New member here. I've had my 2003 SVT Focus for about four months. I'm having a few problems though. First, this thing has some SERIOUS negative camber both in the front and the rear. Is that normal? I haven't taken it to be aligned yet as I fear it may have been lowered by the previous owner. I read somewhere (probably here) that the SVT models have no factory camber adjsutment, which leads me to believe that excessive negative camber is caused by lowering. Could someone give me a measure ment to the bottom of the front fender from the ground going through the centerpoint of the wheel? I don't know any other way to tell if it's lowered. If it is, I need to find some stock springs pronto. It eats tires like there's no tomorrow.

Also, my driver side inner fender likes to rub the tire sometimes while braking or making a harder right turn. This further supports the lowered theory. Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

post a picture, we will tell you if its lowered [;)]

What color are the spings, shocks/struts? Are you on stock wheels (5, 6 or 15 spoke 17" SVT wheels) and tire size (215.45/17?) Lager diameter or different offset wheels can cause rubbing as well as blown shocks.

http://i48.tinypic.com/2h52rcz.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/29pu6ba.jpg


Shot down the left side. Is this amount of negative camber normal?
http://i49.tinypic.com/54yl3s.jpg


Same shot down the right side.
http://i45.tinypic.com/5dt9xt.jpg

It's on the factory wheels with 215/45 17 tires. The struts are red. I don't recall seeing a specific color on the springs....so I guess they're black. Since I've had this car it's already eaten both inner CV boots. My weekend job this weekend is replacing the driver side axle.

I'm getting a "wub wub wub" sound coming from the front left when braking. I assume it is the inner fender rubbing as the frequency decreases with vehicle speed. Strangely though, this only appeared when I reinstalled the brake caliper clips on the front. Apparently someone previous to me felt they were too difficult to put back on.

Thanks again for all the help!

For sure they changed the strut's in the front, if its red it is probably a set of KYB AGX, this is the height of the car if it was stock 25 1/4 front and 26 1/4 rear

the driver side front looks lower than the passenger side too

*edit*

Actually, now that I look at pics of my sedan with SVT suspension, I don't know that your car looks lowered... that is a big wheelgap in the rear. Might be stock.

That driver side front does look lower. Maybe the spring broke near the top of the strut....

Other then k-sports and the stock springs which are black?

the H&R sport springs are black. I know because I just bought some from another forum member.

But like I said, that rear wheel gap is awfully big for a lowered focus. Seems wierd that someone would replace the struts with aftermarket though and not do the springs.

the H&R sport springs are black. I know because I just bought some from another forum member.

But like I said, that rear wheel gap is awfully big for a lowered focus. Seems wierd that someone would replace the struts with aftermarket though and not do the springs.

It dosent seem to be lowered, maybe they just replaced the old shocks and struts with an aftermarket pair.

Honestly, I'd just go buy an SVT suspension package from Tousley and be done with it. It's $250. You can do the install yourself, though I'd avoid messing with unbolting the LCA and use an internal spring compressor or a crowbar to remove the rear springs.

There's no telling what the previous owner did with the suspension. Something is clearly out of whack with camber like that. Have you checked for camber plates and bolts? Some people swap those in aftermarket.

Thanks for the responses!! No caster camber plates installed. Struts are DEFINITELY red.

I'm glad this doesn't appear to be stock camber. It is absolutely destroying the inside of the tires.

The driver side CV axle has a busted boot, but everything else appears normal. I'll take a pic of the spring tonight. Thanks again!

Look for part numbers on the springs. Should be able to do a search for them.

Good call on the struts, they are KYB which I'm assuming is not stock?

No visible part numbers on the springs. :(

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o504/RazorbackMustang/20120821_181534.jpg

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o504/RazorbackMustang/20120821_181553.jpg

Appear to be h&r springs, go take some pictures of the rear camber arms and springs since that where the main problem seems to be.

Standby.

just get a whole new set of shocks dampers and sprigns

Here you go.

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o504/RazorbackMustang/20120821_183527.jpg

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o504/RazorbackMustang/20120821_183608.jpg

I definitely see adjustable shocks.

If they are H&R springs are they worth anything to anyone? I'd be more than willing to trade someone for a set of stock springs.

Measurements:

Front right : 25 1/4"
Front left: 24 7/8"
Right rear: 26 1/4"
Left rear: 25 3/4"

Give or take a little as I measure with a tape measure.

H&R sport springs are progressive rate springs. Those are not progressive rate springs. Plus the H&R sport springs drop an SVT ride height by about an inch, not to mention that they have part numbers on them.

Those look to me like stock springs.

I would not be surprised if part of the spring busted way up on top of the strut tower, which would explain why the driver's side front is rubbing. Bad ball joints can also cause camber problems, but that wouldn't explain why the driver's front side is rubbing so bad.

