Ford Focus suspension creaking

Tangerine300

Hi

I had a snapped suspension coil spring replaced on a 2004 Focus hatchback three weeks ago (offside front). The symptoms were a creaking noise when driving straight ahead and particularly when steering left. There was no noise steering right.

Things were okay until a week ago, when a similar sound could be heard, and during the same manoeuvres.

I returned it to the garage, who had a look and said that there was nothing amiss. All parts were lubricated with grease.

Unless the spring has failed again, what else could explain the creaking sound?

Thanks.

Tangerine300

bump......

Richard53

If the garage has checked it, that would rule out another broken spring (you might hope). I suspect it is a lack of lubrication somewhere. Any suspension system is full of moving parts, variously oiled, greased or dry, often under heavy loads and with a lot of points of articulation. It's not surprising they sometimes creak a bit.

Try being a bit scientific and see if you can replicate the exact conditions when it happens the most - braking, accelerating, turning left and right etc. That might help to pinpoint the location of the noise, but ultimately it might be necessary to dismantle and relubricate the offending bits.

A possible solution (if you can get access to the bits) is to spray something like WD-40 over the moving parts concerned and do a test drive. If the noise goes away or reduces, you have found the problem. Of course, WD-40 will not work as a permanent lubricant, but it can work well enough to temporarily relieve the problem and tell you where to start the proper work.

Tangerine300

Thanks very much, Richard. I think the mechanic used white grease (?)

I took the car out yesterday and didn't hear any noise. As mentioned earlier, it happens particularly when cornering left, but never when turning right. It's almost like the spring isn't seated properly.

A friend said his car had a rubber bush that was twisting and making a creaking sound, but I imagine that my mechanic would have checked for that.

Richard53

Tangerine300 wrote: »

A friend said his car had a rubber bush that was twisting and making a creaking sound, but I imagine that my mechanic would have checked for that.

Rubber bushes often creak and groan. They are usually unlubricated and rely on the metal parts being firmly fixed while the movement is taken up in the rubber. But if the metal parts start to move about, the noise can be alarming. If you've had it checked over, it's probably OK to leave it and just keep an ear open for if it gets worse.

Tangerine300

Update...

The creaking has returned. A trawl on the internet highlights the following:

Ball joints, anti-roll bar drop links, shock absorber top mount rubber and bearings, suspension bushes.

The noise reappears gradually after a few weeks and then becomes progressively worse.

Any ideas as to the most likely cause please???

Strider590

I'd say ARB bushes and/or drop links.

The other possibility is that when the spring was replaced they didn't fit the little rubber socks which sit where the spring meets car. You can normally see these quite easily.

Tangerine300

Thanks Strider.

I believe the mechanic did say that there is some play in the ARB. He's looked at the spring assembly a couple of times now, so I'd be disappointed if he's missed the rubber socks.

I'll mention these points when I see him next.

Tangerine300

Sounds very much like stabilizer links (remove gaps in web link):

http:// www. youtube.com/ watch?v=scFbb43fwqk

08:20 mins to 9 mins refers.

Tangerine300

Problem solved - a drop link was to blame.