Bobberoo’s Ford Fetish Thread (Warning: Contains Peanut)
Discussion
And so to part3.....
Front lower control arms and drop links, i was on a roll what with the wrong air filter and the oil for the services not turning up!!
I went for middle of the road cost wise for the parts, £70.45 for all four parts with a 2yr guarantee.
You can pay half as much or more than twice as much, but the supplier from ebay had good feedback and with the guarantee i'm happy enough.
So then, "jack up your car" yep that's now the right thing to do, car jacked up, on axel stand and wheel off in under a minute, why, oh why, oh why have i waited so long to but an impact wrench?!?!?
Tools you'll need are 15mm & 17mm ratchet spanner, 20mm spanner, 5mm allen key, 15mm & 18mm sockets and ratchet, a nammer, cleaner and rags, sweary vocabulary, patience and thread locker,
So wheel off it's time to undo "stuff", i started by removing the nut from the ball joint, 20mm spanner, and seperating the ball joint from the taper, nammer, then remove the two rear bolts from the rear bush mount of the control arm, 15mm socket, and finally the long bolt through the front bush, 18mm socket, then wrestle the control arm out, clean up the mounting points and taper for the ball joint in the upright, and now the fun begins............no, no it doesn't!!!
Push the new control arm into place and insert the ball joint into the taper, now is the time to apply thread locker to the bolts, and insert one of the rear bolts, manipulate it about a bit, swear at it, hit it, swear at it some more, remove the bolt and control arm and question it's parentage, replace the arm and hit/wrestle/swear at it until you can finally get one of the bolts in, and then take a breather, now you can try to get the other rear bush bolt in, good luck, swearing helps, as does jiggling the arm around until you can finally get the other bolt to start!!!
Now insert the long bolt through the front bush, more swearing and manipulating, and tighten up the three bolts, replace the nut on the ball joint thread and tighten that, it may be necessary to jack the ball joing up to stop the ball joint from spinning.
And finally the drop links, make sure you use a ratchet spanner and get it onto the nut before pushing the 5mm allen key into the socket in the center of the bolt!!
remove the upper and lower nut from the drop link, remove the link and replace by doing the reverse of above!!
The old control arm was pretty shot and this would explain the knocking!!
So just the servicing left to do on them both, if there's any interest I'll do the same for that as well!!!
Front lower control arms and drop links, i was on a roll what with the wrong air filter and the oil for the services not turning up!!
I went for middle of the road cost wise for the parts, £70.45 for all four parts with a 2yr guarantee.
You can pay half as much or more than twice as much, but the supplier from ebay had good feedback and with the guarantee i'm happy enough.
So then, "jack up your car" yep that's now the right thing to do, car jacked up, on axel stand and wheel off in under a minute, why, oh why, oh why have i waited so long to but an impact wrench?!?!?
Tools you'll need are 15mm & 17mm ratchet spanner, 20mm spanner, 5mm allen key, 15mm & 18mm sockets and ratchet, a nammer, cleaner and rags, sweary vocabulary, patience and thread locker,
So wheel off it's time to undo "stuff", i started by removing the nut from the ball joint, 20mm spanner, and seperating the ball joint from the taper, nammer, then remove the two rear bolts from the rear bush mount of the control arm, 15mm socket, and finally the long bolt through the front bush, 18mm socket, then wrestle the control arm out, clean up the mounting points and taper for the ball joint in the upright, and now the fun begins............no, no it doesn't!!!
Push the new control arm into place and insert the ball joint into the taper, now is the time to apply thread locker to the bolts, and insert one of the rear bolts, manipulate it about a bit, swear at it, hit it, swear at it some more, remove the bolt and control arm and question it's parentage, replace the arm and hit/wrestle/swear at it until you can finally get one of the bolts in, and then take a breather, now you can try to get the other rear bush bolt in, good luck, swearing helps, as does jiggling the arm around until you can finally get the other bolt to start!!!
