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Hi guys, really pissed off just now. (car is a Y reg Fiesta ZS)
Tried to lower my car tonight, and on the first corner I jacked it up etc, started to undo the lower mount. It was really tight but was coming out, I then heard a loud ping, wasnt sure what it was so carried on 'undoing' the nut.
Spent ages at it trying to undo it thinking it was just a long/fine thread. No. I looked up the axle at the captive nut, which, instead of sitting as its meant to was sitting at a jaunty angle and in the bottom of the box section was some swarf. Yep the remains of the threads. No matter which way I turn it nothing moves it just rotates where it is.
Passed my test and collected my car three weeks ago and already I ****ing hate motoring and my ZS.
Is a new rear axle my option?
Tried to lower my car tonight, and on the first corner I jacked it up etc, started to undo the lower mount. It was really tight but was coming out, I then heard a loud ping, wasnt sure what it was so carried on 'undoing' the nut.
Spent ages at it trying to undo it thinking it was just a long/fine thread. No. I looked up the axle at the captive nut, which, instead of sitting as its meant to was sitting at a jaunty angle and in the bottom of the box section was some swarf. Yep the remains of the threads. No matter which way I turn it nothing moves it just rotates where it is.
Passed my test and collected my car three weeks ago and already I ****ing hate motoring and my ZS.
Is a new rear axle my option?
skene said:
hornetrider said:
How much extra on your insurance is it to lower the car? Must be quite a lot for a new driver?
Phoned them up asked the drop and they weren't concerned. They noted it and said they'd phone back.
Where are you based? 
Shame you fiddled with it, the Zetec S was an absolutely superb little b road car on its standard suspension. A company I used to work for had one in the car pool. I would always take that over preference to the mondeos and vectras of the same age.
Lowering them is a huge mistake IMO. You'd be far better off refreshing the bushes instead.
Lowering them is a huge mistake IMO. You'd be far better off refreshing the bushes instead.
The insurance company weren't bothered because they knew he'd f
k it up and be off the road for a while!
Only kidding OP; get some pictures on here and hopefully you'll get some advice to get you back on the road again. By the way, the Fiesta is a decent little car and handles fairly well in its unmolested state. Leave the lowering to the Barry Boys and enjoy the driving!
k it up and be off the road for a while!Only kidding OP; get some pictures on here and hopefully you'll get some advice to get you back on the road again. By the way, the Fiesta is a decent little car and handles fairly well in its unmolested state. Leave the lowering to the Barry Boys and enjoy the driving!
skene said:
Tried to lower my car tonight, and on the first corner I jacked it up etc, started to undo the lower mount. It was really tight but was coming out, I then heard a loud ping, wasnt sure what it was so carried on 'undoing' the nut.
The masochistic hobby of replacing 4 springs on a car is not my idea of fun, even with a hydraulic spring compressor to do the front struts..EDLT said:
By lower mount, do you mean the bottom bolt on the damper?
If it is, I think you can cut the knackered bolt off and use a normal nut + bolt. Assuming you can get a spanner in (my memory of the back end of a fiesta is a bit hazy).
I do yeah, This was my thought but the access will be tricky. It's worth a shot though! Would a normal nut and bolt be sufficient or would it need to be Hi-Tensile?If it is, I think you can cut the knackered bolt off and use a normal nut + bolt. Assuming you can get a spanner in (my memory of the back end of a fiesta is a bit hazy).
Skene, if you can give a better description of exactly what bolt it is you have snapped it will help.
I spent 9 long years dealing with this ste.
I, along with Thinforth are pretty close and usually I would pop by, no probs but I am going offshore on Sunday so it might be a struggle unfortunatly.
Edit for speeling.
I spent 9 long years dealing with this s
te.I, along with Thinforth are pretty close and usually I would pop by, no probs but I am going offshore on Sunday so it might be a struggle unfortunatly.
Edit for speeling.
Ok lads. The bottom bolt that goes through the bush and into a captive nut on the inside of the box section that is the axle. Following? Well the captive nut isnt so much a nut, more a circular block thats threaded and tac welded on to the axle box section.
The 'captive block' instead of sitting at flush at 90 degrees to the box section, has moved from the flush to sitting at more of an angle with the top side about 3 mm from the flush. This has then damaged the threads inside the block and the stud.
Not making much sense sorry.
Just drew this photo, might help. Black is the box section of the axle, green the shock absorber, blue the stud and the st colour is the captive whatsit
The 'captive block' instead of sitting at flush at 90 degrees to the box section, has moved from the flush to sitting at more of an angle with the top side about 3 mm from the flush. This has then damaged the threads inside the block and the stud.
Not making much sense sorry.
Just drew this photo, might help. Black is the box section of the axle, green the shock absorber, blue the stud and the s
t colour is the captive whatsitEdited by skene on Friday 20th May 22:45
Edited by skene on Friday 20th May 22:48
I suspect that the bolt has seized into the shock absorber bush, hence why it has pushed the captive nut off. I'd consider using a grinder to chop the head off the bolt and then drifting the remains into the cavity as long as there's enough room to receive it. I wouldn't use a high tensile bolt to replace it because this one needs to be strong in shear. Replace the captive nut with a nyloc or use thread locking compound.
I'd leave the springs alone, on the basis that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'; once you start using it, a car of that age will probably present enough jobs by itself without you needing to invent additional ones.
I'd leave the springs alone, on the basis that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'; once you start using it, a car of that age will probably present enough jobs by itself without you needing to invent additional ones.
Eggman said:
I suspect that the bolt has seized into the shock absorber bush, hence why it has pushed the captive nut off. I'd consider using a grinder to chop the head off the bolt and then drifting the remains into the cavity as long as there's enough room to receive it. I wouldn't use a high tensile bolt to replace it because this one needs to be strong in shear. Replace the captive nut with a nyloc or use thread locking compound.
I'd leave the springs alone, on the basis that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'; once you start using it, a car of that age will probably present enough jobs by itself without you needing to invent additional ones.
This. To echo earlier comments by people, leave the suspension alone on these motors also. They are great handling cars as standard and lowering springs (in my experience anyway) are a false economy and have never helped handling. Only thing that has helped have been full coilovers, and they aren't nice to live with everyday on our pothole ridden roads.I'd leave the springs alone, on the basis that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'; once you start using it, a car of that age will probably present enough jobs by itself without you needing to invent additional ones.
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