Fucus Unstable!!
Alula
The car is lately very unstable, especially on the motor ways (doing 60+).
It feels as if the tail is breaking away. I took the car to get the shocks
tested – all good, check the bushes and suspension – no problem. Is there
anyone out there, experience the same problem, or give me an idea as to
what might cause this.
Any help will be much appreciated..
Thanks
Alula
Alula
far.
The car is lately very unstable, especially on the motor ways (doing 60+).
It feels as if the tail is breaking away. I took the car to get the shocks
tested – all good, check the bushes and suspension – no problem. Is there
anyone out there, who is experiencing the same problem, or can anyone give
me an idea as to what might cause this.
Any help will be much appreciated..
Many Thanks,
Alula
Dave Gower
"Alula" <arn...@ntlworld.com> wrote
> The car is lately very unstable, especially on the motor ways (doing 60+).
> It feels as if the tail is breaking away. I took the car to get the shocks
> tested - all good, check the bushes and suspension - no problem.
You didn't mention the tires. They would be suspect #1.
Alula
allignment / tow-in etc done when I changed tires, but still the same
problem.
Dave Gower
"Alula" <arn...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:2bdb25dc66b2822b...@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
> Got 4x Pirelli's P6000 on, done about 3K so far.
New tires can have defects. Since safety is involved, I suggest you find a
competent professional, take them for a drive and let them experience the
problem for themselves.
Cheffy
new/balanced tires and an ok alignment. Something about older focuses
having too much rear camber, causing poor handling in the rear end.
When I hit a bump on either rear tire, it pulls to that direction
before jumping back. When both hit a bump simultaneously, it wiggles
annoyingly. Highway driving is a chore is the road isn't perfectly
smooth, and corsswinds push it around easily. A poor design. POssibly
getting rear camber reduction adjustment using aftermarket shims may
help.
sn00p
spec and it will handle like a different car (but cup rear tires inside 30K
as a downside)
"Cheffy" <jsha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144281091.5...@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
Dave Gower
> new/balanced tires and an ok alignment. Something about older focuses
> having too much rear camber, causing poor handling in the rear end.
> When I hit a bump on either rear tire, it pulls to that direction
> before jumping back. When both hit a bump simultaneously, it wiggles
> annoyingly. Highway driving is a chore is the road isn't perfectly
> smooth, and corsswinds push it around easily. A poor design.
? My 2000 SE wagon has never done any such thing. It's the best-handling car
I've had in almost 5 decades of driving.
Cheffy
to be a common problem, but not one that affects everyone. Considering
the number of people here and on other forums who have noted the exact
same problem, it is in my mind undoubtedly a very real problem.
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80566&perpage=12&pagenumber=1
I've owned 8 different fwd cars, from an 84 corolla hatch to a 1988
olds 88 to a 91 VW passat, and none have ever exibited this behaviour
to this extent, even those that had very worn out suspensions. This is
definitely something unique to the focus, at least to this degree, as
noted by many people. I think the problem is enhanced in the wagon due
to the light rear end relative to the hatch or sedan. The wagon may
also have higher spring rates (being designed to carry stuff), further
compounding the issue.
It's really too bad, because despite all the little quality faults (odd
noises, poor fitting panels, numerous recalls some of which affect
drivability), I like the car, and feel it definitely has a lot on most
other cars in it's catagory. Plus it looks great.
I'd really like to know how many have successfully remedied this issue.
At least one person noted a new set of decent tires and a good
alignment shop using different specs (and probably shims to reduce the
severe rear camber) managed to cure his problem.
Cheffy
effect. PErsonally I can't stand it. I'll take slightly reduced high
speed cornering with smooth bumps over racing cornering ability and a
jerky rear end.
Here is a very detailed description of how it works. Caveat Emptor.
Alula
Hatchback (5 door) UK Version, from new.