Now insert the long bolt through the front bush, more swearing and manipulating, and tighten up the three bolts, replace the nut on the ball joint thread and tighten that, it may be necessary to jack the ball joing up to stop the ball joint from spinning.
And finally the drop links, make sure you use a ratchet spanner and get it onto the nut before pushing the 5mm allen key into the socket in the center of the bolt!!
remove the upper and lower nut from the drop link, remove the link and replace by doing the reverse of above!!
The old control arm was pretty shot and this would explain the knocking!!
So just the servicing left to do on them both, if there's any interest I'll do the same for that as well!!!
Edited by Bobberoo99 on Monday 17th August 22:25
bungz said:
Does the focus have a pump in the tank?
If so that's cheating the mondeo doesn't have one and is a pig to bleed!
See how you get on with the cheap arms, balljoints lasted about 12 months for me which was disappointing but not unexpected.
In hindsight I would have bought ones with bolt on ball joints over the riveted ones as that's what failed on mine.
To be honest I'd already done the arms and links on the old(older) Focus so knew that cheap control arms are a big no, no!! These are guaranteed for a couple of years and considering I only do around 5k a year I'm fairly confident I'll get at least 3yrs out of them, I bought the same ones for the other Focus and we've done around 40k on those over 4 years and they're only just starting to knock, as for the pump it's a diesel so I don't know I presumed that there was one as the system needs pressure to work, hence the priming by turning the ignition on three times to pressurise and air purge the filter.If so that's cheating the mondeo doesn't have one and is a pig to bleed!
See how you get on with the cheap arms, balljoints lasted about 12 months for me which was disappointing but not unexpected.
In hindsight I would have bought ones with bolt on ball joints over the riveted ones as that's what failed on mine.
An unscheduled part4....
Today's the first time I've had the under tray off the new(old) Focus to change the oil and oil filter, it's not good when the first thing you notice is this!!!!
Some f
king halfwit, ham fisted spanner monkey has jacked the car/engine up with the sump, it's quite badly deformed but is still sound, it's creased where the sump plug screws in but fortunately it still seals, looks like a new sump is on the cards at some point!! 
Still I've changed the oil and filter, I always use Castrol Magnatec A5 which is specifically for Ford engines, so at least that's the Rioja Blue Racing Focus all done now, yes, yes I know I still have the air filter to replace!!!
Just the old(old) Focus to service now!!!
Today's the first time I've had the under tray off the new(old) Focus to change the oil and oil filter, it's not good when the first thing you notice is this!!!!
Some f
king halfwit, ham fisted spanner monkey has jacked the car/engine up with the sump, it's quite badly deformed but is still sound, it's creased where the sump plug screws in but fortunately it still seals, looks like a new sump is on the cards at some point!! Still I've changed the oil and filter, I always use Castrol Magnatec A5 which is specifically for Ford engines, so at least that's the Rioja Blue Racing Focus all done now, yes, yes I know I still have the air filter to replace!!!
Just the old(old) Focus to service now!!!
StuntmanMike said:
Bobberoo99 said:
Scrump said:
A fella should just put the undertray back and pretend he didn’t see that.
She factree!!! 
Secondary unscheduled update part4b!!!
When using the piggyback fuse fir the dashcam installation, only use the fuse slot closest to the blades, or the bottom one if you like, apparently the upper of the two fuse slots is only there for sts and giggles, first proper drive since installing it and I had both airbag and seatbelt warning lights on the dash, moved the fuse to the lower slot and they went away!!!
When using the piggyback fuse fir the dashcam installation, only use the fuse slot closest to the blades, or the bottom one if you like, apparently the upper of the two fuse slots is only there for s
ts and giggles, first proper drive since installing it and I had both airbag and seatbelt warning lights on the dash, moved the fuse to the lower slot and they went away!!! Yet another sodding unscheduled update part4bV2.1c
Turns out that the piggyback fuse holder is fooked, there's no power coming out of it!!!
