Spooky Scary Wagon (Slight NSFW)

"whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU" (whiskey-business)
04/07/2015 at 13:13 • Filed to: None

I have a question to all those out there knowledgeable about suspensions/alignment/and possibly Focii as well. My Focus wagon is presenting some worrying and frankly terrifying handling characteristics at highway speeds. Left hand turns at any speed are without drama, but when turning right, even gently, on the freeway, the entire rear of the car turns from this

into this

Needless to say, this is quite worrying. Is this an alignment issue? Possibly damage to the car causing it? The previous owner was rear ended requiring replacement of the bumper support.

DISCUSSION (23)

For Sweden > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 13:16

Kinja'd!!!

There's no shame in driving a twerk vehicle.

505Turbeaux > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 13:20

so how rusty of a climate do you live in? If much those rear ends are absolutely terrible to take apart once the cancer sets in

Do-Rif-To > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 13:22

Woah, were you driving South on I-87 last Friday afternoon by any chance? I noticed a dark wagon start twerking hard while I was passing it, I noped out so hard that I didn't catch exactly what model it was. It looked like the ass end was passing over a washboard road while cruising in the middle lane.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 13:24

Could be a broken shock, that would cause the tire to bounce and react really weird when loaded, ie no dampening action for the spring. I drove a truck with blown shocks and it was freaky how bad it was, the suspension would load up in a corner then bounce back midway through the turn. Should be pretty easy to do a visual to make sure everything is still connected under there like the sway bar, springs and control arms.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 13:24

Rear sway bar possibly? at the very least a bushing or link.

computiNATEor > For Sweden
04/07/2015 at 13:25

Maybe it's just confirmation bias, but is this a Toyota thing? My dad's Tundra broke both rear taillights and the tailgate latches with similar motions on a bumpy dirt road. Thankfully, a hit and run accident later and the insurance took care of it!

Buick Mackane > For Sweden
04/07/2015 at 14:35

Is that a Toyota pickup or a Chevy?

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8
04/07/2015 at 15:16

The rear links and bushings were replaced just last week, so I would be surprised if this was the case

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
04/07/2015 at 15:17

This is what I thought, causing me to have shocks, springs, and bushings to all be replaced last week. Problem still there.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Do-Rif-To
04/07/2015 at 15:18

I dont believe so, my Wagon is red and I live in the Detroit area, I am not entirely sure where I-87 is.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > 505Turbeaux
04/07/2015 at 15:19

Detroit climate man. . . Rust belt is best belt. And yes, I found this out the hard way last week trying to replace shocks and struts. Shop I took it to for this to be done with air tools couldn't even get it apart, had to cut bolts out with a torch. But the whole front and rear suspension is new, still twerkin like it's in college.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > For Sweden
04/07/2015 at 15:20

Dat chassis flex.

505Turbeaux > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 15:21

that aint right, did it get put back together incorrectly? Some sort of bastard coil spring helper in there?

Do-Rif-To > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 16:09

Haha nevermind then, I thought at a glance that the plate was an old school NY plate! Carry on the twerking Ms. Cyrus.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 16:49

Read this link:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/wheels-t…

But to summarize:

1. start with getting a 4 wheel alignment done. I did that on my own Focus and it made a huge difference. I believe a tie rod or two was replaced in the past. You're supposed to get an alignment done after replacing a tie rod, but many people cheap out on that.

2. Rear shocks/bushings.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/07/2015 at 17:09

Unfortunately, I just did all of these things less than a week ago through a trusted shop :/

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > 505Turbeaux
04/07/2015 at 17:10

I don't believe so. It was all done by a trusted shop with all new parts. I'm thinking frame damage.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 17:40

If you have replaced all the rear bushings (for both the sway bar and control arms), replaced the shocks and did the alignment, then look at other things like sagging springs, wheel bearings or defective/worn tires.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 17:50

And look at the bright side, at least the rear suspension isn't doing this:

Kinja'd!!!

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/07/2015 at 18:02

Thats remarkably close. . .

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/07/2015 at 18:03

Springs are new as well, maybe it is wheel bearings?

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
04/07/2015 at 18:43

Well a wheel bearings usually gets noisy before they fail... like a train going down the tracks kind of sound. But in that link, replacing one of the wheel bearings fixed a similar issue for some.

I would go back to the shop, describe what is happening, reiterate everything that has been replaced so far (since they may not remember) and ask them what else could it be.

And mention that you saw a thread of a Ford Focus forum where replacing the wheel bearing (passenger side one in your case) fixed the issue for some.

Oh and here is a DIY link on how to replace it yourself... though even if you don't you can see how everything goes together:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/brakes-s…

And of course, don't discount the possibility of a bad tire/wheel.

The easy way to see is if it's a tire/wheel issue is swap the location of the tires... put the passenger-side rear tire on the front driver-side (and vice versa). And also put the passenger-side front on the driver-side rear (and vice versa).

If the problem changes where now the issue is when you turn left, then you may have a tire/wheel issue. If the problem doesn't 'follow the tires', then it's something else... and you now have just rotated your tires... one less thing to do in the near future.

Oh and while you're swapping tires, make sure your wheel studs look good and aren't damaged/bent/cracked in any way.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/07/2015 at 19:20

Probably not wheel bearings, since no noise, but I will try switching wheel location and inspecting studs. Thanks for the advice.