Parts for your 2014 Ford Territory-Strut mounts

2014 Ford Territory strut-mounts: are they used, or not?

Short answer: strut-mounts aren’t used on the 2014 Ford Territory. According to Ford’s SZ/SZ MkII Territory Workshop Manual (Section 204-01 Front Suspension) and the Ford Australia (Microcat) parts catalogue, the Territory runs a double wishbone (Virtual Pivot Control Link) front suspension, not a MacPherson strut. Because the front damper doesn’t act as a structural “strut” and doesn’t rotate with steering, there’s no need for a strut top bearing assembly commonly called a strut-mount. Aftermarket catalogues from major suspension brands in ANZ also list front shock absorbers and upper insulators/bushes for SZ Territory, but no strut-mount/bearing plate, reinforcing that a traditional strut-mount isn’t a service item on this model.

What the Territory does have is a coil-over shock with an upper insulator/bush that secures the damper to the body and isolates noise and vibration. Steering axis movement happens through the upper and lower ball joints in the control arms, not through the damper, so a rotating strut bearing isn’t part of the design.

Owners searching for “2014 Ford Territory strut-mounts” are usually chasing front-end knocks, creaks or steering feel issues. On this Aussie-built SUV, those symptoms are more likely tied to:

• Front shock absorber upper insulator/bush and dust boot condition
• Lower control arm bushes and ball joints
• Sway bar links and D-bushes
• Top shock nut torque and spring seat rubbers

As part of regular servicing (every 20,000 km or if noises appear), a workshop should check for perished rubber, oil seepage from the shocks, free play in the ball joints, and any clunks over speed humps. If the upper insulator is cracked or the damper’s top hardware is loose, that’ll often mimic a failed “strut mount” on vehicles that actually have them. Replacing the upper insulator/bushes in pairs, along with worn shocks, restores ride and trims vibration nicely. For RWD and AWD Territory variants, the front-end architecture is the same story: no strut-mounts, just shock mounts and control-arm hardware doing the heavy lifting.

FAQs

Does a 2014 Ford Territory have strut-mounts?
No. The SZ/SZ MkII Territory uses a double wishbone front end, so there’s no rotating strut top bearing. It has an upper shock insulator/bush instead, which isolates vibration but doesn’t steer.

What should be checked instead of a strut-mount on a Territory?
Have the front shock upper insulator and bushings, shock absorbers, lower control arm bushes and ball joints, plus sway bar links inspected. These are the usual culprits for knocks and creaks on this platform.

I’m hearing a clunk over bumps—could it be a “strut top” on my Territory?
On this model, a clunk is more likely a worn upper shock insulator, a loose top nut, tired shocks, or play in control-arm bushes/ball joints. A quick suspension check will pinpoint it, but you won’t be replacing a traditional strut-mount.