The rear suspension on Ford Focus cars is multi-link, independent. It is a rather vulnerable element for Focuses, as it contains 8 levers and 14 silent blocks.
If, over time, your suspension begins to rumble, or a slight wobble of the stern appears when driving, then this article is for you.
Figure: Screenshot from the program for selecting spare parts, Ford Focus 1 and 2 suspension. It shows all the main rear suspension arms. The diagram shows:
5A638 – trailing arm silent block, 5500A “bone” lever, 5500b – “sickle” lever, 5K652 – large wishbone, HB1 – fastening bolts (8 pcs. in total), HB3 – silent block bolt (4 pcs.)
5500b is a crescent-shaped lever; on the sedan and station wagon they differ in shape (the lever for the station wagon is shown in this diagram).
The arrows point to the camber bolt, nut and washer, which need to be changed every time the lever is removed (if this is not done, it will not be possible to set the required rear wheel alignment angles in the wheel alignment stand).
5A638 - silent block of the rear trailing arm, as a rule, requires replacement along with the levers. Fastened with HB3 bolts, which are supplied only in the original (with variable thread).
5500A is a small wishbone, the so-called “bone”. These levers take a lot of load, I recommend installing the original, Febi, Lemforder or Meyle.
Figure - sickle rear suspension Ford Focus 1, 2 (sedan and hatchback)
Sickles on a station wagon
On station wagon cars, crescent-shaped levers of a different shape were installed from the factory; this was done because in a station wagon there is more load on the trunk, and when the trunk was loaded at maximum, in large holes there could be impacts of the standard crescent-shaped lever on the body. The station wagon's crescent-shaped arms resemble a banana in shape. When buying levers for a station wagon, you can buy standard levers from a sedan and hatchback, because “banana-shaped” levers are more expensive and there is less choice, these are either Chinese levers or expensive original ones. Standard “sickle-shaped” levers are cheaper and there are good analogues. As practice shows, messages from forums and so on, standard “sickles” from a sedan are easily installed on a station wagon, and this does not lead to any impacts or wear.
Figure – Crescent lever of the banana station wagon
Ford Focus 2 cars are equipped with two rear suspension options.
The first suspension option (straight arms) is the same as the Ford Focus 1 suspension, it has direct spring arms. Straight levers can be original or non-original.
Figure - Straight arms (Ford original number: 1357317)
Figure Straight levers on a Focus 2 car A stabilizer bar “pin” (1719542) is installed on the “straight” levers.
The second suspension option is distinguished by spring-loaded arms - they are “bent”. According to statistics, such levers occur in 1 case out of 10 cars. Levers are only original. You can install levers from Mazda 3, they are absolutely the same, they even have a FoMOCo stamp on them.
Also, the suspension with “bent arms” has a different type of stabilizer link. In order to determine what type of suspension is installed on your car, it is sometimes not enough to look at the VIN number in the catalog - there, in most cases, it is not visible what kind of rear suspension arms you have.
Rear suspension Ford Focus 1, 2
The rear suspension on Ford Focus cars is multi-link, independent.
It is a rather vulnerable element for Focuses, as it contains 8 levers and 14 silent blocks. If, over time, your suspension begins to rumble, or a slight wobble of the stern appears when driving, then this article is for you.
Figure: Screenshot from the program for selecting spare parts, Ford Focus 1 and 2 suspension. It shows all the main rear suspension arms. The diagram shows:
5A638 – trailing arm silent block, 5500A “bone” lever, 5500b – “sickle” lever, 5K652 – large wishbone, HB1 – fastening bolts (8 pcs. in total), HB3 – silent block bolt (4 pcs.)
5500b is a crescent-shaped lever; on the sedan and station wagon they differ in shape (the lever for the station wagon is shown in this diagram).
The arrows point to the camber bolt, nut and washer, which need to be changed every time the lever is removed (if this is not done, it will not be possible to set the required rear wheel alignment angles in the wheel alignment stand).
5A638 - silent block of the rear trailing arm, as a rule, requires replacement along with the levers. Fastened with HB3 bolts, which are supplied only in the original (with variable thread).
5500A is a small wishbone, the so-called “bone”. These levers take a lot of load, I recommend installing the original, Febi, Lemforder or Meyle.
Figure - sickle rear suspension Ford Focus 1, 2 (sedan and hatchback)
Sickles on a station wagon
On station wagon cars, crescent-shaped levers of a different shape were installed from the factory; this was done because in a station wagon there is more load on the trunk, and when the trunk was loaded at maximum, in large holes there could be impacts of the standard crescent-shaped lever on the body. The station wagon's crescent-shaped arms resemble a banana in shape. When buying levers for a station wagon, you can buy standard levers from a sedan and hatchback, because “banana-shaped” levers are more expensive and there is less choice, these are either Chinese levers or expensive original ones. Standard “crescent” levers are cheaper and there are good analogues. As practice shows, messages from forums and so on, standard “sickles” from a sedan are easily installed on a station wagon, and this does not lead to any impacts or wear.