So rather than mess about ripping it all out, opening a return to Amazon and generally pissing about I've ordered some replacements from Amazon, there's four of them for £5.99, surely one of them will work!!!!
Turns out that the piggyback fuse holder is fooked, there's no power coming out of it!!!
So rather than mess about ripping it all out, opening a return to Amazon and generally pissing about I've ordered some replacements from Amazon, there's four of them for £5.99, surely one of them will work!!!!
RazerSauber said:
Bobberoo99 said:
Yet another sodding unscheduled update part4bV2.1c
Turns out that the piggyback fuse holder is fooked, there's no power coming out of it!!!
So rather than mess about ripping it all out, opening a return to Amazon and generally pissing about I've ordered some replacements from Amazon, there's four of them for £5.99, surely one of them will work!!!!
when I've installed hard wired dash cams, there's usually a grey 1 or 2a fuse in 1 slot and then the fuse you're replacing goes in the other slot. i think the wire from the piggyback connector is only wired up to one side and the 5/10/15A etc fuse just links back down in the same way it always didTurns out that the piggyback fuse holder is fooked, there's no power coming out of it!!!
So rather than mess about ripping it all out, opening a return to Amazon and generally pissing about I've ordered some replacements from Amazon, there's four of them for £5.99, surely one of them will work!!!!
bungz said:
Saw in Eyersey1234 thread you wanted the etis info on your Focus (Blue one)
Minor Features
Less Underfloor Stowage No.2
Saarlouis Plant Built
Security Lock Group #6
Less Special Equipment Package
Convenience Group No.3
Less Marketing Flex Prep Pack
Marketing Level 1
Less Tyre Repair Service Kit
With Auto Closing Windows
Power Front Windows One Touch Up/Do
Power Rear Window One Shot Up/Down
With Privacy Glass
Less Windshield Heat Shielding
With Heated Windscreen
Less Console Ashtray
With Cooled Glove Box
With Short Floor Console
Int Env Colour - Medium Dark Flint
Interior Feature Colour - Ebony
Front Floor Carpet Mats
Less Sun Blinds
With Load Floor Carpet
With Cargo Area Mgmt System Level 1
Roof Rack - Aluminium
With Electrochromic R/View Mirror
Dual Power Htd Signal Mirrors
With Rear Center Head Restraint
With Drivers Manual Lumbar Support
Less Passenger Seat Lumbar Support
Less Temp Control Driver Seat
Less Temp Control Passengers Seat
With Driver 4 Way Mnl.Seat Adjuster
With Pass 2 Way Manual Seat Adjust
Less Trailer Coupling
Ignition Flip Key With Remote Unit
With Second Remote Ign Flip Key
With Door Dead Locks
With Door Entry Remote Control Unit
Less Keyless Entry System
With Automatic Windscreen Wiper
With Heated Washer Jet
Less Headlamp Washer/Wiper
Less Sun Roof
Air Curtain Restraint LH
Air Curtain Restraint RH
With Driver Air Bag
With Passenger Air Bag
With Side Air Bag - Drivers Side
With Side Air Bag - Passenger Side
Less Isofix Hard Point Attach
With Steel Spare Wheel
With Standard Rear Shock Absorbers
7.0 X 16" 20 Spoke Aluminium Wheels
205/55VR-16 BSW Tyre
Locking Wheel Nuts
With Standard Suspension
With Rear Disc Brakes
With Brake Emergency Assist
With IVD/Traction Control/ABS
Less Skid Plates
Sports Front Seat
With Fixed Foot Pedals
Steering Wheel - 3 Spoke Leather
Less Speed Control
With Supplemental Air Heater
With Instrument Cluster - Rheostat
Less Tyre Inflation Monitor
Thatcham Catergory 1 Alarm System
Less Rear Parking Aid
Less Front Parking Aid
With A/V Jack
Less Bluetooth
High Level With CD And AM/FM Radio
