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Focus doors creaking-check strap lube?

Hi, Last year my 2 front doors started creaking when opened. It was very noisy and sounded really rough. It was due to be serviced and I mentioned it to the dealer when it went in. On collection, the doors were fine. I asked whether there was a special grease that I could buy so that I could do it myself if and when it dried up again and began creaking. The service manager smiled and said that they just used oil. This last summer, the creaking returned and although I first greased the metal part of the check strap it continued. Cleaned off any visible grease and applied oil. NOTHING HAPPENED - IT STILL CREAKED. I have not dismantled or loosened anything other than the waterproof boot to try and get the oil further in. They are both still creaking very loudly every time they are opened and the rear doors are also quite noisy when opened and closed. Have I (and the garage) washed away the grease/lubricant or is oil the right thing to use. It there any way of getting to the problem without dismantling the inner trim (which I am loath to do - or is it not too difficult to remove it?). Is it the check strap or could it be the hinges? Help, it is really noisy now particularly when it is warm/dry. Any easy solutions? Thanks in anticipation, Justin Case

Reply to
Justin Case
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I'd check the hinges as well as the check-strap. If the hinges are dry and they seize, it can lead to massive leverage strains on the hinge-to-body mounts, to the point where the bodywork metal fatigues from the flexing and eventually cracks!

Not sure about Focus hinge-pins, but on Escorts the pins were hollow "rill-pins" and had plastic plugs in the upper ends - you could prise these plugs out and dribble oil into the hollow section of the pin to lubrictate things.

Reply to
PJML

The message from "Justin Case" contains these words:

Evict the frogs?

Reply to
Guy King

----- Original Message ----- From: "PJML" Newsgroups: uk.rec.cars.maintenance Sent: 16 October 2003 11:39 Subject: Re: Focus doors creaking-check strap lube?

| Justin Case wrote: | > Hi, | > Last year my 2 front doors started creaking when opened.| >

Is it the check strap or could it be the hinges? | > Help, it is really noisy now particularly when it is warm/dry. Any easy | > solutions? | > Thanks in anticipation, | > Justin Case | | I'd check the hinges as well as the check-strap. If the | hinges are dry and they seize, it can lead to massive | leverage strains on the hinge-to-body mounts, to the | point where the bodywork metal fatigues from the flexing | and eventually cracks!

Thanks a lot pjml, I think you are right about it being the hinges. I can feel now that it is the hinges that are dry and I guess that is why there is a difference between when it is cold and when it is warm (expansion/contraction of hinge joint?). For example, there was no creaking when I took the car out of the (very cold) garage this morning. After a trip of 3 miles into town and back, they were creaking again. | | Not sure about Focus hinge-pins, but on Escorts the | pins were hollow "rill-pins" and had plastic plugs | in the upper ends - you could prise these plugs out | and dribble oil into the hollow section of the pin | to lubrictate things. Have been unable to find any plastic plug but there is a strange "star shaped" screw, brass coloured, which is screwed in horizontally to the hinge joint. Am reluctant to remove these as I don't really know what they are for. Have tried various things to lubricate hinges and will report back on the progress. I have sprayed grease onto one door, plastic lube spray on another, dribbled oil all over another and I have left one untouched. Any advice on Focus hinge-pins would be welcome Thanks to all for the advice Justin

Reply to
Justin Case

Have just spent an hour or so looking again at the Focus hinges and door check straps (after watching England's win in the Rugby World Cup). There was no improvement to any of the 4 doors, despite the previous oiling and lubricating. I have now, by disconnecting one of the check straps confirmed that the noise is coming from the checkstrap and NOT the hinges. Without dismantling trim etc, I have now cleaned off as much of the oil/grease/lubricant as is possible from all 4 checkstraps. They now seem a little quieter than they were as if the lubricant applied HAD washed away whatever system is used for the checkstraps. Would be grateful if someone with knowledge of the Focus checkstraps would please let me know if it is easy to dismantle the checkstrap mechanism or would the door panels have to be removed to get to them and how easy is this. Has anyone else had trouble with creaking doors on a Focus?? Can't believe it is just mine??

Thanks in anticipation Justin

Reply to
Justin Case

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