Parts for your 2011 Ford Ranger-Strut mounts

Are strut mounts used on the 2011 Ford Ranger?

Short answer: no, a 2011 Ford Ranger doesn’t use strut mounts in the MacPherson strut sense. According to the Ford Workshop Manual for the 2011 Ranger (North America) Section 204-01, the front end is a short/long arm (double wishbone) independent suspension with a coil-over shock absorber, not a MacPherson strut. The steering pivots on the upper and lower ball joints, so there’s no strut tower bearing or “strut top” that carries steering loads. The global T6/PX Ranger introduced in 2011 is also listed in the Ford Ranger PX (2011–2015) Workshop Manual as a double wishbone front end with a coil-over shock, again without a MacPherson-type strut mount. Ford parts catalogues for these models show an upper shock insulator/bushing and top plate, not a strut mount/bearing assembly.

Why does that matter? A true strut mount belongs to a MacPherson strut system where the damper is a structural member and the top mount includes a bearing to let the strut rotate as you steer. The Ranger’s setup separates those jobs: the control arms and knuckle handle geometry and steering, and the shock/spring unit just manages bumps. So there’s no strut mount to service or replace.

If there’s a clunk at the top of the front suspension on a 2011 Ranger, the usual suspects aren’t “strut mounts” but:

• Upper shock insulators/bushings and the top plate (“top hat”) on the coil-over shock
• Upper and lower control arm bushes
• Upper and lower ball joints
• Sway bar links and D-bushes
• Coil spring seats/isolators

For servicing, look for perished rubber, loose top nuts on the shock, or oil weep from the damper. If removing the coil-over for new bushes or a shock, use proper spring compressors and follow the torque specs in the workshop manual. Some aftermarket listings may call the upper shock insulator a “strut top” for convenience, but it isn’t a strut mount with a bearing.

FAQs

Does a 2011 Ford Ranger have strut mounts?
No. It uses a double wishbone front suspension with a coil-over shock absorber. There’s an upper shock insulator and top plate, but no MacPherson-style strut mount or bearing. This layout is confirmed in Ford’s 2011 Ranger Workshop Manual (NA) Section 204-01 and the Ranger PX (2011–2015) Workshop Manual.

What should be replaced instead of strut mounts on a 2011 Ranger?
Common wear items include the upper shock insulators/bushes and top plate, the shock absorber itself, upper/lower control arm bushes, ball joints, and sway bar links/bushes. Noise over bumps or vague steering usually points to one of these rather than a strut mount.

I see “strut top” kits online for a 2011 Ranger—do they fit?
Many kits use “strut top” as shorthand but are actually the upper shock insulator/top hat for the coil-over. They can be correct parts—just match them to the exact model (2WD/4WD, region) and use safe spring compression during installation.