Noises

Velociraptor82 · 01-09-2008, 08:31 AM

I'm sorry to say that at the moment my baby blue focus is off the road at the moment. Seems i've been hearing a pretty nasty scrubbing noise comming from the left front wheel (looking from driver's seat). It usually happens when i turn right and has been gradually getting worse since my trip up to Sydney.

I believed it was the calliper rubbing the rotor as there are clearly lines and as such wasn't too concerned however on the weekend i fixed that by inserting some washers onto the calliper bolts pushing the calliper away frm the rotor (only a temp fix). However the sound is still there and now i'm really concerned thinking it may be the bearings, driveshaft or diff.

I'll post up a recording of the sound when i can but is there anyone who can suggest how i may be able to find it? I'm not so sure Ford will help seeing as i got the aftermarket brakes and coilovers.

zetecboy · 01-09-2008, 09:39 AM

Sounds similiar to what I had with my Zetec. They ended up replacing the bearings in the steering arm on the left side, prior to that they had also replaced the shock assembly as it was faulty too. Mine only made the noise (a dull grinding noise) when I turned left.

RJO89 · 01-09-2008, 11:38 AM

Ford will probably help, if they can find it, but they won't cover it under warranty. Get them to have a look at it anyway.

zetecboy · 01-09-2008, 04:08 PM

If it's steering then they should cover it (shouldn't they??). After all you've altered the suspension and brakes only.

BlackLS · 01-09-2008, 04:13 PM

Just check its not from the rear. The rear camber gets badly affected when lowered, and it puts constant lateral pressure on the hub that it wouldn't normally see.

Does it do it while braking?

Velociraptor82 · 01-09-2008, 04:17 PM

nah not while braking.... however i have noticed the abs light on teh dash lit up recenlty (possible related issue). it is definatly coming from the left front no doubt about that. I can hear it over a cd playing on vol10.

Velociraptor82 · 01-09-2008, 04:19 PM

oh and altough i get the coilovers the car isn't lowered. well maybe 2mil lower. lol
if i lowered my car i woulden't be able to get into my garage without running over the spoiler. lol wish i could lower it through. look great

BlackLS · 01-09-2008, 04:38 PM

How were the pads wearing when you threw the spacer in?

Mullett · 01-09-2008, 06:00 PM

The spacer worries me, callipers are self-adjusting, so the washers would only be a very, very tempory fix. If it's eating the rotor, I'd call that a sign that the calliper is sticky, or the pad has destroyed itself. This is REALLY something you want to be careful with, but you can remove the rotor, and drive the car (only on your driveway of course!) Of course, you can't use the brakes, have to stop car with handbrake (But I don't think you've got one :P) If you do jump on the brakes, it'll do nothing to stop the car, but you'll probably punch the pistons out of the calliper. That's a really, really annoying thing to fix :P It's just a diagnostic thing, to see if that was your noise.

Also, jack the car up, and pull the front wheel roughly back and forth and in and out, if it's got any slop at all, that's likely a busted bearing. Be careful not to pull it off the jackstands doing that!

After that, take it to a suspention shop and have them inspect balljoints, brake lines, etc. If you've got braided lines, they're extremely aggressive and will rub through almost anything unless they're nitrile coated (ADR)

Hope some of that helps :P

RM.

Velociraptor82 · 01-09-2008, 07:17 PM

sorry for the misspellig. my keyboard here is't very good..... lol

I have't actually looked at the pads though the rotors still look practically brad ew but for a rig aroud the outer edge from rubbig the calliper....I kow the reaso the calliper is rubber is cos teh clamp that holds the calliper i place (which was fabricated) was made just a little to small placig the calliper too far ito the rim (or closer to the car, ot too sure the best way to describe).

yes the spacer is a worry.... but i'm goa go see my mate who did my brakes this weeked so there is ot much i ca do util the... but sice the oice cotiues eve with the rotors ow pushed away from the calliper it is clear to me it is ot the rubbig of the calliper....

