they should be able to move freely up or down, at least thats the case on mine with greased poly bushings. Probably not the best thing for it to be binding up like that?

Of course, it could be different on stock stuff

 

I just went though this escapade with my focus, I did the Saleen springs with SVT struts (basically exactly the same as the FRPP kit), I got knocking and rattling up front after 2 days of driving, less then 70 miles.

Turned out to be the Sway bar links, I went and bought new ones from Autozone, those failed after 2 days, so I returned them and bought a couple of masterpro ones from Murrays, those also failed after about 4 days, so I went back to Murray's and upgraded to the Moog endlinks, they were like $30 a piece, but it has been 200 miles and 4 days without a single issue, the endlinks may feel fine but they aren't they are being overextended due to the lower center of gravity of the car, so they are working double time, a better endlink will more than likely resolve the issue.

I also ordered a set of the Keegan spherical endlinks from a guy over on focaljet, they set me back $100, I haven't decided if I am going to install them yet, I suppose if the moog ones fail I probably will.

The sway bar is designed to move based on the flex of the chassis of the car, even with the links disconnected if there is any weight on the frame of the car you might experience a stiff sway bar, especially if you only have on side of the car up in the air at a time, as long as the bar isn't broken you don't have a lot to worry about, unless your sway bar bushings are falling apart or missing, that would be something that needs to be taken care of. Otherwise, get a good pair of endlinks and that should solve the issue.

 

Yea, but the joints on the endlinks really don't seem worn? Unless the joint was worn, how could they over extend?

 

And its only the front right?

 

I’m not sure if the sway bar would contribute to what you’re describing… hmmm. In the ideal case, a front sway bar should have no preload when at ride height. Also, with both end links disconnected, the sway bar should also be free to rotate in the center bushings. If the sway bar binds in the center, that means you are seeing additional spring rate when going over bumps.

 

i know this might sound crazy but the endlinks could be TOO long and therefore casueing the bar to hit the frame. i had that problem.

 

I got them from Autozone? It was called the "stabilizer repair kit"?

And as far as binding, I think when I put it on, yes it was, but when I disconnected them, they were how they were sopose to be, no tension, and barley moved when un-hooked.

Now I think I've heard in the past that the bearings on the top of the strut on the FRPP kits go bad quick, do they make a shaking/clunking noise when worn?

I think if I can, I'll have my girl move the car up and down our somewhat bumpy driveway, and see if I can get a video of the noise. Or maybe you could hear it if I hang the camera out the window while driving it. IDK I'll see if I can get a video of it.

 

the strut mount.?? it could be that also,

they are somewhat cheap. i would change the endlinks first, just cause of the warranty

 

Okay, ill throw some links at it first. Anyone sell some good adjustible one's?

 

ive got some beefer ones if you want them. they might fit your car better than mine. im not promising anything but if you want them

pm me

 

Hey Dj, Just for the "halibut", try swapping the wheels front to rear - just to eliminate any wheel/tire possibilities....

I've had THAT happen before.....

 

I want the adjustible purple ones from massive, but I cant find em for my car on their site?

 

Hey guys, could a worn out motor mount be causing the noise?

Because the noise seems to get better when the cars been driven for 10miles or so. And I know on my zetec motor mount, you can see after driving the car for a while the bubble under the cap on the top gets bigger from being worked, idk what does it, but my geuss would be the fluid inside it exspands?

 

it could, i guess and it does sound like you have a bad mount(mine had a huge bubble before it popped)

 

Well this is on my D23, so the mount doesn't have a bubble.

That's why I'm also wondering if their is a good way of definitively testing it to determine whether it is bad or not?

 

I changed my mounts on my D-23 last year. If you remove the "dogbone" mount and your motor moves around alot with your hands or the mounts are cracked, you should change the mounts. I put the poly insert's in the dogbone mount and replaced the two upper mounts with stock, and the car runs much better now. The whole job, for all three mounts, is about 1 hour.

 

Are you running the stock passenger mount? With my car, it [stock] made a lot of noise, especially on decel in gear. Installing the poly mount got rid of a lot of vibration and was a huge improvement.

 

Well right now my trans mount is stock, but new. And my dogbone is new, but stock. but after i do replace the motor mount, I have plans to put poly bushings in my dogbone mount.

And is it pretty much mounted the same as the zetec with the single bolt mounting it to its frame?

 

Bump. Are the anchor motor mounts that RockAuto sell for $35 any good for the 2.3l?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

Seems kinda low, but I thought the brand name Anchor was good?

 

I've bought Anchor from Advance auto and had OK luck with them.

 

Well, I figured it out. Well I'm 98% sure I got it. I'll have pops double check me once he comes home, but I think I got it.

The passenger side drive shaft. Today my GF was driving it and said it was getting worse, so obviously I said come home and I'll jack it up and have a look at everything again.

Got it up in the air checked for a bad wheel bearing by spinning the tire, nothing, I then kept the tire on and checked lower ball joint and outer tie rod for play, nothing. So I took the tire off and put my hand on the sway bar end-link and felt no play, I then put my hand on the drive shaft and moved it up and down, and got a slight clunking and a little bit of movement.

I could have sworn I checked it a week ago and it was fine, but I guess it just needed to progress a little.

Strange, but can anyone point me in the direction of a good replacement? No repair kits.

I see autozone sells it for $60, advance for $70, and Ford for almost $300[chairfall].

Which company sells a good replacement, that will last, And not cost me a leg?

 

I've got 2 years worth of autox launches on a set of Advance auto half shafts. No issues so far.

 

Well advance auto is showing the whole axle, not just the CV joint part.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...s/servlet/product_New-CV-Axle-Shaft-Assembly-GSP_15870280-P_945_R|GRP60007_____
Is this the one that is commonly seen?

 

Well that axle is a bit shorter, and the teeth that go into the trans are too big.

The stock diameter of the axle splines are 1.111, and this new one measure's out to 1.130. So it's not fitting into the diff because it's almost 0.020 to big.

I wonder if they gave me the auto trans axle? I specifically told em manual.

 

Yeah, sounds like they gave you the wrong part for sure...

When I did mine, the CV joint was bad, but it was just easier to replace the whole half shaft with intermediate shaft.

 

Okay I got it figured out with them.

NVC11128 is for automatic Duratecs, and NVC11130 is for the manual trans. As I said I could have sworn I told em manual. W/E I guess. We will see how this one come's out tomorrow when it comes in.