Sure enough this came up in a thread a couple years ago, same situation. I also got recommended 2 other threads I started about this same car.

More specifics... My bolt broke off where I am not able to remove the dogbone mount. I probably should've known what was coming when the impact didn't budge it and it took the full measure of my strength on a 36 inch breaker bar to get it to turn. As soon as it got easier I knew exactly why.

 

If you don't want to drop the subframe. Sawzall torque mount off close as you can. The. Sawzall inside next to frame as close as you can to cut through the bolt.

 

I spent a little time yesterday evening beginning the process by trying to do the necessary suspension disconnections. I was successful in unbolting both tie rod ends and stabilizer links... And in both cases on both sides, I now feel like replacement is the right thing to do anyway... But on both outer balljoints on both control arms, I got nowhere trying to turn the bolts using the torx heads.

I think this is going the same way it went with the rear suspension that I ended up replacing because I couldn't replace the brake wheel cylinders... The whole system is unserviceable due to bolts rusted into place, and it is going to be easier to replace it with new parts or used parts if I can find one of the dozens of salvage vehicles that spent less of its life parked outside instead of in a dry garage.

Right now, the only parts involved that I don't have on order are both steering knuckles, the RH lower control arm, and CV axles. And after last night, I have doubts about being able to reuse any of the above. I can pull them with a subframe and that's probably the way I'll go if I find one in good shape.

There is a green 2001 ZX3 from which I've already acquired a perfect door and which had a beautiful rear subframe that I dropped so I could get the vapor cannister bracket... I'm just not sure if the front subframe is still there because last time I went there was another guy dropping it. I think he may have been after the steering rack in which case he may have left the parts I need behind, and they might even be sitting there unbolted and ready to go.

The same yard just placed another 3 2007 Ford Foci, a 2005 and a 2003. I know that aside from the 2003, the subframe but not the other parts interchange... I'm just saying I've got a few options out there, and that aspect of the metro Detroit area makes up for the harshness of the local climate.

 

Hardest part of removing the subframe for me was disconnecting the power steering lines from the rack. The aluminum corrosion cemented the lines into the rack. I sprayed liberally with pbblaster. Slowly worked the line until it came out. Took over an hour.

 

I'll bear that in mind. I did a complete power steering replacement on the 2007 and... getting the lines out of the rack wasn't a problem per se, but one of the line routing clips broke off instead of coming loose and I just said fugit and used a zip tie instead. It won't surprise me if I get dragged down the power steering rabbit hole, but

Making my own notes for part interchangeability, I'm aware that for steering knuckles the 2005 strut change takes 2005 and later steering knuckles out of consideration unless I was to switch over other parts I already have new replacements for.
Steering knuckles: 2000-2004 any vehicle (I don't have any SVT in local u-pick salvage... I assume if they come up in auction, there's probably higher bidders like the conventional yards) (I looked at even rock auto prices, I'm really not willing to spend that much on new parts)
CV axles: 2000-2011 vehicles with automatic appear to interchange... I might get ABS tone rings I don't care about. One of the two manual transmissions uses the same, but I don't have a shortage of options if I just stick with automatics.

From other threads, I'm gathering that if I can get that lower torx screw to come out in salvage, I should hang on and use it as if I was Gollum finding my prescious.

I think I've still got new hub and bearing assemblies from the 2007 that I didn't end up using if it came down to it, but if I get a steering knuckle out without fighting then I'm assuming that it's probably going to have a good chance of having a hub and bearing in it that's just fine as well. I've got an order in my rock auto cart ready with CV axles and power steering parts to hit the order button if necessary...

I think I still have some breathing room before I'm in danger of going past break-even on this project. But I do think I'm at the point I have to push for the upper end of what a 22 year old focus can sell for. I don't mind that if I was billing labor hours towards the project it would be a loss, the work is enjoyable enough for me. The cars I'm taking parts off of in the junkyard would've made an easier starting point for sure, but here I am.

In the end I hope this is a car where anyone running across my posts here is more likely to say 'hey, this car has really gotten the attention it needed and is in good shape now' instead of 'holy crap, that thing's a money pit I better stay away from!'

 

Ope... the aforementioned green 2001 ZX3 that may have had a good subframe already removed and sitting on the ground... That was in the row that got cleared out for the other aforementioned pile of other ford focus salvage cars. So, my venture to walk in without any tools at lunch today turned out to be an information only trip. Just as well, it's too cold to try and unbolt a subframe today.

Good news is that the 2003 Focus that got placed today looks like it's got some newer parts including CV axles, so it may cooperate better with the disassembly process than my car. $150 for a complete K frame is an acceptable path to get the subframe, steering knuckles, hubs and CV axles as far as I'm concerned.

 

On the home front, I've gotten enough suspension unbolted that I could get the K frame out if I got it unbolted. But the 4 rear bolts haven't budged yet under either my heavier electric impact, my air impact, or my 36" breaker bar. This evening I'll be adding the 4' iron pipe.

I did get the RH steering knuckle fully disassembled, but the bearing feels... bumpy when I turn the hub. I have the RH control arm out that I'm content with reusing since it's newer enough that it's black paint hasn't rusted or chipped. On the LH neither of those is cooperating with seperating from the K frame, but I got the CV axle out of the hub. (It's getting replaced regardless)

Seriously hoping that when I get to salvage, I can put the big electric impact on the subframe bolts and that does the job. Usually when it comes down to adding a big iron pipe, one of the bolts at the least is going to break.

 

Another 2001 sedan was placed yesterday and that's the one I went with. The car i looked at earlier in week had been picked at by someone else and the driver side steering knuckle was already picked. Since I still had my old steering knuckle attached to my core return, I decided to get my k-frame from the more recent more complete vehicle.

So far I installed my reman steering rack and new stabilizer bar bushings and cleaned up the frame, but I'm gonna clean up engine compartment and replace power steering lines before I put in the subframe.

The images below reflect the before condition of the removed control arm and lower engine mount, plus the pile of removed parts from both project cars that i took for metal recycling.

 

Hit a snag... So as you can see from the photo of the subframe ready to install on the 4 post lift ramp, my garage situation is a little congested. I have to walk past all that crap sticking out to the side to get to the lift controls. I was going to try and have all the power steering hoses swapped before putting the subframe in, but I'd need to lower the lift and work from the top.

I decided that wasn't happening and I'd better just bolt in the subframe, I haven't tightened the stabilizer bar bushing brackets yet, so I roughly positioned the subframe so I could roughly position the stabilizer bar, then I tried tightening the bushing bracket bolts... which wasn't working either so I dropped the subframe down for better access...

And ultimately, one of the captive nuts in the subframe decided to become a spinner. There's the snag. And there's a hole on the bottom, but it's not a straight shot, so that's where I left off last night.

 

Following up, I did get a new subframe a couple weeks back along with suspension from the car - i needed steering knuckles and hub bearings because my hub bearings felt gravelly. I broke one of the big control arm bolts and I'll have to figure out where I out the ones from my car. I also ended up with no tie rod lock nuts when I recycled my steering rack and installed a new steering rack that came with new inner tie rods installed. Oops.