Wheel alignment, which bolts should I be looking at for seizure?

[yabby4749]

Phoned up a place to book for wheel alignment price but they responded with the prices plus "but that's if we can actually do it because fords (or focuses) are renowned for having certain bolts seize up".

[ScaniaPBman]

Most likely they are referring to the McGard locking wheel nuts.

When I took my Focus to the local tyre shop to have the 4 locking nuts removed WITHOUT the key, they were quite familiar with problems on this model.

Cannot remember the exact price but it was something like £15 a wheel.

Don't tell anyone but I replaced the locking nuts with plain ones.

ScaniaPBman.

[andypsp]

don`t think any wheel nuts need to be removed when getting the tracking done on your car 🙄

[TomsFocus]

It's the rear wishbone bolts that seize on the Focus.  They then snap when you try to undo them for the rear adjustment...  Unless you're having issues with rear tyre wear, it's safer to just have the fronts done on an older Focus tbh.

[yabby4749]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

It's the rear wishbone bolts that seize on the Focus.  They then snap when you try to undo them for the rear adjustment...  Unless you're having issues with rear tyre wear, it's safer to just have the fronts done on an older Focus tbh.

Well over night a noise started coming from the rear left of the car, coincidentally I noticed it after I had the exhaust bracket welded back together.

The noise is heard over every surface but worse on rougher surfaces and changes volume to louader when turning left (not sure about turning right noise), I can hear it at any speed even 5mph.

 

I was told by my mecahnic that the tyre or tyres were feathering on the inside and he recommend getting them aligned. I booked an appointment for alignment but took the car to a local tyre shop where they fit and do balancing etc, the guy who owns the tyre shop has been there for years and he's an older guy so I trust his word, he said that there is nothing wrong with the tyres and showed me, I looked and I couldn't see anything untoward so he swapped them around for free but the noise is still there. He showed me all the new tyres and how they make them,  he thinks my mechanic misdiagnosed the tyre due to the shape of the tread and how it is normal that it slopes off more so on the insidse of the wheel even the new tyres too.

 

I cancelled my wheel alignment and told they got a bit funny because I told them what he said about how the tyres are made, oh well I will get the bearing diagnosed properly, the noise worsening when going left (not so much turning but swerving) around the same bend after work perhaps might be a give away anyway.

 

 

 

[yabby4749]

It's the wheel bearing, getting it replaced this week 😀

[TomsFocus]

That was quick!  Are you doing it yourself or garage doing it?  The hub bolts rust and seize in so can be as awkward as the rear wheel alignment lol.

[yabby4749]

9 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That was quick!  Are you doing it yourself or garage doing it?  The hub bolts rust and seize in so can be as awkward as the rear wheel alignment lol.

I phoned up another local garage I use, to book it in to look at and he told me to pop round in half an hour 😄 As soon as he heard it he said it's the wheel bearing and he said it was actually louder turning right, anyhow I think it was louder turning both ways. The garage will be doing it,  Ishould have had a quick look at the bolts when the wheels were off earlier, oh well we will see! It's being done on Thursday.

[yabby4749]

Had a new wheel bearing put on for a total of £155, It gets better though... the noise is still there 😄 and despite what the tyre "expert" or so I thought he was seeing he's been in the business for years said about nothing wrong with the rear tyres well straight away I noticed that the insides of the rear tyres are wearing and the rear left tyre (where the noise is mostly coming from) is directed away from the car and so is the back right one although the left one is worse, so it seems that the noise is coming from the tyres due to their alignment. I can't think what else it would be as the exaust is not touching anything and there are no heat shields resting on it etc.

 

What's even more great is of course, those alignment bolts are solid. So it wil lset me back another £400 before the alignment itself.

[TomsFocus]

Never trust anyone at garages.   Particularly if they try to justify themselves by telling you how long they've been in the business...  

Is the car worth spending £400+?  It's a lot to spend on an older car, might be worth just ignoring the noise and looking for something to replace it?  

[yabby4749]

30 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Never trust anyone at garages.   Particularly if they try to justify themselves by telling you how long they've been in the business...  

Is the car worth spending £400+?  It's a lot to spend on an older car, might be worth just ignoring the noise and looking for something to replace it?  

Dude I just bought the car not long a go. The engine is emaculate and the car is lovely I uploaded pictures of it a while a go. One of the bolts were moving slightly so I am chucking WD40 on it for a bit. I plan to it for as long as possible.

[TomsFocus]

7 minutes ago, yabby4749 said:

Dude I just bought the car not long a go. The engine is emaculate and the car is lovely I uploaded pictures of it a while a go. Not sure if it would come under warranty, I emailed the dealer, he said I have 6 months parts and labour warranty and to just sent him reciept. One of the bolts were moving slightly so I am chucking WD40 on it for a bit. I plan to keep it for as long as possible.

Fair enough.   If it's covered under warranty that would be ideal lol!!  I'd recommend something better than WD40 though, PlusGas is better as a penetrating fluid.

[yabby4749]

Just now, TomsFocus said:

Fair enough.   If it's covered under warranty that would be ideal lol!!  I'd recommend something better than WD40 though, PlusGas is better as a penetrating fluid.

Thank you very much Tom I phoned them up jsut now and they said it would be under general wear and tear, which I guess is tur seeing as it is rusted bolts causing it. I'll keep you updated if you want, thank you again.

[yabby4749]

So I had to get the bolts cut off and new arms put on, wheels are as aligned as they can be, my mechanic thinks the rear driver's side wheel might have taken a hit at some point as he can't get it perfectly straight (there maybe a bit of play couple of cm on a bar or something but I can't be bothered with it for now). The side that the noise is on and is Still coming from is the the rear passenger side where the tyre is is completely straight now, I could say that it is the tyre and it sounds like it definately is but the thing that boggles me is that I had these two tyres swapped around before the alignment and the tyre where the noise is coming from is now completely straight yet still making the noise.

 

I read this on a nother forum..

 

"We get a lot of people come in for wheel alignments due to this, alignment wont cause stepping on the tyres, it can cause offset wear but that wear would be consistent to it's area of the tyres and all the alignment in the world wont help. Usual culprit is weak shock absorbers."

 

I will ahve to check under my car, I remember seeing brand new springs under there.

 

The Job was cheaper than what was quoted by the way (£295).

 

[yabby4749]

The struts are defeinately new but not sure about the shocks, might be worth getting this shock checked.