Figure – Crescent lever of the banana station wagon
Ford Focus 2 cars are equipped with two rear suspension options.
The first suspension option (straight arms) is the same as the Ford Focus 1 suspension, it has direct spring arms. Straight levers can be original or non-original.
Figure - Straight arms (Ford original number: 1357317)
Figure Straight levers on a Focus 2 car A stabilizer bar “pin” (1719542) is installed on the “straight” levers.
The second suspension option is distinguished by spring-loaded arms - they are “bent”. According to statistics, such levers occur in 1 case out of 10 cars. Levers are only original. You can install levers from Mazda 3, they are absolutely the same, they even have a FoMOCo stamp on them.
Also, the suspension with “bent arms” has a different type of stabilizer link. In order to determine what type of suspension is installed on your car, it is sometimes not enough to look at the VIN number in the catalog - there, in most cases, it is not visible what kind of rear suspension arms you have.
We replace old ones with new ones
- The process is quite energy-intensive and will require certain physical strength from you, but let the owner at this time be warmed by the thought of the money saved and the upcoming ride without any problems;
- The rear axle is jacked up. You can change the silents one by one, moving the jack back and forth, but it’s better to borrow another jack from your neighbor. You can hang the car on wooden blocks or a special trestle welded from metal slats;
- A tie is placed on the spring and tightened. At a service station, the spring is usually removed, but at home you shouldn’t make unnecessary movements;
- A support is installed under the main lever on which the wheel is mounted;
- The bolt holding the spring-loaded lever is turned out;
- The spring itself is pulled out, the lever is lowered down so that it does not interfere with your hand;
- The transverse arms, both lower and upper, are unscrewed along with the shock absorber. The handbrake cable is disconnected;
- Next, unscrew the bolt from below that secures the wires going to the ABS sensor; its terminal is disconnected, after which you can unscrew the bolts (2 pieces) securing the transverse arm;
- The silent block is removed.
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Rear suspension diagram for Ford Focus 2
The rear suspension of the Ford Focus-2 is an independent type, with a cross member in the middle, with four levers at each rear wheel (a total of 8 levers). The chassis consists of the following elements:
- crossbars;
- levers – rear lower, upper, front lower, longitudinal;
- springs;
- shock absorbers;
- compression buffers.
All elements, except the transverse beam, are paired; a stabilizer bar with struts and bushings is also installed on the rear axle.
The Ford Focus-2 was produced in two body modifications - a pre-restyling version (2005-2008) and a restyled version (2008-2011). After the modernization, some changes took place in the car, but the rear suspension was not affected by restyling - it remained the same.
Ford Focus silent blocks: causes of malfunctions and replacement
One of the weak points of the car's chassis is considered to be Ford Focus silent blocks, which experience high loads when driving on bad roads. These parts are rubber-metal hinges responsible for connecting the suspension elements. An elastic insert between the bushings helps absorb vibrations between individual units.
Where are the silent blocks located?
New silent blocks
Ford Focus 2 cars have L-shaped levers in the front suspension, each of which has two silent blocks installed. The lever itself is attached to the wheel hub through a ball joint. Opposite the support is the first floating hinge - it is simpler and lighter, therefore it is pressed into the body of the lever. The second element is a little further away. It is more massive and pressed into the axle.
The rear suspension on the Ford Focus is independent and has 4 levers on each side. Each of them has rubber-metal hinges of different sizes, which differ in the degree of resistance to mechanical loads.
Replacement frequency
On average, original silent blocks can withstand up to 100 thousand kilometers, but bad roads, drying out of the lubricant of suspension elements and dust and moisture getting into the connecting points reduce the service life of the hinges. In this regard, automakers advise changing rubber-metal joints every 30-50 thousand kilometers.
You can understand that the time has come to change the silent blocks of the rear/front suspension of the Ford Focus by several signs. If the car no longer obeys the steering wheel or reacts to turns late, this is a clear symptom of wear on the rubber-to-metal joints. Additionally, you will hear a loud knock.
To verify the malfunction, look under the bottom of the car and clean the parts of interest. If parts are heavily worn, you will definitely notice it even with the naked eye.
Signs of breakdown
Old silent block
You can identify signs of a malfunction in the Ford Focus lever bushing on a lift or inspection pit. A noticeable sign is that the joint rubber is swollen or misaligned, as well as whether it is smooth and intact.
If the hinge seal has tears or cracks, the arms may become misaligned. Pay attention to whether your tires wear evenly, and also check the play in the hinges.
Polyurethane silent blocks can improve the performance of the chassis and extend its service life. Such hinges last much longer than rubber ones. Remember that wheel alignment curves can also indicate wear of parts.
