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Front suspension terminology

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26ftcobraBBF

Front suspension terminology

The Cobra had a severe bleed of power steering fluid for many years before I got it. There was literally no good rubber left over on the front drivers side of the suspension. Last piece of the puzzle is "#9". Its bearly hanging on. It looks like a frayed rubber mat hanging out from under my coil spring. What is the official name of this part for ordering. Any links you can share to get me going in the right direction I'd appreciate it. Also I'm going to be replacing the front coil springs because their shot. SD Truck Spring has what they call a HD coil for Diesel. But fitment says any E350. They want 200.00 for a set of them but what kills me is the 75.00 shipping on top of that, plus they're real slow at processing. Ideally I'd like to have some next day from Amazon, but I'm unsure about the Moog Brand they mostly sale. I'm familiar with Moog bushings and such and run them on my Jeep, but springs? Just unsure what to do.
Thanks in advance for the help.

Mike
'85 Ford Cobra Econoline E350 7.5L carbureted thing of beauty

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

This post was updated on .

I would call that a 'spring insulator, lower'
Ford may have its own term but if you say isolator or insulator everyone will understand immediately.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Rembrant

Re: Front suspension terminology

In reply to this post by 26ftcobraBBF

LMC sells them, but I don't know if they fit the 1-ton chassis or not. I assume yes.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Well, according to the dealer page I pulled up e2tz5415a fits E150-350 and 2wd F150-350 through the early 90's.
But I dont have proof

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Yep:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

85lebaront2

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

What you are going to need is the Ford VIN number for the "incomplete vehicle" to figure out the spring information. If you are lucky the spring code will be on that sticker. Due to the increase in weight over a E350 van they may well be a special spring requested by the RV builder. The other option would be to take a page from the Chevrolet P30 motorhome chassis. They were so overloaded from the factory that they had airbags in the front springs to keep the ride height where it needed to be.

Good luck with it! I changed the lower spring "cushions" on Darth a few years ago as his were pretty rough and they apparently are the same from F150 to F350 as the pretty nice ones Gary took of Dad's Truck fit perfectly.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

myrl883

Re: Front suspension terminology

I used E8TZ-5414-B on my '81 F100. They're a plastic or nylon material instead of being cut from rubber belting. They look like they'll last a good, long time - AND they're still available from Ford! I'd put money on them fitting all 100-350 series trucks.

Ford's official description from the catalog is INSULATOR (FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING - LOWER)

Ford Parts Monkey since 1985
1981 F100 Flareside - Black, 302-4V Roller/AOD
1986 F150 Flareside - Medium Fire Red 302/AOD
1989 F150 Standard Cab 4x4 - Dk Shadow Blue 302/AOD
1993 F350 4x4 Crew Cab - 7.3 IDI/ZF-5
I think it's a sickness...

85lebaront2

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Is it possible to order from your dealership? I do have a good source but if your place can do on-line orders and have a decent price I would just as soon give you the business.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

26ftcobraBBF

Re: Front suspension terminology

Here's what I'm working with.

Sorry about the orientation, you can see just how shot it is. My local dealership is usually significantly more plus shipping. I've had the best luck getting cheap genuine Ford parts off ebay, or Amazon with free shipping. Now that I know what to refer to it as, I'll shop around.
Thanks for the help

Mike
'85 Ford Cobra Econoline E350 7.5L carbureted thing of beauty

Gary Lewis

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Regardless of the orientation, those are toast!

But, you already have air bags.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

26ftcobraBBF

Re: Front suspension terminology

Beyond toast...burnt toast. Yes got new airbags and shocks all the way around. This thing had an unbelievable amount of chassis roll when I got it. The shocks were original 😱

Mike
'85 Ford Cobra Econoline E350 7.5L carbureted thing of beauty

Gary Lewis

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Maybe charred toast?

Hope you put some HD shocks on there. But it looks like you have sway bars - right?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

26ftcobraBBF

Re: Front suspension terminology

The shocks I put on were by application for a cutaway/motorhome.
When I first got this thing it was downright scary to drive. Original shocks, no airbags, and the sway bar bushings looked like the insulator....well the half that was still there at least. It was delivered to me, the guy I bought it from insisted . So I had never drove it, and only lived in it for about 6 months at the time before I decide to take my wife on a road trip. No need to pack a bag, just pull the wheel chalks and roll...
I turned around before I hit the gas station, I swear there must have been a pinch mark on the seat cover when I got back to the RV lot.

Mike
'85 Ford Cobra Econoline E350 7.5L carbureted thing of beauty

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

In reply to this post by myrl883

That's good to know, Myrl!
I hadn't thought to see if a later application could retrofit, since these seem to be available.
(Of course, I don't have coils either

)

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

26ftcobraBBF

Re: Front suspension terminology

New developments... So I called my local Ford dealer today and inquired about the lower insulator for the coil spring. It took him a while of searching around before he told me that the parts are obsolete and they're not available. He did give me the part numbers which I believe were different than the ones y'all gave me so I don't know what to do. I need those parts, here's what I got from him as far as Ford part numbers looked up by application, not by VIN numbers.
-Passenger side E2TZ5A306C
-Drivers side D4TZ5A307C
Any way to cross these numbers to something that is available?
Thanks you

Mike
'85 Ford Cobra Econoline E350 7.5L carbureted thing of beauty

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

The dude at your dealership doesn't even have the correct basic part number.
I can't say I'm surprised, but there it is!

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Do you want the insulator, or the seat?
Because, as you can see above, it isn't the same thing.

(Yes, I know this is F-series. It's what's available on site)
Besides, as Gary has shown, the proper part is the same... F or E series.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

85lebaront2

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Jim, from looking at the pictures, his front axle looks closer to Darth's. it looks like he has king pins.

One thing to check on the motor home, check the chassis build date, it may be actually older than 1985, frequently I ran into motor homes where the chassis was 1 to 2 years older than the year of the vehicle. The chassis units are generally sold in batches and may sit for quite a while before being completed.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

It's shown as fitting all 100-350 E and F 2wd from 1982 on.
I don't think the issue is fitment....

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Front suspension terminology

Administrator

Myrl says above the E8 (plastic) insulators are available from ford, and retrofit back to his F100.

https://www.fordpartsgiant.com/parts/ford-insulator-anti-squeak_e8tz-5414-b.html

Again, the question is what part does Mike want?
Because the part he says he wants is not the part the dealer is telling him is NLA.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.