Hassen's Ford Focus 1.6 Tdci Build Thread

[sonic113]

Others might be able to chip in but I think the soundproofing that's in the diesel would fit the petrol. Don't quote me on it though. Also, maybe an engine cover if you don't have it already. I am not sure that Silent Coat would cut down a lot of engine noise. It will stop vibrations from entering the cabin though.

Thanks Hanssen

it probably will fit, I will check the local scrap yards to see what they have. :)

[Lenny]

Is there a small sound proofing kit available that i could just do the boot compartment with?

Would help the sub aswell as block out the sound from the exhaust in the back seat, its not loud but it rumbles.

Also how much was shipping on the custom sub enclosure?

[Hassen]

The Silent Coat comes in various size. I went about with just the subwoofer for a good few months and no Silent Coat. My advice is save the money now, have just the subwoofer and an external amplifier. Then buy the Bulk Pack down tge line when you decide to upgrade the Speakers as in the doors it makes a very big difference in midbass. Trust me when I say that the sub packs a punch for its small size :)

[Lenny]

The Silent Coat comes in various size. I went about with just the subwoofer for a good few months and no Silent Coat. My advice is save the money now, have just the subwoofer and an external amplifier. Then buy the Bulk Pack down tge line when you decide to upgrade the speakers as in the doors it makes a very big difference in midbass. Trust me when I say that the sub packs a punch for its small size :)

Sounds good pardon the pun

Roll on December purchase meself a kit,

[Hassen]

Small update:

Had the car serviced as usual at the Ford garage near work. Had to foot a pretty big bill in the end, which I wasn't really expected. Apparently tyres were all gone on four corners. Got just over 32,000 miles on a set of Federal Super Steel tyres. I think they did already in terms of wear with my motorway/national road driving. In terms of comfort/noise level and grip in the wet, they were average. In the dry they were good. I decided not to go with the same brand and the deciding factors were that they were very noisy on the motorway and the fuel economy were not great. Ford dealership gave me a discount on 4 Avon ZV5 which was better than the local tyre fitters. First drive on the motorway was so much quieter than the previous tyres. Wet and dry grip is good and the car is much more comfortable over bumps etc now. Happy with my purchase but now kinda tempted to get a new set of alloy wheels as my current ones are kerbed and after seeing the alloys on the guys cars at the FOC Ireland meet, I want an upgrade!

Now to decide of next upgrade:

1. New set of 17" alloy wheels

or

2. Bilstein Eibach B12 kit - shocks and springs

Thoughts?

[Lenny]

kinda tempted to get a new set of alloy wheels as my current ones are kerbed and after seeing the alloys on the guys cars at the FOC Ireland meet, I want an upgrade!

Now to decide of next upgrade:

1. New set of 17" alloy wheels

or

2. Bilstein Eibach B12 kit - shocks and springs

Thoughts?

Id go for the Bilstein B12 kit mate,

And perhaps get the existing rims refurbished,

The Avon ZV5 have an extra layer of rubber on the side wall,

Not sure if you remember i showed you on my ZV5's it is designed to prevent kerbing of the alloys,

So the alloys wont get any worse,

After lowering the car will handle better but different,

It will take a few months to get used to the new handling,

So id stick with the existing alloys and lower the car first,

Then when your used to the new handling change the rims for somthing different,

And at that stage i may be in a position to purchase your existing rims if you are planning on selling them as i quite like the design and 17" will be cheaper than 18" next time I'm due four replacement tyres.

Aswell as the extra bit of ride comfort on my back.

[Hassen]

I think the B12 kit will take precedence over the alloys. You do make a convincing argument :)

One of the reasons I went for the Avon ZV5 was because of the rim protector that I saw on your tyres. Hoping they will protect the alloys from now on. The previous tyres had them as well but I don't think they were any good.

Hoping that the car will handle a bit better with the lower springs as the Zetec spring are a bit lower as they are. Correct me if I am wrong here.

