Car has different brakes than what it should have?

harveybobbles

I would have said the OP's car had drums from new. Dont remember dein many Focus's with rear discs, unless its the higher power ones.

goldspanners

ive got a 1.6 petrol focus, it has drums on the rear,disc on the front. i think the higher powered petrol models and the tdci models have discs on the back.

DaveMacD

As stated by others, the number plate check is notoriously unreliable. Use the VIN number instead. Brakes can last for AGES, unless KwikFit get there first. I swapped out my front brakes on my L200 at around the 60k mark, and there were still a good few mil. on each set, easily enough to make it to 80k without worrying about it. Get the wheel off and have a look.

Bleeding the brakes is worth a go, since it's fairly easy, and can be done at home.

molerat

The assistant in Halfords obviously did not know how to use the computer. The first screen he came up with was stocked items. As they do not stock the shoes they would not be on the screen and only the pads would show. If he then went to the "other suppliers" screen both options would have shown up. Their computer system is not that intelligent.

jeannieblue

Only got a 1.6 Focus and have discs on the rear.

Varies hugely with alot of cars - and even sometimes when ordering from Ford I get asked - discs or drums on the rear? And I have to go out to the workshop and look... or vented or solid. Even if you have the vin number it can make little difference. Think it depends on what was on the assembly line at the time!!!

cirrusmp

<Please Delete>

goldspanners

jeannieblue wrote: »

Only got a 1.6 Focus and have discs on the rear.

Varies hugely with alot of cars - and even sometimes when ordering from Ford I get asked - discs or drums on the rear? And I have to go out to the workshop and look... or vented or solid. Even if you have the vin number it can make little difference. Think it depends on what was on the assembly line at the time!!!

yours is automatic.

ive found ford ok,but french stuff! ive always had the wrong sets of pads and discs for any french car or van ive ever done. they seem to make 3 different discs and 3 different pads for everything with no real uniform pattern as to what they will definatly fit. another reason why i hate french stuff.

patman99

All pre-'05 plate Focus have drums on rear, execpt tdi which has discs all-round.
After '05, all models have discs front and rear. My ex-Ford main dealer mechanic told me this last week as he changed the pads and discs on my Astra.
He also told me that all new Fords tend to get through both pads and discs at the rate of a set every 25,000 miles.

goldspanners

cirrusmp wrote: »

Thanks everyone - seems that its not worth worrying about.

I've checked the front discs and pads already and they are still fine, have put off opening the drums for now - got as far as getting the wheel off, taking the cap off the drum and realising that its not the split pin design so will have to wait for my haynes manual to arrive before playing with it.

the drums are a bit tight to come off any time ive had mine off, the first time the bearings collapsed when i took the drivers side off,i think its a 30mm socket to remove the hub nut. i used my hydraulic pullers to remove the drums the last time as they were solid again,but no bearings collapsed this time. apply some copperslip to anything that moves (except friction material on shoes and drum surface obviously!)
the hub nuts have apparently laminated threads (i think this is posh for threadlocker) and can be reused a maximum of 3 times.

if your stripping them always draw a picture or take a few photos with a camera phone so you remember how it should all go back together if your unfamiliar with the set up.
i had my drums off a few weeks ago, i gave them a good clean and adjusted them up a bit. brakes as good as new again. ive got a few thousand miles left in them yet, these are mintex shoes i fitted about 30k miles ago.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

maninthestreet wrote: »

It's the VIN number that should be used to identify the required replacement parts for a car, not the registration number. Phone or visit your local Ford main dealer, given them the VIN number and ask them to check whether it should have disc or drum brake at the rear.

the reason behind them askin for the reg number is so that they can access detail of the vehicle as follows:

vehicle type:
month and year registered eg before march 05 or before sept 05 change overs.
colour:
engine copacity:
chassis number:
engine number:
all these details will display from the number plate.

just giving the VIN to a motor factor or dealer wont help to a great extent as to what a reg number could.

in this case it could be on an change over (see month and year above) eg drums to discs and the system only listed discs for eg sept 05 on and then should of looked at listing for pre sept 05 for the shoes. its not plain and simple as people think with car parts i know i used to work in motor factors and its damn hard and confusing most of the time and experience and car knowladge is the key in the car parts game.