2005 focus timing chain and shock questions

[jon333]

Took the car to the dealer for a oil change and to discuss a wheel cupping issue and timing belt or chain. The dealer swears that it has a timing belt and the cupping issue on the tires is due to the rear struts. They gave me some crazy quotes. I went right down the road to a local shop and the owner breaks out a parts diagram showing me that it is a chain. He also said that what they are calling a strut is a shock. I also thought it was just a shock with a coil spring beside it. He then explained with it just being a shock there was no need for a 4 wheel alignment and all the other stuff they suggested. Went back to the dealer with the parts breakdown in hand and they swear that it is for the wrong car. So on my 2005 ford focus ZX4 S, is it a timing belt or chain? Is the suspension in the rear shocks or struts? If it is just a shock and seperate spring does the spring need to be replaced also? What about alignment in the rear end? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Sponsor]

[Grumpy]

Jeez.......Ford needs to check on that Ford dealer. Like the other shop stated your Duratec has a timing chain, and the rear suspension has coil springs with separate shocks. You shouldn't need new springs and if it's a shock problem then changing them shouldn't require any alignment.

[jon333]

wasn't sure about the belt / chain issue. I read through the threads on here and was pretty sure the other shop had it right. I was just double checking because I figured the dealer new what they were talking about. As for the shock issue I was almost positive I knew that one but again the dealer had me second guessing myself. Thanks for the response. Just called Midas and they want 380 for two rear shocks installed because of some lifetime warranty tru trac shock. Going to search for cheaper ones.

[iminhell]

Sounds to me like you should avoid that dealer and visit the shop down the road for further service and repairs.

[TKE_Quailman]

wow that dealership is real special

[whynotthinkwhynot]

In an 05 model, you should have a timing chain not a belt. Also, the 05's came with a factory 100k mile powertrain warranty standard, so engine repair should cost you nada.

What kind of a problem were you having that made you think the timing belt was bad??

Secondly, you can change shocks yourself and save a bundle. There are several places online that sell shocks for cheap- shipping to AK might be wack though.

Isn't the cleaner air up there supposed to make people smarter?

[jon333]

It's our daily commuter and sees over 200 miles a day. My 100,000 went out 40,000 ago. With all the miles we put on our cars I paid for the service package so I assumed everything was being taken care of. I was informed the belt should be replaced at 120,000 at the end of my warranty. At around 90,000 I started cupping tires, the dealer said nothing was wrong with the car after they had it for a week. Winter Came and we put on some Nokian Hakapalita studded tires and they got rotated every oil change so the rear cupping issue showed itself gradually and when we did the spring swap this year I noticed the tires weren't gonna be good for next season. So while I went in to question the rear suspension issue again I asked about the belt because I had seen so many on here talking about it being a 60,000 mile part. That is where my original question arose from. I thought about doing the shocks myself so I was just going to order a manual. What manual is the best one. I read through a bunch of the other threads where people had done their own and ended up with knocking or clunking noises so i have been looking around for the how to so I don't overtighten, and squish bushings and bump stops like they were talking about.

[jon333]

I was informed at the end of my warranty that the belt should be replaced at 130,000. My car was in the shop at 90,000 for a tire cupping issue after a week they said it was the tires. That was change over season so I put on my winter studs. The tires got rotated every oil change so the rear cupping problem showed itself gradually. Last week I swapped out tires and noticed the cupping again, so I went back down there. That is what lead to my original question. I had read on here about the belt being a 60,000 part and questioned them on it and so the story begins. After receiving quotes on parts that apprently weren't even on this car I decided to get to the bottom of it here. I was gonna do the shocks myself but have read about some bump stop issues and knocking sounds coming from the rear if everything isn't tightened up just right. I guess I should just get a manual. Which is the best one?

[jetrinka]

Its really not that rough to replace the shocks yourself. There is a mounting bolt on the bottom and a nut on the top of the shock tower inside the trunk. Get the carpet out and loosen the nut. The hard part is when loosening the nut it will tend to turn the whole piston assembly in the shock making it impossible to turn the nut off. So you have to use a cresent wrench to hold the very top part above the nut to keep it from turning while you turn the nut off.

After that go under the car (with it in the air) and take out the bolt that connects the bottom of the shock to the wheel assembly, drop the shock out and your done. Replacement is the opposite of taking it out. Very very easy.

The front struts are quite another animal and require you to compress the spring and such.

[HollywoodFocus]

My 2005 Focus ZXW has 136,000 miles without having to change the timming chain. I believe it is a chain, but in any case should you have it changed, also replace the water pump.