If this is a known problem, why did it only start a few months ago? I use
the car, everyday for the past 38K miles, and only from the last 3K the car
starts with this 'fish tailing'.
Another thing I notice, and this was from new, is the suspension makes a
lot of notice, like a coil spring resettling. According to the dealer,
tire shop and local garage there is nothing wrong, and this is normal -
I'm not convinced!!
Please, if anyone got any ideas, suggestions, let me know, and would love
to get this sorted...
sn00p
been great sincenews:70d273d0230311a7...@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
Tim (remove obvious)
> Got 4x Pirelli's P6000 on, done about 3K so far. Also had the wheel
> allignment / tow-in etc done when I changed tires, but still the same
> problem.
There is something seriously seriously wrong with your Focus. I've just
finished a 70k mile 'love affair' with one, run almost exclusively on
P6000's, and it was utterly stable at even silly speeds in all
circumstances.
Are you sure this car has not been in an accident?
Tim..
Tim (remove obvious)
Just been thinking...Have alook at the rear springs- there were some early
cars that left dealers (in the UK) with the transit-brackets still in place-
effectively giving no springing at all.
Otherwise I havent a clue. Your focus should drive straight as an arrow and
feel very stable and planted under all conditions.
Tim..
Neill Massello
> If this is a known problem, why did it only start a few months ago? I use
> the car, everyday for the past 38K miles, and only from the last 3K the car
> starts with this 'fish tailing'.
Which is when you got the new tires. The problem is probably with the
tires themselves (balance?) or the adjustments that were done when you
bought them. Take your Focus to a different shop and have them check it
out with a high speed road test.
Dave Gower
> Apparently this effect is completely "normal", and many rave about the
> effect. PErsonally I can't stand it. I'll take slightly reduced high
> speed cornering with smooth bumps over racing cornering ability and a
> jerky rear end.
Come to think of it, I do remember a friend who several years ago rented a
Focus during a trip, and when he got back complained about its handling.
When I questioned him, he did admit that in fact it took corners and
responded to inputs very well. It's just that he was addicted to 70s Cameros
and wanted that solid feel he was used to, and felt insecure without it.
Myself, I first test drove a Focus in November 1999. I was driving by the
dealer, saw the sign "see the new Focus" and dropped in simply out of idle
curiosity. I'd never owned a Ford in my life, and didn't like the Escort at
all, based on a couple of friend's cars. My tester was an absolute stripper,
but I completely fell in love with the handling. I knew right then I'd be
buying a Focus the next spring. And I've still got it. It's just too good to
trade, and I enjoy driving it as much as I did that first day. And it still
looks great in my driveway. By the way, the paint still looks like brand new
after 6 Ontario winters, and it's never seen wax.
Mark C.
Hope my story can give you an insiders insight..........
I work for ford in a bodyshop in Essex and part of my job is to do geometry
checks and adjustment after accident damage.
I 'geo' a focus on average once a week and they are normally all in
tolerance on the rear and just need the front toe adjusting from day to day
driving.
The final part of a geo check is to road test the car where they ALL drive
brilliantly.
Apart from my focus that is..........
The steering wheel on it was wonky when I brought it (about 11 o' clock) and
was crying out to be done. The car drove OK with NO twitching at all before
adjustment. Once on the geo machine all the cambers where ok but the rear
toe's where facing left and the front toe's where facing right.
After a lot of swearing I managed to get all 4 within spec after finding out
the rear inner lower arm adjustment bolts where seized in the bushes and
would not turn properly which I see fairly often on higher mileage cars.
Well that was it...... after all where showing up within tolerance on the
geometry computer and the steering wheel was finally straight the car now
REALLY badly jumps on the rear when it hits a fairly hard bump in the road!
its driving me MAD!
Has anyone worked out how to cure this?
all I can think it is on my one is the inner bushes possibly twisted and
causing abnormal bush action upon bump/rebound - caused by the inner part of
the bush being seized to the adjustment bolt and turning with it. that's
why I put copper grease on the new parts fitted on focus rear suspension but
I cant get my bolts out to grease them as they are seized solid.