Again, if it were me I would just buy the SVT dampers and spring kit from Tousley. It's the best price you can get for a suspension setup.

Shocks should be replaced every 50k miles. There's no telling how many miles are on the shocks, but from the look of how worn the springs and dampers are, it's been a while since they were replaced.

*sigh* Sounds like that may be my plan then. I'll tear into the front suspension this weekend when I replace the axle. See if I see anything obviously out of the ordinary. Thanks a TON for the help. You guys are awesome!

Getting the struts out of the front isn't bad at all,especially once you have the car apart. Just start with the driver's side and see what you find.

I'd also recommend replacing the front swaybar endlinks if you do the suspension. The stock endlinks wear out very easily. Moog makes great endlinks that have grease fittings on them and should last for the rest of your cars life.

Nice thing about the SVT kit is that it includes the front struts preassembled with a new strut tower nut and plate . Make sure you ask Steve about the kit that comes preassembled though.

Yea new suspension all around and i would also get an alignment, The original svt set up is a nice deal, but if you plan on changing it down the road i would say save the money and just go with a new set of perfomance shocks and dampers with new springs all the way around from the start, i have k-sports coilovers on mine and so far i love them!

If I change it I'll go with stock pieces. This is just our daily driver. My toy car is in my sig. ;) Ugh....wish I'd had time to do more research. The 5-doors are so few and far between that I felt I had to jump on it when I did. Oh well. Thanks again guys. If I run into any problems I'll make some noise.

Yeah the stock SVT setup is actually pretty good, and for a family DD i'd stick with it.

Let us know how it turns out.

I love my Zx5 svt its a fun dd and the extra doors are just so convenient, just keep it well mantained and youl have a nice family car

Again, if it were me I would just buy the SVT dampers and spring kit from Tousley. It's the best price you can get for a suspension setup.


Is this the kit you're talking about? http://tousleyfordparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?action=MorePartInfo&PartID=778002&siteid=214771&catalogid=5684

$300 isn't bad for a kit with the struts assembled. Saves you the danger of spring compressors.

Yep. That's the kit. That's a great price considering you get the whole assembly. Iirc it includes the strut tower nut, which can and do wear out. I had a strut tower nut go bad before and it sucks having to tear apart the suspension and mess with spring compressors to replace it.

Yep. That's the kit. That's a great price considering you get the whole assembly. Iirc it includes the strut tower nut, which can and do wear out. I had a strut tower nut go bad before and it sucks having to tear apart the suspension and mess with spring compressors to replace it.

Yeah, I don't wanna touch a spring compressor. Heard way too many bad stories about spring bouncing off walls...and into people. [paranoid]

If the OP gets it he should be fine. But the assembled kit doesn't come with an upgraded rear sway bar, which some people recommend for the regular ZX3/5.

Most of those stories come from people NOT using spring compressors. I've used them before. They are safe if you use them right, just a pita. O'Reillys will rent them out for a deposit that you get back when you return them (essentially) free.

You could also pay some parts stores to throw the struts together.

Also not all trim levels come with stock sway bars and those cars need mounting brackets for the svt rear sway to work.

Also not all trim levels come with stock sway bars and those cars need mounting brackets for the svt rear sway to work.

Heard that too, but didn't that start with the 1.5gen? The Mk1's all have rear sways if I remember right. I'll double check mine, but it's heavily optioned so I'd be very shocked if it doesn't already have one.

Pretty sure the lx didn't come with the bracket. If you have a zx3 you are good.

Moved to "Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension - Sponsored By Tire Rack"

Small update. I had noticed some slight play in the left front, like a bad ball joint or something. Upon some further inspection I found that either I or someone else had not fully tightened the strut to spindle bolt thus allowing movement of the spindle around the strut. After applying Chinese monkey death grip it is noe sufficiently tight and there is no free play at all. So lesson is...don't forget to tigten things. :)

Those rear springs are SVT springs, for sure.
Don't know about the front springs.

If one side (fender) is higher than the other, try disconnecting one end of one swaybar endlink and see if it settles out even. Reconnect it after the test.

I could do that. But what will that tell me?

If the car isn't level, the reason can be a bent swaybar or mismatched end links forcing it to lean.

It just eliminates the whole swaybar setup from the possible causes list during troubleshooting.

Does anyone know if this Energy Suspension 4-18119G kit is a direct fit for the svt's. I have a rear rattle and that rear bushing is worn out.

Hi 2 all from Moscow. Owning ST170 for 2 months, and have some questions about coilovers) now it has KYB UltraSR shocs + Eibah springs. I need to have some opportunity of adjusting height of a vehicle from stock (or Rus Spec FF1 = +1,5") to height of present Eibah spring height.
Does anybody know some coil kit for this terms?

photo of present setup:

http://a.d-cd.net/e0c8d8u/960.jpg

Thx)