Ice Feature Pack 6
With 8 High Series Radio Speakers
Less Telephone Preparation Pack
Less Voice Activated Modules
With Column Stalk Radio Controls
Less Power Point Plug
With Auto Headlamps
With Halogen Headlamp
Less Daytime Running Lamps
With Front Fog Lamps
With Black Headlamp Bezels
With Footwell Lights
Tail lamps - Level 1
With Automatic Headlamp Control
WOW!!!! Thanks bungz, if we ever meet up i'll buy you a pint!!! Really appreciate you taking the time to do this for me!!! Minor Features
Less Underfloor Stowage No.2
Saarlouis Plant Built
Security Lock Group #6
Less Special Equipment Package
Convenience Group No.3
Less Marketing Flex Prep Pack
Marketing Level 1
Less Tyre Repair Service Kit
With Auto Closing Windows
Power Front Windows One Touch Up/Do
Power Rear Window One Shot Up/Down
With Privacy Glass
Less Windshield Heat Shielding
With Heated Windscreen
Less Console Ashtray
With Cooled Glove Box
With Short Floor Console
Int Env Colour - Medium Dark Flint
Interior Feature Colour - Ebony
Front Floor Carpet Mats
Less Sun Blinds
With Load Floor Carpet
With Cargo Area Mgmt System Level 1
Roof Rack - Aluminium
With Electrochromic R/View Mirror
Dual Power Htd Signal Mirrors
With Rear Center Head Restraint
With Drivers Manual Lumbar Support
Less Passenger Seat Lumbar Support
Less Temp Control Driver Seat
Less Temp Control Passengers Seat
With Driver 4 Way Mnl.Seat Adjuster
With Pass 2 Way Manual Seat Adjust
Less Trailer Coupling
Ignition Flip Key With Remote Unit
With Second Remote Ign Flip Key
With Door Dead Locks
With Door Entry Remote Control Unit
Less Keyless Entry System
With Automatic Windscreen Wiper
With Heated Washer Jet
Less Headlamp Washer/Wiper
Less Sun Roof
Air Curtain Restraint LH
Air Curtain Restraint RH
With Driver Air Bag
With Passenger Air Bag
With Side Air Bag - Drivers Side
With Side Air Bag - Passenger Side
Less Isofix Hard Point Attach
With Steel Spare Wheel
With Standard Rear Shock Absorbers
7.0 X 16" 20 Spoke Aluminium Wheels
205/55VR-16 BSW Tyre
Locking Wheel Nuts
With Standard Suspension
With Rear Disc Brakes
With Brake Emergency Assist
With IVD/Traction Control/ABS
Less Skid Plates
Sports Front Seat
With Fixed Foot Pedals
Steering Wheel - 3 Spoke Leather
Less Speed Control
With Supplemental Air Heater
With Instrument Cluster - Rheostat
Less Tyre Inflation Monitor
Thatcham Catergory 1 Alarm System
Less Rear Parking Aid
Less Front Parking Aid
With A/V Jack
Less Bluetooth
High Level With CD And AM/FM Radio
Ice Feature Pack 6
With 8 High Series Radio Speakers
Less Telephone Preparation Pack
Less Voice Activated Modules
With Column Stalk Radio Controls
Less Power Point Plug
With Auto Headlamps
With Halogen Headlamp
Less Daytime Running Lamps
With Front Fog Lamps
With Black Headlamp Bezels
With Footwell Lights
Tail lamps - Level 1
With Automatic Headlamp Control
bungz said:
Two sec job on etis 
Site makes out you cannot sign up but just sign up as an independent and blag it.
Used to allow you to look at all service manuals, wants to charge by the hour for it all now
Still buy you a pint at some time!! Site makes out you cannot sign up but just sign up as an independent and blag it.
Used to allow you to look at all service manuals, wants to charge by the hour for it all now
I'm trying to find out how to get together the parts to add both Bluetooth and telephone to the existing Sony headunit, but information is patchy at best!!
Good luck with the wet belt, it's apparently a st of a job and according to the specialist who did mine the gasket sealant is only available from Ford!!!
