Though I would share as I did a bit of searching and couldn't find any threads or anyone that had installed heavier duty lower rear arms, I saw FTS have some for quiet a while and I had been thinking about it for a long time. I have been happy with there other products, (snorkel and skid pan) and these seem pretty good so finally bit the bullet and bought them a week ago. I spent the morning today installing them on the tribby. Happy with the result rear clearance is much better and seems like they will take a lot more punishment then the originals (they have always worried me falling into ruts).
I'm for Australia, Brisbane, The tribby is a older gen1 05, but I think the older it gets the more and more I push it to the limit of what its capable of :lol:
They lower arms were a direct fit just needed to adjust length (they are adjustable). The skid plate was a pretty easy fit basically a direct fit as well, just needed a couple of bolt holes drilled out a little as they didn't match up perfect. The snorkel was probably the most painful to fit, the pattern supplied for drilling/cutting wasn't perfect and I had to modify/cut the original intake pipe to fit the rubber hose that runs from the snorkel to the intake. There isn't a lot of space under the guard to run the hose either and I think cutting a second hole into the engine well would have been a better way to run the hose but I would have had to remove the guard to cut the hole in the right place, so instead ran it back up through the hole behind the headlight (where the original air intake is).
The rear control arms are an easy swap out. From the pics you can probably see I also have adjustable uppers as well (I got these off ebay) which I needed to correct the rear camber after the lift. The ball joints need a bit of a good bash from the side to loosen them up so they can be tapped out from the nut end. They also have an odd size nut on them an 18mm if I remember correctly as I had to go out an but a 18mm spanner which I have never used since :lol:. But overall quiet easy to install.
Thought I would share a little clip for the reason for adding the snorkel aswell, although in the little clip you can hear the friends still doubt the ability of the tribby on the trails :lol:
Could you post a pic of where/ how the brakes and plate mount up front? I know the rear mounting points will work but I'm not 100% on the front. That'll confirm whether or not this'd work on the newer gens.
Here is your video: tags for that format "http://youtu.be/kqnMlljYjSg"
Thanks for that for the life of me could not get that video to inbed in the post. I have a bunch of pictures the skid plate and how it mounts. Basically the cross member under the engine is unbolted (2 bolts each side) and a bar (black) is run up each side up to the front. Then the whole plate (2 parts) bolts to that with a small lip at the back to tuck back over the cross member. You can see in the photos the bars are mounted between the cross member (sort of squished) at the back and with just some light bolts up. Most of the weigh is held up but the back but little bolts at the front basically prop it up so to speak. Basically a pretty easy install except a couple of bolt holes for the plate mounting to the bars were just a little out and had to be drilled out a little. I hope this these pics help.
I was looking at the frs website and it looks like they dont make the rear uppers and their lowers dont have zerk fittings. Anyone ever try to put a moog problem solver tie rod end on these?
Hey. I am trying to get a response from them. I emailed them this morning.
There is some info from peeps that have got in contact with them on a
Feed called "Skid plates for Ford Escape".
Someone recently ordered the plates.
There is an address at the bottom of the FTS home page starts with fts.fts
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