I asked the master technicians in work and they have not heard of this!
HELLLLLPPPPPPPP!!!!!
Thanks!
MC.
www.ffoc.co.uk aka FocusGhia2L
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"Alula" <arn...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:32c33d8977d2d159...@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
>I got a 1998 Focus 1.8 Zetec, 5dr, it's a great car - only done 38K so far.
> The car is lately very unstable, especially on the motor ways (doing 60+).
> It feels as if the tail is breaking away. I took the car to get the shocks
> tested - all good, check the bushes and suspension - no problem. Is there
Cheffy
flexing links and a soft bushing delaying the flex effect. The result
is rear toe-in during turns to help with accomodating the thrust angle.
The same toe-in occurs during bumps, momentarily adjusting their
tragectory. Supposed to be normal - it's not a problem at lower
speeds, but at highway speed on bumpy/rough roads it is not fun and
leads to excessive wander too.
I measured my rear camber, and the left side is an astounding -2.3°,
the right a still high -1.43°. The front has -1.18° on the left,
and -0.75° on the right. Weird. There is a newer control arm that is
used to reduce this camber by a degree. Also camber bolts can help.
Whether the camber is primarily responsible or not I don't know, but it
doesn't help. I will get the new parts on, and have it aligned to
accomodate a mostly highway driven lifestyle. I'll let you know what
happens. I suspect the toe will be more of an isue here.
I'd check out focaljet.com and focusfanatics.com. I've found a lot of
good info at these places
Good luck!
nearly-perfict
of them, I replaced them all.
"Alula" <arn...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:32c33d8977d2d159...@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
>I got a 1998 Focus 1.8 Zetec, 5dr, it's a great car - only done 38K so far.
> The car is lately very unstable, especially on the motor ways (doing 60+).
> It feels as if the tail is breaking away. I took the car to get the shocks
> tested - all good, check the bushes and suspension - no problem. Is there
Shawn
I have read these threads and there are a lot of people saying it must be
your driving. It must be your tires. It must be bad shocks. No one seems to
want to come to grips with the obvious ; that this car has a poorly and
dangerously designed a suspension system!
I have had my 2000 Ford focus sedan SX for 10 years now. Rarely do I dare
drive it on any kind of slick road way. Because it does not matter how slow
you go or how strait you hold the steering wheel, once you hit a slick spot
on the road even if it is only 25 yards long, The car starts bouncing back
and forth like it is trying to throw you in the ditch on purpose! In fact I
just got back from a drive with spotty slick spots on the highway. I was the
only person on the highway going 20 miles an hour and even at that low-speed I
did not know if I was going to make it home! I have a 1997 Ford escort with
260,000 miles and it flies over ice patches like they are not even there. I
have a 2015 Kia optima that laughs at slick roads.
I have driven dozens of front and rear wheel drive cars in my life and I have
NEVER experienced a car with as dangerous and I'm stable handling as the
Ford focus.
Before any of you decide that it is me or my driving know this; I have had
the alignment checked by two reputable mechanic's. They said the alignment
was within ford specs but that was the problem. That their specs are wrong for
the car and it's weight distribution.
I spent a couple thousand dollars having all new struts and springs put on
that car even though they were not that bad. I have a camber adjustment kit
put on the rear of the car so the camber could be corrected. I bought the
most expensive Michelin tires out there for this piece of junk. They had 820
treadwear! And this car chewed them up to nothing in under 30,000 miles. And
in spite of these quality tires the handling was not fixed at all.
My advice to any of you is this; do not waste another dime on your focus.
Get rid of it! Don't get stuck in the trap I am in witches I have spent so
much money on the car I will never get that money back out of it. There are
far far better cars out there that you can buy than the Ford POSfocus!
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