I do have braided lies ad from what i ca see (without pullig everythig apart) i ca't see ay wear o them or aythig they may touch.

i'll get my mate put the car o the lift so we ca get uder take a real good like like you suggested.... thaks heaps fot the ifo mullett

eXtremist · 02-09-2008, 12:14 AM

If your car is still under warranty, tell them to fix it under warranty or you'll take it elsewhere.

So far it has worked every time at Peter Waren Liverpool.

If they ever come back to advise any charges, just tell them that you specifically said for them to only fix it under warranty.

BlackLS · 02-09-2008, 08:14 AM

How many k's on it. You probably need machining if there is a raised lip rubbing. Also probably time for new pads.Note the inside and outside pads do wear unevenly.

BlackLS · 02-09-2008, 08:14 AM

Or do what extremist said. Ahhh the memories of having warranty

Velociraptor82 · 02-09-2008, 08:22 AM

its got about 34000k on the clock

Velociraptor82 · 02-09-2008, 08:24 AM

yes my was under warranty but i'm pretty sure the mods will have voided that

Mullett · 02-09-2008, 02:35 PM

The mods only void the warranty if they can trace the cause of the damage back to the modification. IE if you put aftermarket brakes on there, they don't cover a failure of the rotor. But if the wheel bearing failed, and it can't be directly attributed to the brakes, then it's still a factory defect, and they still have to cover it.

RM.

RJO89 · 02-09-2008, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLS

Ahhh the memories of having warranty

The good ol' days!!

zetec · 05-09-2008, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Velociraptor82

sorry for the misspellig. my keyboard here is't very good..... lol

I have't actually looked at the pads though the rotors still look practically brad ew but for a rig aroud the outer edge from rubbig the calliper....I kow the reaso the calliper is rubber is cos teh clamp that holds the calliper i place (which was fabricated) was made just a little to small placig the calliper too far ito the rim (or closer to the car, ot too sure the best way to describe).

yes the spacer is a worry.... but i'm goa go see my mate who did my brakes this weeked so there is ot much i ca do util the... but sice the oice cotiues eve with the rotors ow pushed away from the calliper it is clear to me it is ot the rubbig of the calliper....

I do have braided lies ad from what i ca see (without pullig everythig apart) i ca't see ay wear o them or aythig they may touch.

i'll get my mate put the car o the lift so we ca get uder take a real good like like you suggested.... thaks heaps fot the ifo mullett

You also need to take your computer to the shop... you need a new N.

:

Velociraptor82 · 05-09-2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

You also need to take your computer to the shop... you need a new N.

:

hahhahhahaahhaha. Yeah i'll have to do that... I bought a nice expansive wireless keyboard about a year ago and now the keys stop working. now i'm back using my old win98 ps/2 one... :togo:

gussteinberger · 06-09-2008, 01:09 AM

I just registered myself to this forum to check for other occurencies of the same issue and I'm surprised to find it on the first post about noises that I read.

My Focus Zetec MY05 was doing exactly the same grinding noise when turning and the abs light lit up on the dash. This week I took it to Griwell Ford (in Gosford, NSW) expecting them to replace the front brake pads, however after examining the car the mechanic informed that the bearing had collapsed and that allowed the whole wheel and rotor to move against the calliper causing the grinding.

The service, which consisted of replacing the hub and machining the rotor, costed me $1,020 and the dealer refused to do it under warranty, although my focus is all stock and has done only 26k km.

I was told by the service manager that the issue was quite dangerous as the rotor could eventually crack the calliper and the whole wheel could have come loose from the axle causing me to loose control of the car. Now, if we can gather enough people who has had the same issue with their focus, maybe we can prove that this is actually a factory defect and, because it can make the car unsafe, the repair should be subject of a recall and those who already paid for it should be reinbursed.

