Recall Rear Bolt Fracture?

[MrBigglesworrth]

It's scary you said that cause I swear my shifts feel funny to like sometimes it's hard or feels 'confused' about if it should shift or not... sometimes shifting up, down, back up all in a very short time. That's even when it's not under heavy load, just casually driving to town in eco mode or normal.

Yep. Me too. 2-3 gets confused all the time. It’s annoying as ****. Something with the rear diff. I’m about to get to the bottom of it. I’ll report back when I do. I mean, them replacing the entire transmission didn’t fix it. So it has to be rear diff and it feels like it is happening in the rear.

 

[StarWhite22]

What's your build date? Seems like after October 2022 they started putting in the revised bushing so no recall for those built after 10/2022

My build date was February 2022. When it warms up I need to get under there and take a look at everything

 

[Mekks082]

My build date is 9/21/22 and I have not been sent a recall.

 

[Kevin_FG23]

My build date is 9/21/22 and I have not been sent a recall.

Just look at the bushing and see if the center section appears to be "solid metal" under the washer, or if you see some "void areas". If solid, you're good to go.

 

[Pyro]

Yep. Me too. 2-3 gets confused all the time. It’s annoying as ****. Something with the rear diff. I’m about to get to the bottom of it. I’ll report back when I do. I mean, them replacing the entire transmission didn’t fix it. So it has to be rear diff and it feels like it is happening in the rear.

Mine does that weird hard shift to 3rd gear to were there is a hard delay on the shift feels like it won't shift I notice it during the initial start of the car after that it's a bit less aggressive. Even after warming up the car first too

 

[powerboatr]

so the 250 million dollar question
can we buy the 4th bolt and bushing and use the factory mounts to add the extra bolt?

 

[Cruising68]

so the 250 million dollar question
can we buy the 4th bolt and bushing and use the factory mounts to add the extra bolt?

You can definitely replace the whole crossmember with a 4 bolt so long as you have the second hole on the diff cover. I did this a couple years ago.

As far as adding the 2nd bushing yourself, should not be a problem so long as you can get the 2nd bushing and have the 2 bolt diff cover or get one and have some mechanical skills.


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[powerboatr]

You can definitely replace the whole crossmember with a 4 bolt so long as you have the second hole on the diff cover. I did this a couple years ago.

As far as adding the 2nd bushing yourself, should not be a problem so long as you can get the 2nd bushing and have the 2 bolt diff cover or get one and have some mechanical skills.


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Thank you
She goes in for adaptive cruise issue 23rd.
I will get it up on a rack and eyeball it

 

[DaveW012]

so the 250 million dollar question
can we buy the 4th bolt and bushing and use the factory mounts to add the extra bolt?

You would need to cut out a hole in the subframe and weld in a sleeve that houses the bushing. Definitely not going to be a simple job.

 

[CoHPhasor]

As mentioned above - that is no-can-do.
What is missing?
- A HOLE in the subframe where the bushing sleeve goes
- a tapered bushing sleeve
- the bushing itself

For you to cut both sides of the hole and weld on both sides, you have to drop the crossmember and remove everything, which is all of the work.
If you're going to do all that work, just buy the 4 bolt Aviator crossmember and be done with it. Why screw around?

 

[powerboatr]

I think the hole is there

 

[FORZDA3]

I think the hole is there

Bless your heart. There is simply no way to “add” another bushing/mount to a 3-bolt rear subframe. If you spend a bit of time reading the several threads on it, there is much information.

 

[powerboatr]

Guess tye aviator cross member is in the list
Has to be perfect. It's wifes car.
I get to drive it . Some

 

[CoHPhasor]

I think the hole is there

You are looking in the wrong place.
Look at your first image, at the top is a black subframe (You see the bottom half of the diff).
If you look, you'll see a big circle with a bolt on the left, then the subframe is "whole" in the circular impression to the right.
(The bushing is like 2" round)

 

[Cruising68]

Agree you would have to pull the crossmember to fab the new bushing in. For somebody with fab skills it does not look too hard to do but like mentioned, at that point the aviator crossmember is easier albeit more expensive.


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[CoHPhasor]

First picture, the subframe we are talking about is the black piece. (Also, this article outlines the problem)

https://www.drivingline.com/article...plaguing-ford-s-explorer-st-3-bolt-vs-4-bolt/