Focus MK1 Safety Issue - Check Your Rear arms!
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- An important and ever-increasing issue on Focus MK1's...
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Great summary!
I've done it on my '02 Focus Turnier, at home. 14 new bushes, 16 new bolts, a pair of new springs. Rusty subframe and arms painted. It took a week in 2021. :-) Aligned in a suspension shop. MOT w/o any question.
Superb and that's the way to go about it :)
Great video, this should be highlighted to all focus owners really, having owned 3 Mk1s, never paid attention to the arms before knowing about this issue but I was horrified when these pictures popped up over social media. The problem is people who are not enthusiasts and own a MK1 buy them for budget motoring and therefore once they find out they need to replace the arms and what not, that’s a ideal scrap car to them, this is how numbers dwindle and the state of MK1s that I see daily, people just don’t look after them or care, a real shame.
I own a MK2.5 now and I assume once this gets to similar age, it will do the same, damn Uk climate and rust.
I have noticed MK2's and MK3's starting to look the same! You are absolutely right and that is why so many have been scrapped, once it fails the MOT for this is goodbye. This is becoming less of a thing now with values going up and people willing to put money into older cars in general because they can't afford newer.
I’ve had a look at my rear lower control arms on my 2001 mk1 and, although I’ve had the springs replaced , they don’t look bad at all as car garage all its life. However, I am going to book my car in on Monday to have these replaced . I carry a lot of weight during holiday trips with a top box and this advice has given me the willies. Not taking any chances. Thank you so very much. You might have saved my family’s life.
That is something I forgot to mention, if you carry extra weight then it is imperative to change them if in doubt for everyone's safety. I'm glad you've got it booked in, I hope they play ball and come out without too much cutting!
Great video again. Completely agree. Suspension along with brakes and tyres is one of they key safety areas that no one should skimp or cut corners on. I'm going to do further work on rear suspension on my mk1 when got time again. Must say though my rear arms aren't no where near as bad as these at moment
They can vary in condition greatly, mainly climate but either way I would'nt be relying on thin-steel pressed arms after 20+ years. That is something I don't need to worry about the the rover 45, the lower arms are cast iron!
@@usuallyfixingtinkering
Just an update as I’ve had my rear control arms replaced this morning £380 but feel happier now carrying top box for summer holidays- thanks again for your video on the dangers of these failing although mine were in good condition to look at- but was there a hidden stress fracture ?
Bad news for me Andrew. I’ve been told a whole load of stuff is corroded yep, including those brake pipes x4 I’ve mentioned before.
Plus - both front coil springs corroded
Both rear lower suspension arms corroded,
Slight play in near side track rod end.
Yikes and this 😬 front and rear subframes corroded!!
And an oil leak from the rocker cover gasket.
And last rust starting to happen at the arches. Gosh, I’ve got some work to do 😢
(PS yeah that’s what my suspension looks like. I need to get it done)
I'm sorry to hear this buddy but there's nothing new to me on this list and can be rectified with time and money :)
Also for those who live in rust countries also check front subframe. Especially if you don't have any oil leaks.
Great comment and another item to watch
Just bought the whole rear end for my estate, new subframe,spring arms,the other 2 control arms and bolts plus anti roll bar links and bushes,my trailing arms had new ford bushes in last year so good there,shocks are new too. Going to por15 all the new parts and assemble with never seize get alignment done and then waxoyl the whole lot inside and out. £500 just over.
That is a cracking price for a comprehensive amount of work done, probably the amount of work I'd recommend to make the most in the long-term. You will have zero issues for many years now :)
Great video, pay attention to it folks! The rear arms on my ST170 looked fine at a glance but they were starting to crack around the anti-roll bar mounts, not easy to see when on the car. I did all the arms and the control blade bushes on my car but I removed the subframe to do it. It's not a difficult job (four subframe bolts, four control blade bolts, shock absorber top mounts, split the brake pipes and disconnect the handbrake cables). Made it much easier to cut out the sized bolts, something not easy in the confined space under the car. Also makes cleaning and treating rust on the subframe, underbody and replacing any brake pipes a doddle. Well worth the time involved. I fitted new springs and rear shocks at the same time and my car now drives great!
Thats the way I'd do it everytime especially if the brake pipes have not been done. You'll have next to no issues for a long-time now :) That's where MK1 ownership becomes amazing!
Yeah, that's the back and front replaced on my car now. I was on holiday last week and took it for a full alignment at my local specialist. He loosened the front subframe to get the camber and caster spot on and then didn't charge me for doing the rear alignment as everything being new it only took him 2 mins! I also got my wheels refurbished and got a couple of new tyre's fitted whilst I was off work, It has Michelin Pilot Sport 5's on it all round now. It's an absolute weapon on my favorite driving roads now! :)@@usuallyfixingtinkering
They are some tyres!! I'm not surprised that it handles like it's on rails, exactly as a MK1 should be! I can't remember exactly but I use a long 15" socket or similar to "peg" the front subframe correctly. There is no tool for doing this but some garages with 2-posters use a broomstick!