Replacement Tools
Let us immediately note that quite often elements of the front suspension arm fail, namely the silent block of the rear mount or the ball joint. The rear hinge of the front suspension is non-removable, so you will have to change the arm assembly.
As for the rear suspension, everything is a little simpler with it - you can do the repairs yourself. To work you will need the following tools:
You will also need a set of worn-out spare parts, which you can find at an auto store.
Rules for replacing front silent blocks
Front arm assembly
First of all, you need to lift the car with a jack and remove the wheel. When changing the front silent blocks of a Ford Focus, find the hinge mounting bolts, unscrew them and remove the rubber-metal part.
Next, you need to pull the lever strut towards you and unscrew the bolts that hold it in place. Before installing a new hinge, you need to clean the seat from traces of corrosion and lubricate it with WD-40 for normal sliding.
When installing a new part, drive it in with light blows with a hammer.
Replace the front lever of the Ford Focus 2 with a non-removable hinge, and after replacement, assemble everything in the reverse order. The front replacement joint must be tightened on the machine, and at the end of the work, check the wheel alignment and adjust if necessary. To do this, contact the service center.
Replacing the rear axle upper arm joints
To replace the silent blocks of the Ford Focus rear suspension, you will need a lift or inspection pit. You need to remove the wheel and then remove the lever. Replacing each lever will take no more than 1 hour.
Rear axle upper arm silent block
Between the rear lower arm and the upper spring plate you need to insert a pad measuring 113x20 mm, and then press the arm with a jack to apply pressure to the suspension. Further actions should be as follows:
Carefully inspect the rubber joints. If scratches, cracks, rubber delaminations or blisters are found, they must be replaced. Also inspect the lever for defects. After replacing the silent blocks, reassemble everything in the reverse order.
Silent blocks of the lower front arm of the rear axle
This process is in many ways similar to the work described above. You will need the same shim to be inserted between the upper spring plate and the lower control arm. Using a jack, raise the suspension and do the following:
Inspect the spare parts for defects, and if any are found, it is better to replace the parts. We recommend reading the material about repairing the rear suspension of a Ford Focus.
Rear lower arm silent blocks on the rear axle
Replacement process
To replace these rubber-metal hinges, you need to adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
Replace the silent blocks and assemble everything in reverse order. As you can see, there is nothing difficult in repairing the Ford Focus chassis, and for clarity, you can watch videos.
Video: Ford Focus 2 front suspension repair
Video: Replacing silent block Ford Focus 2
Video: Removing the front arm, replacing the rear silent block ford focus 2
Video: Ford focus 2 soured bolts in rear suspension silent blocks
Replacing rear shock absorber Ford Focus 2
If oil stains appear in the area of the rear shock absorber rod, and the car begins to drive over bumps with the rear part of the body swaying, the shock absorber has failed and needs to be replaced. We carry out the work as follows:
- for convenience, remove the rear wheel;
- We place a support under the rear suspension (for example, an old unnecessary wheel rim), and lower the car a little on the jack - you need to make sure that the suspension spring is compressed somewhat;
- this is done so that when the shock absorber is removed, the spring does not straighten without load and shoot upward;
- unscrew the bottom bolt that holds the shock absorber, for this you will need a wrench with a 15mm head;
- from the body (inside the wheel arch) unscrew the two bolts securing the shock absorber support to the body; here you will need a 10 mm socket wrench or a socket with an extension and a wrench;
- We dismantle the part to be replaced, install a new shock absorber in place, and carry out the assembly.
How to replace silent blocks on the rear of Focus 2?
You need to understand that this is far from the easiest procedure in the car repair process. Replacement of silent blocks of the rear suspension of Ford Focus 2 and at the service is carried out within 2-3 hours, no less. Without special skills, you can spend more than one day in the garage trying to get the desired result. Therefore, without metalworking skills and good tools, you should not disassemble the suspension, since it will be quite difficult to put it back together.
We would like to say that you can watch the video instructions. If you don't have time to watch the video, read the instructions below..
To complete the work, you will need a set of wrenches and sockets, screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, pullers and parts for repressing silent blocks. You also need a standard garage tool. Parts for repressing can be bought, rented, or ordered to mechanics using ready-made drawings (there are thousands of them on the Internet).
The replacement procedure is as follows:
- Raise the car on a lift or place it in a pit to gain access to the parts that need to be replaced.
- Secure the car with chocks under the front wheels to secure your work area.
- Visually examine the design of the Focus lever suspension, find all the places where the levers are attached. It will be easier to dismantle the parts, replace the silent blocks, and then install them in place.
- Start working on one side. Unscrew the silent block bolt or cut it off with a grinder (this is the method you have to resort to most often due to souring of the bolts).
