[raywal]

Don't know what makes the bearings bad just know that there are lot of complaints about them maybe that's a question that you should ask ford.

 

[Rat Fink]

Wow, for someone who Ford pays, you're not a very happy employee. How would you design the strut bearings? I assume you have your Masters in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University.

Yes, I have an engineering education as well though not a masters degree. I went into automotives after 9/11 as my former industry was pounded pretty hard by that and I traded the desk for a workbench. You're never out of work with Ford and I wanted to get away from cyclical industries. I had to order 3 strut bearings for my car when I replaced mine as the first one was broken right out of the box. It is very flimsy feeling plastic and doesn't even move very smoothly in your hands which leads me to believe it is easy for the bearing to bind in parts of its travel once weight is on it (hence the clunking noise while turning). You should see the ones for the Explorers and Edges as well. Very cheap strut bearing designs. If you even look at the Explorer bearings wrong while handling them, they'll fall apart in your hand and drop all the little bearings across the floor. I used to never have to replace strut bearings except for very high mileage units but now in the past few years my dealership has seen plenty of very low mileage failures. It started really heavy with Edges/MKX, and I saw the same problems spill over into the Explorer. I drive plenty of Focus models into my bay as I am often replacing clutches/input seals and so many of them have the same strut bearing clunk my car has

 

[TooOld]

Yes, I have an engineering education as well though not a masters degree. I went into automotives after 9/11 as my former industry was pounded pretty hard by that and I traded the desk for a workbench. You're never out of work with Ford and I wanted to get away from cyclical industries. I had to order 3 strut bearings for my car when I replaced mine as the first one was broken right out of the box. It is very flimsy feeling plastic and doesn't even move very smoothly in your hands which leads me to believe it is easy for the bearing to bind in parts of its travel once weight is on it (hence the clunking noise while turning). You should see the ones for the Explorers and Edges as well. Very cheap strut bearing designs. If you even look at the Explorer bearings wrong while handling them, they'll fall apart in your hand and drop all the little bearings across the floor. I used to never have to replace strut bearings except for very high mileage units but now in the past few years my dealership has seen plenty of very low mileage failures. It started really heavy with Edges/MKX, and I saw the same problems spill over into the Explorer. I drive plenty of Focus models into my bay as I am often replacing clutches/input seals and so many of them have the same strut bearing clunk my car has

That's impressive. Thanks. What I suggest is prototyping a better strut bearing using your own vehicle as a mule. Present the better design to Ford engineering. Tell them you're a professional engineer, show them the improved protoype(s), see if they'll "bite."

I have no idea who manufactures the struts, bearings, mounts for the Mk3 Focuses (Tokiko? Koni? KYB? Sensen? someone else?), but maybe Ford could pass it on to the subcontractor.

If none of them are listening, you may be able to find someone on this site to help get it into production and market the better strut bearing for Focus owners. Start off advertising it on this site.

 

[PratoN]

That's impressive. Thanks. What I suggest is prototyping a better strut bearing using your own vehicle as a mule. Present the better design to Ford engineering. Tell them you're a professional engineer, show them the improved protoype(s), see if they'll "bite."

I have no idea who manufactures the struts, bearings, mounts for the Mk3 Focuses (Tokiko? Koni? KYB? Sensen? someone else?), but maybe Ford could pass it on to the subcontractor.

If none of them are listening, you may be able to find someone on this site to help get it into production and market the better strut bearing for Focus owners. Start off advertising it on this site.

As a mechanical engineer, this entices me.

EDIT: Though, the bearing already has been improved once (DV6Z-18198-B replaced CV6Z-18198-A). http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-suspension/19935-correct-strut-bearing-part.html

I doubt I would have the skill to design one better than an experienced employee of Ford. However, we (Rat Fink? lol) could probably design a better one if cost is taken out of the equation. There's no doubt in my mind that there are better, more expensive, materials or processes that these bushings/bearings could utilize. This part is sold for like $14, so I can't imagine how cheap they are to manufacture. This is all assuming that this component is even the cause of the thumping.

 

[shipandtrack]

Bump under left foot

I have a 2015 Ford Escape. I recently had new Firestone tires put on and almost immediately, I feel a thump under my left foot. This does not happen when I go straight, just when I turn the wheel. The guy took the tire off and checked everything and did not find anything wrong. Any ideas?

 

[carol49]

Anyone have a clue what this could be? When pulling in, or pulling out of a parking spot (when I have to turn my wheel almost to it's stop point) I can feel this thump thump on the floor board right under my left foot. It's a little below the dead pedal spot. It seems to be worse in colder conditions. If I feel the thump, then stop turning the wheel and turn it back the other way, I feel it again. Sometimes I can't even notice it when it's warmer out. Car has 3000 miles and I have noticed it pretty much a few weeks after I got it.

Thanks for any help.

HI, I had the exact same problem .... went to dealership. .... he advised me it was due to the fact that I had double floor mats ..... sounded too weird. when I picked up the car and looked at the report - they tightened steering shaft and front and lower control arms

so far .... so good.