I need to locate Front Coil Springs for a 1995 Aerostar 4.0 AWD aerostar. Is there anyone who can help with a part number. Advance, Autozone & Napa do not have any front springs listed for AWD. We had purchased the springs at Advance that were listed for the AWD, but after installing them and a closer look they were only for a 2WD and were approx 4 inches shorter, and the wheel wells were less than 1 inch above the tire. The tires are the stock size 14", not modified. All I get out of the local Ford Dealers is that Ford discontinued 5 out of 6 spring part numbers and they do not know if is a 2WD spring or AWD spring. Planning a road trip and can't even get out of the driveway without the front end bottoming out. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

Aftermarket AWD front coils are all but impossible to find. Even through the dealer, you need the spring number tag to get the correct coil. On the internet, you can find custom spring fabricators that claim they can match any OEM coil but I've not heard of anyone going that route. A salvage yard may your best bet at this point. As long as you are replacing the coils from a like model (AWD, extended, 4.0l engine, etc.) I can't imagine there could that much difference in the coil springs.

 

If you had been bottomming out the front end, you might also want to check your front dampers (shocks) as well. They go a long way to prevent even new suspensions from bottomming out.

 

Thanks Guys, what actually happened was my husband purchased my springs because one back spring broke and went thru the tire, so he decided he would get all 4 new. He purchased them at autozone and had my brother, who has his own shop, install them. Well to make a long story short, my husband nor the kid at the parts counter didn't understand the difference between 2WD & AWD. The springs I got were for 2WD. Thanks to connections at the local Ford Dealer got the correct springs. They had 1 at their dealership and 1 at their "sister" dealership out of state. So luckily for me I didn't have to go far. But the whole problem was the wrong springs.

I do love this site, don't post too much but am constantly reading and learning from other posts. If I have a problem this is the first place I look.

 

You can order custom springs and rates for 2WD and AWD. They work great with good shocks. The average price is around $130.00US for a pair.

 

Be sure to check your shocks if your springs broke I remember on one of my cars I was driving along and heard a wierd whirling sound. I hit a bump and something flew from behind my back wheel I pulled over and picked it up. It was a piece of my spring about 1 1/2" worth I check the strut and see that the spring didn't fall out of the seat and wasn't going anywhere so I put the piece under the floor mat and said to myself I'll replace the back springs.

Well almost a year later I forgot about the spring one day I hit a bump and BANG! my suspension started bottoming out. I looked at the struts (shocks) for the Aero and the seals had blown and oil was all over the strut piston.

Since a part of the spring was broken off the back end was sagging putting more stress on the strut until one day it couldn't deal with it and the seals just gave up.

But if you replace the springs promptly and didn't drive the Aero too much in this condition you'll be fine.

 

Since this thread is being updated here is some information that may be helpful.

Ford part number for front springs, 7 passenger, window van, extended version: AWD F09A-5310-PA; Rear springs for same: F09A=5534-NA

(I ran the front number through the ford parts online site but came up empty. I haven't tried the local Ford parts desk yet.)

Rear springs are available through Parts America (Checker, Kragen, etc,) for $65.99 for the AWD version. They are a variable rate coil like the OEM but are just slightly (0.550 in vs 0.540 in) smaller in diameter than the OEM coils and they do not have the vinyl/plastic covering on the upper coils that the OEM coils do. I went ahead and installed these and so far so good but I've only driven the van empty. The shorter, upper coils provide a softer ride on unloaded conditions. When the van is loaded they compress against each other and the stiffer coils below take up the suspension travel. (Hence, the variable spring rate configuration.) That vinyl/plastic covering evidently is to eliminate squeak when the coils are compressed against each other. I'll reserve final judgement on the replacements until a few drives with a full load.

 

The part # of the springs I got from the Ford Dealer is F19Z-5310-A. This is the front spring for the AWD Ext, 4.0L. They list for $ 98/each. I was told this is the only part # for the springs that are available, there were 5 other part numbers referenced to the aerostar that have been discontinued. The spring code "W E" on the vehicle tag on the drivers door was how they located the correct spring.

 

Good info. Springs are always sold in pairs, is the parts guy certain that price is each? That seems rather expensive but then it is dealer pricing. The part number I gave you is from my 1991 Ford shop manual its the same part number but yours is the updated version.

 

After I purchased these from the dealer, I checked the internet. I paid $ 74/ea because of my brother's shop. There is a website: FordPartsDiscounted.com that also carries these springs. The list price is $ 98.68 and internet price is $ 88.81. The part descriptions is Spring Assembly. Doesn't state pair like the other springs listed. But I guess if it's the only replacement left they can charge whatever they want.
At first the price was a little shock but then I had to look at it as I've had the van 9 years, bought the lifetime muffler & shocks, had them replaced twice at n/c, change the oil every 6 months & brakes once a year(when my husband drives he likes the brake pedal better than the gas) other than a set of tires and a battery and front blower motor haven't put anything into the van. This is MY van, I know every little noise and where is coming from and when somethings not right. I want an Excursion but can't see giving up the van because it's too good and hasn't let me down.