Focus front arb bushes

Autodata:

'04 Golf ARB outer = 0.4 hours '04 Focus ARB outer = 0.4 hours

Faintly amusing.

Of course, over the life of the vehicle, the time spent working on the VW is likely to be an order of magnitude higher ;-)

Chris

Usually it is the links that fail on the focus

Hehehe ... I haven't had to do anything to the focus bar a few odd job although looks as if the pas rack may be on its way out. I get the feeling the focus is going to be less home diying.

I'll have a google around for a guide on the bushes to see whats involved out of interest really.

How do you know when the drop links fail ?

When I bought the car the place did a pre delivery inspecition and they said the drop link on the drivers side "had failed" so they changed it FOC only that side. I was wondering if its a simple job to do ?

Its hard to make the pictures out on the haynes on whats involved.

When I did it on the mk4 golf it was just stick a jack under the wishbone and jack it up to take the slack and undo 2 16mm bolts was all and replace.

same job on the focus , old rods are steel, new ones are alloy. It is preferable to get both wheels in the air then jacking the wishbone should not be necessary. The way to test them is to lift the car, undo one joint and then try to lift the a/r bar, which would then show up play in the opposite side link and in the bushes (if any) then repeat from the other side of the car. Any ball joints on the links that are not stiff to move by hand have either already failed or are just about to.

Thanks MrC

I'll have a look on the weekend to see how they are doing.

Took me about 45 minutes to do in the heat, getting tools jack stands etc. The bottom bolt came off ok, but the top one was so corroded when I put it allen key in it just span and crumbled to the point the allen key did even grip it, tried a larkey allen key but was a losing battle. I just used a junior hack saw to cut it. Wish I had a small angle grinder. But done just like you said and knock has disappeared :)

the top joint was lose and moved freely flipping and flopping like a penguin :) so I guess this was the failed one, bottom one was not as bad but worn/split aswell. The new ones have quite a bit of resistance and force is neede to move it.

Thanks MrC *thumbs up*

so has this cured the 400 quid rack job?

Sadly not that clunk is there still knocking quietly on a slight right nudge of the steering wheel.

Its booked in for the morning to be investigated if anything knocking/worn or affecting the rack, if not he reckons that rack internals may be done. Slightly alarming at just under 45k

I see many focuses with over 100k, but still on original rack, I have not put a rack on one yet.

They have had a good look at it and have found the front right wishbone bushes have perished causing the knock. They changed it tried to replicate the knock with touching the brake and wobbling the steering and nothing is there, so knock is gone, thankfully no new rack was needed as he first thought. Only cost £60 for parta labour and tracking.

I think its a result and glad it was not the rack as that was a lot more to fix.

Thanks for all you help of late MrC