Mullett · 06-09-2008, 04:34 AM

Damn right that's a factory defect! No bearing should collapse that fast. Was your car still within the 3 years? If it was, write a formal letter to Ford, threatening action with the ACCC. That is exactly the kind of thing which should be covered by a factory warranty. If it was outside the 3 years, you'll be battling, but apart from that, you've got a very strong case. Velociraptor: Do you still have the origional brakes etc? Whack them back on and take it in

-RM.

Velociraptor82 · 06-09-2008, 09:43 PM

Welcome to the forums Gussteinberger and thanks for the input... You should defintly go back there and demand your money back cos I think that should definatly be covered.

At my mates factory we found that the rotor had scrapes around both sides clearly showing that it had been floating pretty badly and concluded that although it is the rotors scraping that is causing the noise the cause is the bearing. However trying to move the wheel like Mullett had suggested earlier seemed to prove that the bearing was fine. IE the wheel didn't move much at all.

Either way I'll be going to ford and getting them to replace the bearings on both front wheels. If they want to charge me and i can't argue about it being under warranty i'll just buy the things and get my mate to put them on (be a hell of alot cheaper).

I've noticed the ABS light on as well and just to be sure I stomped on the brakes earlier today...i've never seen so much smoke.. lol. obviosly the abs is not working... not sure if it is a prob with the sensor reading the faulty bearing or if there is another issue. but once i've got the bearings replaced i'll have a few answers to my questions.

Velociraptor82 · 06-09-2008, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mullett

Velociraptor: Do you still have the origional brakes etc? Whack them back on and take it in

-RM.

Yes I do... Do I have to put them back on?!?!?

:

I have considered that but the amount of work talked me out of it.

Mullett · 06-09-2008, 10:17 PM

For sure. The wheel not moving doesn't discount the bearings from being worn out or destroyed, but if it does move then they are definitly stuffed. Sadly it's not an easy job to get them apart anymore, you'll need to pull the hub apart and press the bearings out most likely...but if your mate's got a shop, perfect

-RM.

Velociraptor82 · 15-09-2008, 11:59 AM

Just dropped the car in to FORD (god help them if they do any damage)
they said somehing about it might be the ball joint???

I wonder if they will point out that the hb doesn't work? LOL

BlackLS · 15-09-2008, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mullett

For sure. The wheel not moving doesn't discount the bearings from being worn out or destroyed, but if it does move then they are definitly stuffed. Sadly it's not an easy job to get them apart anymore, you'll need to pull the hub apart and press the bearings out most likely...but if your mate's got a shop, perfect

-RM.

They're more likely they'll just put a new hub in. (for the rear at least that's the case, the hub is held on by 4 torq bolts.)

Velociraptor82 · 15-09-2008, 04:05 PM

Ford called me up and tell me that the abs sensor was stuffed and that is what was causing the noise? they are not going to change the hub or bearings.

Velociraptor82 · 19-09-2008, 04:48 PM

Further update... Ford said that there is nothing wrong with the bearings or the hub, however they did fix the abs sensor which in turn has fixed the abs. Just to impress me they did take my car to the car wash and used the high pressure hose....Now my stripes need replacing!!! (insert course language here!). This was Monday.

Just yesturday the abs failed again and now the streeing wheel has the shakes. What ever the problem is, is escalating.

RJO89 · 19-09-2008, 04:59 PM

Sorry to hear that mate. They can be real pricks sometimes! You should try and get them to replace the stripes for you. Chances of it happening are slim, but if you call up head office after arguing with the dealer they might agree to something.

Have you thought about heading to a brake specialist to get your ABS checked out? I wouldn't trust Ford with my Tonka trucks, let alone an actual car. Always get mine serviced at UltraTune and never been happier. Plus, they do warranty work too, independent of modification, so it's win-win!

Velociraptor82 · 21-09-2008, 11:45 AM

Ford did offer to pay for the stripes however I will have to get them done myself (not Ford factory stripes) so I guess that is OK but now I have to do all the running around again to get them done as well as get my car fixed.... here are the pics of the damage.