I think I've found the required parts, after posting earlier a complete set has turned up on eBay, I need to pull the glovebox to see what's behind it and also to remove the now useless Pure 600 that refuses to connect to DAB since installing my dashcam!! Stationary it works, once moving it's continually dropping out, if I can get the upgrade bits for the existing Sony i'll happily keep it, the sound is very good for a standard setup, i'd just like the phone connectivity, the set I've found on eBay also gives me USB input so that's a bonus!!! I just need to find out if there's a microphone already in the car, I think that's just a case of prizing the surround off with the lights in between the sun visors!!
t of a job and according to the specialist who did mine the gasket sealant is only available from Ford!!! I think I've found the required parts, after posting earlier a complete set has turned up on eBay, I need to pull the glovebox to see what's behind it and also to remove the now useless Pure 600 that refuses to connect to DAB since installing my dashcam!!
Stationary it works, once moving it's continually dropping out, if I can get the upgrade bits for the existing Sony i'll happily keep it, the sound is very good for a standard setup, i'd just like the phone connectivity, the set I've found on eBay also gives me USB input so that's a bonus!!! I just need to find out if there's a microphone already in the car, I think that's just a case of prizing the surround off with the lights in between the sun visors!! bungz said:
If you are dead set on OEM then go for it.
The OEM DAB aerial only works with the ford units though as the unit powers the aerial, a aftermarket aerial usually takes a feed from a switched live.
My feeling is bar the making the aerial hole a bit bigger aftermarket stuff will likely be a better, the signal I got off my £30 amazon DAB aerial was unreal, great DAB signal everywhere in the UK.
Let me know how you get on.
This is the third wet belt I will have done. I don't know why I do it to myself, very strange form of OCD
I believe the words you're looking for are "Glutton for punishment!!" The OEM DAB aerial only works with the ford units though as the unit powers the aerial, a aftermarket aerial usually takes a feed from a switched live.
My feeling is bar the making the aerial hole a bit bigger aftermarket stuff will likely be a better, the signal I got off my £30 amazon DAB aerial was unreal, great DAB signal everywhere in the UK.
Let me know how you get on.
This is the third wet belt I will have done. I don't know why I do it to myself, very strange form of OCD
I'm not really interested in DAB to be honest, I just want to add more connectivity to the existing set up, it's perfectly adequate audio wise for my needs, i'm now over 50 so I really should start to grow up at some point, for a bit more depth it's easy to add a sub to the existing stuff, it's just the phone and connectivity i'm after!!
So then, it appears that my cunning fix of adding a ferrite magnet to the dashcam wiring didn't fix the DAB dropping out issue!!!
So there's only one thing for it..........that's right, throw money at the problem!!!
I decided that the answer to the problem was to either go OEM upgrade which you do by buying a correct bluetooth hands free and USB module, leads and microphone to add to the existing Sony headunit, not too difficult to research what's needed and find it on Ebay, the cost though for used modules and leads soon adds up, the correct module alone is around £100!!! So that was a non starter, I then decided to change the headunit, having done many, many, many audio installs over the years this didn't concern me, it's all just plug and play these days, my choice of headunit is the Pioneer FH-S820DAB which gives me all the connectivity I want and DAB, plus the Connects2 Focus dedicated fitting kit, total cost was a shade under £208!!!
And so to fitting it, first jack up your car , started by removing the old Pure Highway 600, then removed the fascia around the headunit,I used a plastic scraper for this, it just needs to be prised away from the edges working from the top down.
Next remove the four screws which hold the unit into the dash, and pull out and disconnect the CanBus and aerial, leaving a substantial hole!!!!
The fitting kit has a loom adapter, and a stalk control module, connect the looms together and add the stalk control adapter which ends in a 3.5mm jack plug which just plugs into the back of the new headunit, plug the harness into the back at the same time, you need to run the DAB aerial and microphone up the A pillar and across the top of the windscreen, I chose to use the drivers side due to the issues I'd had with the dashcam being run up the passenger side, you can just make out the DAB aerial on the right and the microphone on the left.
