• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Rear end damage

F=MA

Active Member
Messages
947
Reactions
625
Points
232
Location
Wichita, KS, USA
California lawmakers believe this bolt will cause cancer and reproductive issues in addition to rear end damage :ROFLMAO:. You can't make this stuff up !!
 

Messages
354
Reactions
249
Points
37
Location
Cincinnati, OH, USA
Good ‘ole Prop 65! I actually had a customer ask me a thousand questions as to why this label was in our Install and Op Manual. I told him it’s on everything from TVs to applesauce. California……
 

FORZDA3

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Messages
489
Reactions
326
Points
67
Location
Gloucester, VA, USA
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Good ‘ole Prop 65!…. I told him it’s on everything from TVs to applesauce. California……
Yep, it’s the land of fruits and nuts for sure! It’s caused by the CA State Govt and libtards, NOT the random people living their lives in peace. That’s why so many people are leaving the state.
 

Messages
391
Reactions
360
Points
67
Location
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
Yep, it’s the land of fruits and nuts for sure! It’s caused by the CA State Govt and libtards, NOT the random people living their lives in peace. That’s why so many people are leaving the state.
Ugh, tell me about it. Thankfully, where I live in Rancho Santa Margarita (southern Orange County) is pretty red. Plenty of Trump/FJB/Let's Go Brandon signs and flags out. I hope eventually this will make it's way to Sacramento. Wishful thinking...
 

Messages
379
Reactions
176
Points
37
Location
Socal
My 2021 Platinum, build date Sept 7, 2021, has the same "1 bolt wonder" configuration.
The Platinum engine is not an ST however perhaps towing a travel trailer with mine will create stresses to cause a similar bolt failure.
Should I be concerned when towing my camper?.
Both have the same exact engine, different tune.
 

TMac

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,706
Reactions
1,494
Points
262
Location
Knoxville, TN
My 2021 Platinum, build date Sept 7, 2021, has the same "1 bolt wonder" configuration.
The Platinum engine is not an ST however perhaps towing a travel trailer with mine will create stresses to cause a similar bolt failure.
Should I be concerned when towing my camper?.
I wouldn't be concerned about towing with a stock ST or Platinum with the single bolt rear subframe. The examples of breakage on this site were tuned, and I'm pretty sure were doing hard launches. However, if you are adding an extra 100 hp and planning on launching hard, then you should be concerned.
 

Messages
358
Reactions
194
Points
37
Location
Ashburn, VA
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
I think one person on this thread said they were backing down a boat ramp and the reverse braking ass. suddenly activated and end of story for that one...
 

Messages
379
Reactions
176
Points
37
Location
Socal
I wouldn't be concerned about towing with a stock ST or Platinum with the single bolt rear subframe. The examples of breakage on this site were tuned, and I'm pretty sure were doing hard launches. However, if you are adding an extra 100 hp and planning on launching hard, then you should be concerned.
One wasn't while towing a boat and I believe there was another in an FB group that was stock as well
 

TMac

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,706
Reactions
1,494
Points
262
Location
Knoxville, TN
I'm sympathetic in the case of anyone who has a failure of a component on a new vehicle. I'm also certain that during the pandemic some shortcuts might have been taken, but I'm a little concerned that we; as a community should start supporting class action lawsuits and provoking fear about towing based on a couple of anecdotal accounts. How is that helpful? Let's be honest, if I tune my vehicle and blow up the rear end- am I going to go online and document it? For me the jury is still out- as soon as there are a hundred of these problems then I'm all in (as will the NTSB) on Ford fixing the problem.
 

Cdubya

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,697
Reactions
846
Points
262
Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
The Jury is not out. The verdict is in. Ford engineers put the 1 bolt on all 2.3L Explorers and the 2 bolt in 3.0L Explorers and Aviators in MY2020, and at least early MY2021. I'm sure there is good reason for that. Supporting that, the OP got a two bolt subframe as the repair for his MY2021.

The jury may be out on why later build 2021 3.0L have the 1 bolt, but that is not the way they were originally engineered. If I got the one bolt, I'd be pissed. Would it change how I drove it? Not while under warranty. I'd drive the snot out of it (untuned) and see if the rear setup could handle it. If they start getting a bunch of these failures, they may indeed be checking for aftermarket tunes, if only to limit the liability.
 

Messages
196
Reactions
159
Points
37
Location
US
The window is too narrow and they are claiming that it's only 20 vehicles affected. It could be a start though.
 

Dale5403

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,980
Reactions
1,994
Points
262
Location
Mondovi, WI, USA
Messages
349
Reactions
288
Points
67
Location
The midwest
The window is too narrow and they are claiming that it's only 20 vehicles affected. It could be a start though.
I'm guessing not. The article said it only applies to 20 vehicles. But I could be wrong.
Might just be some damage control by Ford to show small numbers. Seems silly to issue a recall for only “20” vehicles when they could reach out quietly to those owners. Then again, this might be the only proper way to go about it. In any case, hopefully it is a good start for sure.
 

Cdubya

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,697
Reactions
846
Points
262
Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
I would doubt that only 20 vehicles are affected. They list a full build week in August for the Explorer and 3 days for the Aviator. That's a good number of cars. Nice that with today's parts tracking that they know exactly which cars are affected though.
 

Messages
278
Reactions
186
Points
37
Location
Kansas
Vehicle
2022 Rapid Red ST

Nine29

Member
Law Enforcement
Messages
70
Reactions
31
Points
17
Location
Motown, MI
Vehicle
2021 ST
Just another data point...my 2021 ST with a build date of 11/2020 came with 2 bolts (4 total).
 

Lenny H

New Member
Messages
10
Reactions
2
Points
2
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
8/21 Build 1 or 3 bolts..... Depends what you are looking at, either way it is missing one.
 



Top