Hi Andrew, great video, I have a Mk1 Focus on a Y reg, Ive mentioned before about the back arms, well the whole lot, was going send pics, I will when I get a minute, they are totally original and look very crusty in my eyes, rusty and flakey and a bit worried now, MOT due in december, love the car, massive fan of the MK1, I would definatley get another one if this one cant be solved, handling is still spot on but I drive ecomonically with the price of fuel rising again, 22 years in our climate the old girl hasnt done too bad, had it 3 years and put over 50k on it without major problems, would so love one straight off the production line but wouldnt we all us MK1 fans, but thanks Andrew great info, I will get them pictures of it to you so you can give me your verdict, many thanks
please buddy, the truth is if there is any doubt I would change them for piece of mind based on what I've shown you.
Picking up an 01' (USA) ZX5 from my dad next week for $200us. It was headed to scrap due to melted wire harness from shorted hatch wiring. Spent a couple hours separating and taping wires just to see if it would show signs of life which we got it to crank and try to start off ether after sitting for 6 years. Overall pretty clean car.
Looking forward to another fun little cheap kick around project car. Had a 00' ZX3 few years back with 17" svt rims and was like driving around a go cart. Fantastic car. I do love my 18' focus, but cheap shit boxes are fun
That's a great story and I hope that the car does you a great service, fun cars above all!
Totally agree, but you've seen my post on your group. Glad I got everything replaced on my silver 02 Ghia. I cheated and paid my local garage £450 to replace it all as I didn't fancy lying under the car fighting with rusty bolts.
That is a very good price to have the arms done! Well done and one massive box ticked, it's one of them jobs once it's done you've got over one of them massive hurdles facing every MK1 owner (in the uk at least).
Hi Great video,
I had a mk 1 zetec that lived its life near the seaside before i got it and the banana arm snapped putting me in a spin! luckily it was just after a roundabout and not on the motorwsy that I had been on for the previous 45 mins!!
That was lucky my goodness that must have been scary and a very rare story, those banana arms usually are okay as they are not under as much strain as the rest!
replaced mine three years ago along with springs and bushes, noticed by garage doing MOT
Mind you Halfords told me I needed a new clutch and flywheel which was 4 years ago it settled down somehow on it's own 😂
oh that's halfords to a tee!
I had this pointed out a couple of years ago, previously had made a half-assed attempt at putting some rust proofing on their but it probably rust from the inside too ? Perhaps it's time to seek out one of these ulez cast offs that must be about now ? see what Mr MOT says. The garage I usually go to doesn't even have a tester at the moment ! 😢 I've used the screw type spring compressor before, that was on marina springs lol
I tried that with mine but too far gone and once they loose metal as it's flaking, it's lost strength and they are under a lot of strain from those springs. Unless the car has terminal rot in the sills I would think about putting the money into repairing what you have, unless your considering moving the car on anayway?
Just spent the last coulpe of days under mine cleaning them up They were starting to go but not bad just surface mainly Some anti rust paint might get a bit more life from them
That's good main thing is to keep an eye on them :)
funnily eneough, just cleaned them up and other parts under the back of the car...do it every year and spray with anti-rust paint...Good Advice to check regularly
great to hear, you'll get little issue if protected in the long-run
Quite difficult to say for an mot tester to decide on a failure for these arms as you say as some that look ok and aren't. Had mine wheell aligned but the rears were too rusty to do anything with them. Arms look ok but the bolts are seized. Just got a new mot on mine and I'm thinking of getting a brand new subframe and all new arms but using my blades as they look good and I've had genuine ford trailing arm bushes fitted in them,although mine is quite wandery in a straight line but nothing mentioned on the mot and it was done on those horrible shaker plates too.
That is the alignment not quite right I imagin, sometimes it's not done properly and your thinking something is failing when it isn't!
@@usuallyfixingtinkeringalignment is good had it done at work and at another shop we use,only other thing is the asymmetric tread pattern on the uniroyal rainexpert tyres it has on,maybe they don't suit it,the mrs's elle has snow tyres all round and handles way better than mine,although mine is an estate so maybe that has an effect on it. Would love to get to the bottom of it before I give up on it and just use my 406 I inherited from my dad which is a way better drive and gets 800 to 900 miles per tank of diesel which I have used a lot more as my focus only did 2000 miles between mots.
Replace with the Lemförder or OEM. Not worth getting anything else here in my book.
Great advice and... I have no idea what make mine are because the garage fitted them but paid £60 each so should be decent.
@@usuallyfixingtinkeringYou do realise garage's often massively mark up parts prices to make money?
@@IfInDoubt.. Yes I am aware of that, my old garage use a local Euro Car Parts and those arms were around £50 at the time so not a massive mark-up unlike some garages
@usuallyfixingtinkering That's not so bad - I hear it happening all the time.
@@IfInDoubt.. sadly - I hear of eye watering prices when it comes to customers who know nothing about cars.
I got told the other day that my rears cannot be aligned as they are seized. I will have to replace the lower arms eventually
Just get the most out of them rear tyres then replace the tyres after the arms are done is my suggestion :)