"Ford Focus 2" - a very common car in Russia. The car has a classic suspension scheme, with MacPherson struts in front. A support bearing is intended for their rotation. "Ford Focus 2" does not cause problems with operation, but to 150 thousand can get out of bearings. What are they for, where are they and how to replace them, we will consider in our article today.
Characteristic
The 2nd generation Ford Focus thrust bearing serves to ensure that the shock absorber rotates freely in the upper support. When turning the wheels, it is important to eliminate friction, which will provoke increased wear and an increase in the temperature of the elements. 2nd generation Ford Focus front thrust bearings help minimize adverse factors and contribute to easy, quiet steering.
These elements are located on cups of glasses in the engine compartment. They are attached to the supporting part of the body. It is important to ensure the reliability of the installation, since it is the bearing that will interact with the metal of the body. The part perceives shock loads during the operation of the spring, as well as the shock absorber.
Signs
How to check the thrust bearing at the Ford Focus 2nd generation? You can determine the malfunction without specialized equipment. So, with a worn bearing, a knock will be clearly heard in the region of the left or right body spar. Especially it increases when driving on bumps and when turning the wheels.
The next sign is the controllability of the machine. If the front pillar support bearing is worn, the Ford Focus 2 will be less maneuverable on the road. The steering wheel will play, skip will appear during its rotation. In advanced cases, a crunch will be heard in the front of the body.
Reasons for the malfunction
What can cause this element to fail at Ford Focus 2? The pillow block often breaks due to natural wear. But there are a number of factors that can accelerate this process. So, first of all, dashing riding on bad roads is not welcome. Some motorists are guided by the rule "more speed - fewer holes", which is fundamentally wrong. The bearing will take even greater loads, since other suspension parts simply will not have time to work out the impact normally.
Another, but less common, reason is factory defect. As a result of this, a part can last no more than 40 thousand kilometers. But the percentage of marriage is minimal. To a greater extent, you should pay attention to your riding style. Remember that the bearing does not have a damping element. And all the strokes that the shock absorber will not smooth out will be transferred to it.
Is it repairable?
Pillow block bearing - a part that cannot be repaired. It changes in assembly to a new one. However, preventive maintenance can be done periodically to extend service life. It consists in treating the inner part of the cage with lithium grease .
First remove the protective cover. Well, it is best to purchase a specialized lubricant that will be designed for these loads and will not dry out over time.
How to determine the malfunction in advance?
This failure can be prevented in advance. This is especially important for those who are going on a long trip. So, first you need to open the hood and grab the shock absorber strut with your hand . Next, it is necessary to shake it several times from side to side (in the place of its attachment to the body). If there is any backlash, then the element is unsuitable for use. For greater leverage, you can swing the body by holding the wing edge with your hand. So the body will "walk", and the rack will remain in place. This will also indicate a malfunction of the rack bearing.
Replacement
So, the suspicions were confirmed, and we bought a new bearing. Note that the part does not have to be replaced with a pair, like the racks themselves. For the replacement of the thrust bearing at Ford Focus 2 to be successful, we need a set of tools (heads and ring spanners), as well as a viewing hole or a lift. It is possible to do work on bare asphalt, but it will be very long and difficult.
First, raise the front of the body with a jack. You need to hang it on the side where the broken bearing is located. You will also need to remove the wheel, having previously removed the bolts. In order to avoid spontaneous movement (since the car is front-wheel drive and putting it “in gear” will be inefficient) we set the stops back and pull the handbrake.
Now slightly unscrew the bolts that secure the thrust bearing. Ford Focus 2 continues to stand on the jack. Also note that the second "Fords" came with ABS. Therefore, to replace, you must disconnect the corresponding wires and sensors.
Next, remove the protective clamp from the brake hose and unscrew the bolt securing the strut with a second fist.
Next, open the clip. It is necessary to wedge the wheel fist. We unscrew the bolts of the rack and remove it from the car. After dismantling, you can proceed to the very replacement of the bearing.
Dismantling and installation of the thrust bearing
First you need to clamp the stand in a vise, then - remove the spring. This is done with the help of several pullers, which look as follows.
The couplers are installed on the turns and the open-end wrench is gradually clamped. It is necessary to compress until the upper rod leaves the cup of the thrust bearing. Next, unscrew the nut from the stem. Please note that it can scroll with the stem. In this case, hold it with a hex wrench of the appropriate size.
We remove the protective cover with the limiter and wash all the dismantled parts in kerosene or gasoline. To remove the bearing from the seat, a
slotted screwdriver is required
.When installing a new element, it is important not to confuse its position. At Fords, the top of the pillow block has a protrusion. They need to turn the cup to the beveled side. The spindle is placed in a special hole. Next, they rotate the rotary part of the bearing and put on the rack stop. The latter should be secured with a latch. The stop is installed with a thick end to the bearing.
Rack installation
So, the element is pressed into place. Now it remains only to install the rack. When assembling, ensure that the spring is correctly positioned. Next, the rack assembly is installed in the body cup. In order not to damage the threads, it is recommended to use a torque wrench. So, the tightening torque of the nuts of the pillar support bearing on the “Ford Focus” of the 2nd generation is about 62 Nm.
Then we replace the wheel and lower the car from the jack.
We check the quality of work
After replacement, check that the bearings are installed securely. No break-in is necessary. In the first kilometers, sharp steering maneuvers are allowed. So you can check the quality of the new bearing. The element should not emit a crunch and rattle when moving. To fully check the part, you should twist the steering wheel all the way (of course, at low speeds).
Conclusion
So, we have found out what a thrust bearing is and how to replace it with a second-generation Ford Focus car. As you can see, all the work can be done with your own hands. Among the special tools, it is worth highlighting the spring ties (at least two are required), a vice and a torque wrench. With these tools, you can easily and quickly do the replacement of the suspension strut bearing yourself.