I will keep you in mind Lenny when I do plan on selling on the alloys. To be honest, I like them too but would love to have something different and lighter in 17" size. I only thought after getting the 4 tyres today of trying to trade in the alloys towards a new set with tyres in one of the Dublin shops. Too late I guess :(

[sonic113]

What is the best tyres for reduced road noise,better handling and better fuel economy for the focus? Where is the best place to get good deals? I'm due a new front tyre and usually go to local tyre garage but this time am thinking of looking around and trying a different tyre.

[Hassen]

Depends on your budget to be honest. Goodyear EfficientGrip have got good reviews. I myself went for the Avon ZV5 as my local Ford dealership gave me a good deal on it with tracking and wheel alignment. Best advise would be to have a look at what people here have on their cars, their experiences with it and what they recommend. And if you can try out a Focus with the set you want, even better. Plenty of info online and check out the ratings for wet grip, fuel efficiency and noise levels on the tyres. They are usually fairly accurate.

[PaulR93]

Hi Guys

Looking to get the Eibach lowering springs but can anyone tell me an exact list of any other items I would need to buy. I currently have fitted 18inch RS alloys

Thanks

[Hassen]

Lenny would be the best person to give you details as he would have a similar setup. From that I remember, with 18" alloys you would need a steering limiter kit to avoid rubbing and also camber bolts for the rear. I have a link for the camber bolts off eBay. £30 they were. Lenny will probably have the link for the steering limiter kit. Also, the car would need alignment after it's all done.

Reckon it will look and drive Maaaad!

[PaulR1993]

Cheers Hassan aye I have some funds so given up in trying to find side skirts so gonna lower it

Will wait for Lenny wisdom :)

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[Hassen]

Same here. I got the 17" alloys and planning to lower it on bilstein shocks. Check out german eBay for the best prices on Eibach springs. They are cheaper than the Uk counterparts even including shipping. I will try to dig up the link in my history along with the camber bolts.

Might be a good idea to check Lennys page on Taking the Blue oval. He had a detailed list of parts and links to lower the car. He had done a fair bit of research on the topic and when I saw his car in person recently, needless to say it had definitely paid off :)

[Hassen]

Cheers Hassan aye I have some funds so given up in trying to find side skirts so gonna lower it

Will wait for Lenny wisdom :)

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Here is the link to the camber bolts.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230625566464?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[Hassen]

A few pictures of the new set of Avon 17" ZV5 tyres.

[PaulR1993]

Cheers Hassan :). Added that to my basket.

Can't beat new tyres. They good in the wet?

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[Hassen]

Cheers Hassan :). Added that to my basket.

Can't beat new tyres. They good in the wet?

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Glad to be able to help. I am waiting on my mechanic to give me his availability, then I am going to order the bolts and b12 kit.

New tyres are a big improvement from the old one. Dry grip is very good. No more wheelspin as before from the extra torque going to the front wheels. Wet grip much improved as well. Going round roundabouts now, I don't need to slow down completely. Drove the car is very bad rain on the motorway last friday. Not a hint of aquaplanning or loss of traction. Also, noise in the cabin has been greatly reduced. My guess is by a good 5db at least but will do a proper check soon. Highly recommended Avon ZV5. Good balance between price and performance :)

[PaulR1993]

The led rear lights that RS's have are they worth the money to replace the standard ones?

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[Hassen]

Not too sure mate. There are a few people on the forums who had them replaced. Might be a good idea to ask them. I think Lenny did that for his car. Not 100% about that.

Not really my thing as I would not get to ever see them while driving :P

[Lenny]

The led rear lights that RS's have are they worth the money to replace the standard ones?