- Unscrew the other lever mounts and use a convenient work table with a vice to press out the old silent block. To do this, you need to use a special plate or a piece of tube of suitable size.
- Next, press in the new silent block. Make sure that the pressing is tight. If there is play or too much free space between the seat and the part, the levers will have to be replaced.
- Perform this procedure on all rear suspension bushings, even if they appear normal and show no signs of wear.
Quite a lot of problems can arise in the process. For example, weak tightening of bolts causes difficulties in maintaining silent blocks in normal shape. Sometimes the bolts of the struts are not tightened, which is why terrible knocking noises begin to be heard in the cabin. You need to be careful when choosing silent blocks, otherwise you can buy low-quality parts. Buy original products or give preference to Ruville, Lemforder and other famous European manufacturers.
Replacing the rear stabilizer link
If a knock appears in the rear suspension area, it is likely that the stabilizer links are worn out. Changing parts is quite simple; if there are no complications during removal, you can replace the stabilizer strut in half an hour or even faster.
It is convenient to perform the replacement on a pit or a lift; the wheel does not need to be removed to perform the operation. We carry out the work in the following order:
- unscrew the nut that secures the strut to the wishbone of the suspension; for this you will need a 15 mm spanner. To prevent the strut from turning along the axis when unscrewing the nut, hold it with a hexagon;
- then use the same keys to unscrew the upper nut that holds the strut to the wishbone;
- Having unscrewed the fasteners, remove the old part, install the new one, and at this point we can consider the work completed.
Repair features
Repairing the rear suspension at a service station only involves spending money, and no specific knowledge is required. However, if you are well versed in cars and are able to repair the Ford Focus yourself, then you will need a set of various tools, including:
- Hexagons.
- Jacks (automotive and hydraulic).
- Set of sockets and open-end wrenches.
- Hammer.
- Spring ties.
- Puller.
- VD-shka.
- "Bulgarian" (in some cases).
- Litol.
So, if you have stocked up on everything you need, then you can proceed directly to repairing the Ford Focus. To do this we do the following:
- We install the coupler on the springs and compress them as much as possible. You won't be able to remove them, but you don't need to do that.
- Raise the main lever (installed on the wheel) using a jack and remove the bolt that secures the lever under the spring.
- We remove the spring and move the lever to the side so that it does not interfere.
- We remove both levers, as well as the shock absorber at the lower mounting point.
- Disconnect the handbrake cable from the hook.
- Remove the bolt from the Ford Focus ABS sensor, as well as the terminal and 2 bolts securing the transverse arm.
- We move the wishbone to the side, after which we get the opportunity to replace both the upper and lower arms. At this stage, the main thing is to do everything without haste and not break anything.
- After this, you need to replace the rear silent block of the Ford Focus 2, even if it is in good condition. As mentioned earlier, it is better to replace now than to disassemble the suspension again. This element must be dismantled under pressure using a special metal cylinder (diameter - 5.8 cm, height - 7 cm, depth - 5 cm, internal diameter - 3.5 cm), otherwise nothing will work. You can either purchase it in a store or ask a turner to turn it.
- Next, install a new silent block and remove the spring lever.
Reassembling the rear suspension on the 2nd generation FordFocus requires performing all the steps in reverse order. Thus, by spending a few days of free time, you can save a small amount of money. However, if you love your car and caring for it gives you pleasure, then there will be no problems. Moreover, the scheme we presented will greatly facilitate your work. Good luck!
Sources:
https://ford-focus-fan.ru/remont-zadnej-podveski-ford-fokus-2/ https://krutimotor.ru/zadnyaya-podveska-ford-focus-2-remont/ https://ford- partly.ru/articles/203640 https://avtobrands.ru/shema-i-remont-zadnej-podveski-ford-focus-2/ https://fordprof.ru/focus-2/remont-zadnej-podveski-ford -focus-2.html
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More options for rear springs Ford Focus 2Is it worth replacing the silent bands yourself?
Typically, the silent blocks of the Ford Focus 2 rear suspension fail by 100,000 km. It is quite possible to change them with your own hands, but it will take a lot of time. At the service, the cost of replacement will not be less than 5,000 rubles if you change the entire set. You can find a cheaper garage service, but the quality of work and the responsibility of the master in such a place are unlikely to satisfy you.
To work independently, you will need high-quality tools that are difficult to find on the open market. It is much easier to immediately prepare for possible consequences, buy bolts and other consumables, than constantly run to the car store. Moreover, after disassembling the rear suspension, you will have to run on foot. You can do this procedure yourself, but it is not an easy task.
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Rear upper wishbone (sickle)
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Article [/td]
| Name | 15407293/S | |
| 803906 | ||
| vendor code | Product Name | 1509069 |
| 24211 | Rear lower wishbone (bone) INFO | |
| CA21004 | Rear spring arm (straight) |
