Parts for your 2009 Ford Territory-Struts

2009 Ford Territory: Are struts actually used on this model?

The 2009 Ford Territory doesn’t use MacPherson struts at either end. According to the Ford Territory SY/SY II Workshop Manual (Suspension, Sections 204‑00/01/02), the front suspension is a short-long arm (SLA) double wishbone with a coil‑over shock absorber, and the rear is Ford’s Control Blade independent rear suspension with separate links and coil‑over dampers. In a MacPherson strut setup the damper forms part of the steering and load‑bearing structure, SAE’s definition of a strut (see SAE vehicle dynamics terminology) makes that distinction clear. On the Territory, the damper isn’t the structural steering member, so they’re shocks, not struts. Ford Australia’s engineering material on BA Falcon/Territory also notes the “virtual pivot” double wishbone front and Control Blade IRS architecture—again, not a strut layout.

Why did Ford go this way? The double wishbone front lets engineers keep better camber control and tyre contact across travel—handy for a tall family SUV that tows and sees mixed roads. The Control Blade rear gives a stable footprint and good ride while keeping road noise down. Both ends use coil‑over shock absorbers, bushings and links that take the wear instead of a strut tower doing the steering work.

What does that mean for servicing? If someone’s asking about “2009 Ford Territory struts”, they’re usually chasing front or rear shock absorbers and related hardware. The common wear points are:

• Front and rear shock absorbers (look for oil misting, bounce, nose‑dive or float)
• Upper mounts/top hats and bump stops
• Control arm bushes and ball joints (front upper/lower), sway‑bar links and bushes
• Rear Control Blade bushes, toe links and trailing arm bushes

Good practice in Australia and New Zealand is to inspect shocks, mounts and bushes every 20,000–30,000 km, and expect shock replacement somewhere between 80,000 and 150,000 km depending on loads and road quality. Uneven tyre wear, clunks over corrugations, steering shimmy and increased stopping distances are all tell‑tales. After replacing shocks or any control arms, a four‑wheel alignment is a must to keep tyre life and handling sweet. Also note that some online catalogues loosely label the Territory’s front coil‑over units as “struts”, technically they’re not MacPherson struts, but the parts they’re pointing to will be the correct shock assemblies and mounts for this model.

Referenced technical sources: Ford Territory SY/SY II Workshop Manual (Sections 204‑00/01/02), Ford Australia engineering releases for BA Falcon/Territory front SLA and Control Blade IRS, SAE vehicle dynamics terminology for the definition of MacPherson strut.

Popular questions about 2009 Ford Territory “struts”

Does a 2009 Ford Territory have front or rear struts?
No. It uses a double wishbone front with coil‑over shocks and a Control Blade independent rear with coil‑over dampers. The shock absorbers aren’t structural steering members, so they’re not MacPherson struts.

What should be replaced if the Territory rides rough or clunks?
Start with front and rear shock absorbers and their mounts, then check sway‑bar links and bushes, control arm bushes and ball joints, plus rear toe links and Control Blade bushes. Always finish with a wheel alignment.

How can someone tell the shocks or bushes are worn?
Look for oil weeping on the shock bodies, excessive bouncing after speed humps, nose‑dive under brakes, wandering on the motorway, clunks over potholes and uneven tyre wear. Any of these warrant an inspection and likely replacement.