247727425571095&SubModelId=8539511097302975473


https://www.bilstein.com/us/en/prod...=4050365326053705778&ModelId=4814247727425571095&SubModelId=8539511097302975473