Steering Vibrations?

[steve_earwig]

Grab it & move it about, I'd imagine that the most wear would be at the angle it normally sits at so it'd go loose around there & tight elsewhere.

[jasper5]

There are 2 ways to check the inner joint.....
Start the engine, get someone to shake the steering gently side to side whilst you feel the inner joint with your hand on the track rod (tie rod), you should feel the play in it if there is any.
The other way to check is to jack up the car safely and hold the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock, shake the wheel in and out to feel the play...do this after the track rod end has been replaced or you may get a false impression.

If this is the fault causing the vibration there will be large amounts of play in the inner joints and will be fairly obvious when you check it. (same with the track rod end...tie rod end).

[steve_earwig]

Note to self - leave the complikated stuff to the professionals

I wonder what the chances are that the tester has mistaken play in the track rod for play in the end.

[Bailes1992]

I've been talking to a few people also hours of googling and wear on the track rod or track rod ends can cause vibration. This is because the wheel tried to drift away and the car naturally tries to bring it back. It seems all my wear is in the outer track rod.
I am at the moment considering buying inner track rods just incase, they are around £40 a pair. I guess they just unscrew and screw back in?
I just had a peak under the car and everything does seem a little dirty, so going to have to put a little bit of penetrating fluid on everything every few days for the next few weeks till I get round to sorting everything ...

[FarmerPug]

Is the rear suspension of the focus, a bitch to set up correctly if it gets out of line?

[Bailes1992]

Is the rear suspension of the focus, a bitch to set up correctly if it gets out of line?

I don't know, havent delved that deeply into researching it yet, thats next years job
It's very similar to the 406.

[FarmerPug]

Thats something i noticed when a focus was parked beside my 406 the back suspension looks the same. That means the handling of the 406 is great.

[Bailes1992]

Thats something i noticed when a focus was parked beside my 406 the back suspension looks the same. That means the handling of the 406 is great.

I could never get my 406 to lift off though

[FarmerPug]

believe me they will do it, and easier then youd think. You need a hdi saloon, with a strut brace it seem to be even easier.

[Bailes1992]

believe me they will do it, and easier then youd think. You need a hdi saloon, with a strut brace it seem to be even easier.

I did it once on a soakign wet round about chasing a mate and the police saw me
I had the receipt for my suspension work in the car and said the handling charecteristcs of the car have changed and I didn't know

[FarmerPug]

The first time i experienced lift off in my car was the first day i drove it, 60mph crusie control on, never having it before i wasnt completley sure of how it worked, and being a 406 and not my old clio at 60 i was relaxing into a nice cruise in my new car, come to a roundabout completly oblivious to the fact i was doing 60, went to go round it and the tail swang wide, luckily there was no one to see this spectacle, and luckily i was able to control it. But in the recent snow my car seems to be quite happy at lift off without the handbrake. All i know is its an enjoyable car to drive, and id love to get it onto a track, and perhaps with a v6 one to make the best use of the chasis, the hdi isnt really putting out enough power to make use of the good chasis. Wheras on the other hand vauxhall give their diesel vectra 150bhp and its completley incapable of going round bends, id rather be underpowered with good handling, then overpowered and bad handling.

[Bailes1992]

Note to self - leave the complikated stuff to the professionals

I wonder what the chances are that the tester has mistaken play in the track rod for play in the end.

You were right

Just got two new inner track rods, now need a tool to remove them and two new zip ties for the boot.
Not sure weather I can just use plastic tie wraps like I did with the CV boot on the 406

[FarmerPug]

it depends on if they have to resist heat.