mk1 focus rear spring

[steveo3002]

anyone familiar with this job?

failed its mot today ...need to try and fit one myself , i have a decent selection of tools , but fear i may face rusted bolts in the bushes etc

hoping maybe undo the damper and i can lever it all down without disturbing much ? maybe the top bolt to avoid rusty bolts

any tips please?

 

[rikrobson]

There will be much rusty nutage for you to play with. You can use spring compressors to squish up the spring then tie it it up with plenty of para cord. once the arm is dropped the spring should drop out. use spring compressors to release the tension too. dont just cut the string.

 

[steveo3002]

hmm not a bad idea on the cord

have you done the job on a focus ? reckon the top damper nut might be an idea or no?

 

[the snooper]

Don't think you need spring compressors on focus rear, disconnect shocker maybe anti roll bar and pull wishbone down and remove spring watch the brake flexi might be an idea to remove caliper to be safe

 

[steveo3002]

righto..its drums

 

[the snooper]

righto..its drums

Just watch there Is no strain on the brake pipes support car on stands use trolley jack to support wishbone remove shocker and release pressure on wishbone by lowering the jack then the spring should pull out removing anti roll bar linkage will allow more movement on the wishbone

 

[steveo3002]

thanks will have a lookie....i know its a 10 min job on paper , but could just see it turning into 2 days with all the bolts snapping off

plus the year old rear wheel bearings have play so they will need doing soon too

 

[the snooper]

The anti roll bar linkage will be cheap if it snaps and besides that it's just the shocker remove lower mount as it will give you more room

 

[rikrobson]

Not on a focus, what has actually failed and needs replacing? The trick with the springs and cord helps you get a spring out of a tight space. If bushes have gone I usually look to see what kits are available. sometimes its just as cheap to get a kit of the whole lot, rather than spend a weekend tring to remove 1 bush. I have forund that you'll be changing whichever bits you didn't this time within the next year if not the next MOT.

 

[rikrobson]

If its just the spring it may be worth thinking about replaceing the lower arms too, if they are faily old, the bushes wont last forever

 

[steveo3002]

just the spring....it isnt really a gem of a car and i dont want to spend on other stuff if not needed

 

[garethp]

If its like the 04 focus I had you have absolutely no chance of getting the bolts out of the bottom arm, it failed the MOT due to a broken spring and they garage said they always cut the bottom arm off and fit a new arm and spring.

I thought I knew better as I could spend more time on it.... I wasted all day before giving up and getting the angle grinder out.

The bits are cheap so it makes sense to save a load of time and get a new arm, spring and anti roll bar fixings. Cut the whole off and you'll have it done in a couple of hours max.

 

[garethp]

Just reading the posts again, IF the bolts come out its really easy to swap the spring.

Slacken both lower arm bolts, cut the anti roll bar bolts and bushes off (really cheap and not worth any effort in trying to undo them) put a trolley jack under the arm (cant remember which end is best) and jack it up slightly to start compressing the spring and remove one bolt, then lower the jack until the spring can be pulled out.

New spring should go in with a bit of wiggling and then use the jack to push arm back up and put bolt back in, lower whole car onto ground and then tighten both lower arm bolts. Then get rear tracking checked as it'll probably have changed as the inner bolt is on a cam for camber angle.

 

[HockeyNomad]

The bolt seizes to the liner of the bush so makes it almost imossible to get out, i have done spring changes before, mostly using a pole and having a mate stand on it to lower the arm enough to get the spring out. and new one in. it can be done but it will fight you most of the way.

 

[steveo3002]

been raining non stop...local guy swapped it with a spring compressor that fits in situ for £25 , bargain and no snapped bolts to stress over

cheers for the advice

 

[Keith 66]

Reading all the above posts reminds me why whenever anything like that goes wrong with our cars we phone our local mechanic, he has done it before scores of times, has the right tools & charges less than it would cost me to waste days of my time. My days of farting around ripping my knuckles under 15 year old cars are over.

 

[steveo3002]

yeah i reckon its money well spent , cold and wet out and i just know something would have sheared off