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Here's the fitting guide: http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/43587-guide-fitting-ford-rs-led-rear-light-units-focus-mk25/

If your purchasing new: cheapest supplier is Sandicliffe.co.uk cheaper than ford but still genuine ford parts

I sold a set of 16" Snow flake ford alloys on eBay and bought the RS tail lights with the winnings,

I reckon there worth every penny if fitting along with a body kit and ST pod they look the part,

Some people manage to pick them up second hand on eBay fairly cheap aswell,

Not too sure mate. There are a few people on the forums who had them replaced. Might be a good idea to ask them. I think Lenny did that for his car. Not 100% about that.

Not really my thing as I would not get to ever see them while driving :P

You can see them reflect in shop windows at night when cruising :)

Look like star wars saber's

[PaulR1993]

The ones from sandicliff do you know if that comes with everything you need just to fit like the wiring etc?

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[Hassen]

ICE Update:

I have been looking at upgrading the amplifier in the car for a while now and kept an eye for bargains on eBay. Found a Rockford Fosgate Punch P1000X4D, brand new, unused being sold by someone who didn't couldn't their audio project. It's a Class D amplifier rated at 150W rms x 4. I was the only bidder on it and won it at what I think is a reasonable price. It should be here sometime next week and I can't wait to fit it in the car and mess with the knobs. If anyone is looking to get a used amplifier, I will have my trusted Blaupunkt GTA 470 on sale. Pm me for details.

Here are the specs for the Rockford Fosgate amplifier:

CEA-2006 Compliant:

Number of Channels: 4

Rated Power
(RMS Continuous Power): 150 Watts x 4 @ 4-Ohm
250 Watts x 4 @ 2-Ohm
500 Watts x 2 @ 4-Ohm Bridged

Total Power
(Sum of Rated Power): 1000 Watts RMS

Dynamic Power
(PVC/PowerCube® Measurement): 760 Watts x 4 @ 4-Ohms
1225 Watts x 4 @ 2-Ohms

Bridgeable: Yes

Frequency Response: 10Hz - 35kHz +/-3dB

Efficiency (average): 85% @ 4-Ohm
85% @ 2-Ohm

Crossover Controls: Front: LP/HP/AP 50Hz - 500Hz @ 12dB/Octave
Rear: LP/HP/AP 50Hz - 500Hz @ 12dB/Octave

Tone Controls: Front: 0dB to +18dB @ 45Hz
Rear: 0dB to +18dB @ 45Hz

Signal Input: Input Switch: Hi/Low level input
Input Switch: 2/4 channel input
Hi/Low Level: 2 RCA Pair

Signal Output: Low Level: 1 RCA Pair

Power Input Connector: Block

Power Wire Gauge: 4 AWG

Speaker Output Connector: Block

Speaker Wire Gauge: 12 AWG

Heat Sink Type: Cast

Cooling: Convection

Remote Controls: n/a

Visual Indicators: Power
Thermal
Protect

Circuit Topology Class: Full Range Class-D

Shipping Weight: 10.8 Lbs.
(4.89 Kg.)

Dimensions (HxWxL): 2.2 x 8.1 x 11.9 (in)
5.6 x 22.6 x 30.2 (cm)

[Lenny]

The ones from sandicliff do you know if that comes with everything you need just to fit like the wiring etc?

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Yes i bought mine from sandycliffe came with looms and even the bulbs fitted

[Lenny]

ICE Update:

I have been looking at upgrading the amplifier in the car for a while now and kept an eye for bargains on Ebay. Found a Rockford Fosgate Punch P1000X4D, brand new, unused being sold by someone who didn't couldn't their audio project. It's a Class D amplifier rated at 150W rms x 4. I was the only bidder on it and won it at what I think is a reasonable price. It should be here sometime next week and I can't wait to fit it in the car and mess with the knobs. If anyone is looking to get a used amplifier, I will have my trusted Blaupunkt GTA 470 on sale. Pm me for details.

Sounds great mate,

4ch amps with that sort of spec don't retail cheap,

Done very well getting one going cheap

[Hassen]

Think I got lucky there as I paid less than 1/2 price for the amp, which was brand new! Can't wait to have it in the car and hear the difference :)