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View Full Version : Grrr, mutter mutter suspension grrrr!


Feek
19-02-2008, 07:52
I was sitting in my shack last night and I heard what can only be described as a loud metallic crunch from outside. I looked out the window and saw nothing and grabbed my maglite and checked as well but saw nothing and no one.

I just started the car to go to work and as soon as I started reversing I realised what that noise was.

The front nearside coil spring has broken. It's a common fault on these Focuses and it's happened before. It's the effect of repeated heating and cooling which just makes the metal go brittle and eventually they collapse. The front nearside is sitting a good inch to two inches lower than the offside.

Note - Nearside. NOT my side :p

So I phoned work and I'm going to log in from home today and try and get the man from the garage to come get it and get it sorted but I really don't need this, neither the hassle nor the added and unexpected expense of the repair.

It's too late to be going back to bed and it's too early to log on to work or phone the garage so I figured that the next best thing was so sit here with a cup of coffee and write about it!

Feek
19-02-2008, 11:35
It's definitely the spring - I found a chunk of it sitting in the grass about three foot away from the car. It's not drivable so the garage are arranging for it to be recovered.

Daz
19-02-2008, 11:37
Note - Nearside. NOT my side :p
;D

Harsh dude. Is it likely to be expensive?

/knows too little about this stuff.

PvtPyle
19-02-2008, 12:31
How new/old is your Focus Feek? I drive one too.. Mine is a '53 plate 1.6 LX

Feek
19-02-2008, 12:47
It's a 2000 turbo diesel. I've already had both front springs go, this is the same one which went first I think, 3 or 4 years ago. It's a common problem with them according to the garage which did the first one. It has done a lot of miles.

Can't remember the cost of getting it sorted but I simply have to have it fixed.

PvtPyle
19-02-2008, 13:13
Mm I see. Might be worth me bearing in mind as the mileage ticks over on my wagon then. Good luck with getting it sorted quickly :thumbsup:

Jonny69
19-02-2008, 13:37
Cheap spring steel to be honest. Cost cutting at its best and poor quality control. Either that or incorrectly specced spring steel because of noob engineers.

Feek
19-02-2008, 15:02
Could be either of those. £145 out of my pocket including the towtruck.

Lopez
24-02-2008, 18:13
Ouch, I snapped the springs on the Mondeo after it had been parked up for a few months. £60 for a set of 4 and I changed them on the drive.

Feek
16-08-2008, 14:29
s'gone again :(

Covered by warranty but can't be done until Monday morning.

Garp
16-08-2008, 19:13
Arse..

Dymetrie
17-08-2008, 01:34
Feek missed the meet :(

Justsomebloke
17-08-2008, 10:17
Cheap spring steel to be honest. Cost cutting at its best and poor quality control.


For Truth.
Shocked me when hanging out at my mates Tyre/Exhaust place a few years back watching him swap one out. I am like wtf has he done to break that & Stew said it happens all the time these days as they are made out of Monkey metal :angry: The car was a Vauxhall with about 60k up it.

Nutcase
17-08-2008, 10:43
Agreed! The ones on the beigemobile are 26 years old and 180+K miles.

Ok, so I just changed the back ones because they've started sagging, but the front ones are fine, if rather heavily rusty!

Feek
18-08-2008, 10:38
All done, no charge. Frustrating though :(

Jonny69
18-08-2008, 13:39
I'd say.