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Broken Rear Control Arm Adjuster Bolt (used for alignments)

14K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  DangerRanger 
#1 · (Edited)
the older ford focuses have alignment issues. the factory specs were incorrect. apparently there is a newer set of specs to be used. I've had two different mechanics explain this to me. it is the cause of the "cupping", and ultimately the reason why I replace my tires yearly.
I brought my car to a garage today that was recommended to me because they know how to properly align the tires on the older focus. when I got there I was assured by the mechanics that they do indeed know how to properly align it and they thoroughly explained to me about the specs, etc.
So the mechanic goes to do the alignment and one of the rear control arm adjuster bolts just breaks off! it was seriously totally seized (it appears as if no one has taken it off in years and I had another mechanic elsewhere this afternoon confirm he believes that as well) and that previous shops had obviously just taken our money and said they aligned it but hadnt. The guy could tell that someone previously had broken the nut on the bolt and had tried heating the bolt up with a torch to loosen it in the past. so yeah... bolt is broken clean off. the head of the bolt with the nut in his hand, the rest of the bolt seized up inside the bushing in the control arm.
so you think "need new bolts and bushings". great. except apparently you can't get those particular bushings any more - you have to buy an entirely new control arm. the mechanic called around to all of his suppliers and they all had the same info - not in stock, can get it overnight, but cost over $200 per control arm. wow. suddenly once you consider labour and a couple control arms, my 2005 focus is going to cost close to $1000.00! (after I've already spend $700 this summer in various repairs).
I told the mechanic we will see if we can source the parts elsewhere and get back to him.
So I looked online at the autopartswarehouse and another similar site. the parts that say they are the rear control arm for 2005 focus look nothing like the control arms I need to replace. any idea where to buy these things? Should I be calling them something different when looking for the parts? I thought they were "rear lower control arms" but I see nothing online referring to lower control arms in the rear. I'd call around to stores but I'm afraid I'm going to ask for the wrong thing since what I see online doesn't look like the arms on my car. maybe what i'm calling the control arms are actually called something else?

pic under my car:


Here's one link that says rear control arm for 2005 focus:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/s...ol_Arm/2005/ZX5/4_Cyl_2-dot-0L/MEMS40125.html


Here's another that says rear control arm for 2005 focus:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/s...ol_Arm/2005/ZX5/4_Cyl_2-dot-0L/MEMS76109.html




UPDATE ADDITION:

is this the control arm I need for my 2005 ZX5? http://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/x,catalog,143,partnum,MS40153,d,MEVOTECH_MS40153.html
I see this on Amazon and ebay for well under $100.00 plus shipping. for real? half the price that local stores have it? is this really it? can I just buy MS40153 where-ever?
ALSO, I see on Amazon that there is a rear bushing kit 6-307-bl, does this include the bushing I need that aren't really generally available any more? http://www.amazon.com/Prothane-6-307-BL-Black-Control-Bushing/dp/B00387WJYC/ref=lh_ni_t
If I ordered that and paid for quick shipping, does that solve my problems?
 
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#2 ·
The pics are for the UPPER control arm, you need the lower as seen in the links at the bottom of your post. The lower has the bushings that seized to the adjuster bolt. You could do the prothane bushings that you linked to, but the labor to press them in/out of the control arms will make the job considerably more expensive.
 
#4 ·
I live in Canada so I'm trying to find some inexpensive ones I can order and ship to me. O'Riellys is like a auto parts store chain, right? I do live close to the US border so technically I can go to Detroit, MI and buy the parts if I know where to go and that they have stock.

Is Mevotech brand safe? I don't expect to keep my focus much longer - not more than a few more months. so I don't need top of the line parts. My husband is sick and tired of the money that has been sunk into this car (mostly in tires but in recent months it has been repair after repair after repair).
 
#9 ·
I have those bolts for sale. PM me if you're interested...

Assuming the 2005 rear suspension is the same as 2000 - 2004 get the SVT rear lower control arm if one is needed. I am not sure if newer non SVT ones have ever been updated but it had extra enforcing in key sections that are known to have stress problems.
The 05 RLCAs are the same as 00-04. I've even seen an 08 with the same RLCAs so I'm assuming that they are the same all the way up to 2011... Most, if not all, aftermarket RLCAs are already reinforced just like the SVT. The 08 that I saw (at a junk yard) even had reinforced RLCAs and it didn't even have a sway bar.
 
#7 ·
Assuming the 2005 rear suspension is the same as 2000 - 2004 get the SVT rear lower control arm if one is needed. I am not sure if newer non SVT ones have ever been updated but it had extra enforcing in key sections that are known to have stress problems.

Is the mechanic not able to back out the bolt?
 
#11 ·
just wanted to offer a follow up.
1. we are buying two new control arms from rockauto. cheaper to buy two from rockauto and pay for shipping to Canada than to buy even just 1 locally.
2. euro-bred is kind enough to sell us the bolts we need.
3. we are going on vacation for a week and a half and won't easily be able to replace the control arms before leaving so we needed to either borrow a car or come up with a temporary fix for our car. today we put together this fix in the photo below. keep in mind that the seized bolt is still in place and hasn't budged whatsoever. as you can see in the photo, we have sandwiched the bolt between two metal plates which are bolted together with 2 bolts, nuts, and washers. that seized bolt couldn't move even if it wanted to! (it probably wouldn't move anyway, since it is SEIZED! but we wanted to be just extra cautious)

Looks good?


 
#15 ·
Rust City

I live in Michigan and here all the Focus look like that. The adjustment bolt is permanently welded with rust. The only thing you can do is CUT them out with a grinder and thin disc. Of course you then have to have an entire new unit to put back in. I got some online Mevotech I think maybe that were'nt too much. About $40 - $50 bucks with the shipping. ( each ) You rip the nut right off this side and then grind the head off the other side and pry the bracket back enough to squeeze that end out. The other end is similar but harder to get at. Have to grind in between the bushing and bracket to cut the bolt with a thin disk. Lots of fun for sure. Don't even imagine trying to get the bolts to turn. Maybe if you have an impact wrench and hammer at them for 20 minute or so that's just a maybe. Otherwise you just destroy them to get them, out.
You have to either get a new expensive adjustment bolt assembly or make one. You can re-use the offset washers and get a new bolt, I think it was 12mm . You have to weld a washer onto the head of the bolt and grind a groove in the threaded end for the washer with a tab in the hole to fit into. You make it so the washers are offset together so they work against the tabs on the frame to move the bolt back and forth in the oval shaped mounting hole. The nut tightens it all up when you get it where you want it.
That adjustment moves the bottom of the tire as well as the back. If your Focus feels like the rear end is on ice on a dirt road in summer or when driving in snow feels like a bunch of kids are shagging and throwing their weight all around then it is probably this adjustment on one or both sides.
 
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