After plugging in the aerial and microphone check everything works as it should, then unplug everything, attach the brackets from the fitting kit to the sides of the headunit and reattach all the cables, there's an insert which goes over the front of the headunit and butts up against the brackets, it took a few attempts to get the unit to sit nicely in the aperture and some cables had to be pushed around some, but it eventually sat where I wanted it and was then screwed into place and the fascia replaced, and that's it job finished!!!
I've paired my phone with it, made a call and done some of the settings, but still a bit to do to get it looking and sounding how I want, but already very pleased with it!!!
So there's only one thing for it..........that's right, throw money at the problem!!!
I decided that the answer to the problem was to either go OEM upgrade which you do by buying a correct bluetooth hands free and USB module, leads and microphone to add to the existing Sony headunit, not too difficult to research what's needed and find it on Ebay, the cost though for used modules and leads soon adds up, the correct module alone is around £100!!! So that was a non starter, I then decided to change the headunit, having done many, many, many audio installs over the years this didn't concern me, it's all just plug and play these days, my choice of headunit is the Pioneer FH-S820DAB which gives me all the connectivity I want and DAB, plus the Connects2 Focus dedicated fitting kit, total cost was a shade under £208!!!
And so to fitting it,
, started by removing the old Pure Highway 600, then removed the fascia around the headunit,I used a plastic scraper for this, it just needs to be prised away from the edges working from the top down.Next remove the four screws which hold the unit into the dash, and pull out and disconnect the CanBus and aerial, leaving a substantial hole!!!!
The fitting kit has a loom adapter, and a stalk control module, connect the looms together and add the stalk control adapter which ends in a 3.5mm jack plug which just plugs into the back of the new headunit, plug the harness into the back at the same time, you need to run the DAB aerial and microphone up the A pillar and across the top of the windscreen, I chose to use the drivers side due to the issues I'd had with the dashcam being run up the passenger side, you can just make out the DAB aerial on the right and the microphone on the left.
After plugging in the aerial and microphone check everything works as it should, then unplug everything, attach the brackets from the fitting kit to the sides of the headunit and reattach all the cables, there's an insert which goes over the front of the headunit and butts up against the brackets, it took a few attempts to get the unit to sit nicely in the aperture and some cables had to be pushed around some, but it eventually sat where I wanted it and was then screwed into place and the fascia replaced, and that's it job finished!!!
I've paired my phone with it, made a call and done some of the settings, but still a bit to do to get it looking and sounding how I want, but already very pleased with it!!!
bungz said:
Ha very jazzy!
One of the great things about the Mk2 focus and the Mk4 mondeo is they have a lovely double din housing giving you loads of options to upgrade.
How are you finding the signal on the screen aerial? I don't want to drill out holes in my roof again so would go down that route if it works.
On the note of sound I went through 2 or 3 head units as I didn't like the sound, far too bright with the tweeters high up ( a expensive JVC especially was awful).
Went back to Sony and it sounded great again, guess something in the original unit and speakers being sony sourced.
Well it only went in last night so i haven't had a chance to test much of it!!! One of the great things about the Mk2 focus and the Mk4 mondeo is they have a lovely double din housing giving you loads of options to upgrade.
How are you finding the signal on the screen aerial? I don't want to drill out holes in my roof again so would go down that route if it works.
On the note of sound I went through 2 or 3 head units as I didn't like the sound, far too bright with the tweeters high up ( a expensive JVC especially was awful).
Went back to Sony and it sounded great again, guess something in the original unit and speakers being sony sourced.
Edited by bungz on Wednesday 16th September 10:25
It sounds ok, but not as deep or warm as the original Sony set up, but i'll have a play with the loudness setting, the 13 band EQ and the time alignment and see how it shapes up, i'll be adding a JBL Basspro hub at some point so depth won't really be an issue!!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff