excession_ocp Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Hi, I had thought that my MY2020 St-Line X 1.5 182PS car was equipped with the multi-link rear suspension, but have just found the following article from October 2019: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ford-focus-prices-increased-entry-variant-dropped which states: Quote The tweaks follow a more minor revision of the Focus which regards to one model, quietly implemented earlier this year. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has been switched from the multi-link rear suspension to a cheaper, simpler torsion beam setup, leaving only the 2.0-litre diesel models with the multi-link setup Which seems to indicate that as of mid-2019 only the 2.0 litre diesel has been equipped with it. Is there any way to tell which suspension my car has? Thanks 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsFocus Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Have you got the car yet? The easiest way to tell is look underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excession_ocp Posted June 17, 2020 Author Share Posted June 17, 2020 Yeah I do - but I am as mechanically minded as a sausage so I'd need some help to know where to look and what to look for 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsFocus Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Just now, excession_ocp said: Yeah I do - but I am as mechanically minded as a sausage so I'd need some help to know where to look and what to look for 🙂 Lol, fair enough! If you look under the rear end you'll either see one solid beam across between the rear wheels with springs above. OR 3 sections, one short middle beam with two separate wishbones at the ends with the springs. As the name suggests, mulit-link is the one with 3 sections. If you're still not sure, take a picture and we'll confirm it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizer Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 If it looks like the photo in this thread then it is not Multi-link. Th change date seemed to be early May 2019. Admins, I tried to post that same photo again but it failed to upload. Has something changed or could the problem be at my side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excession_ocp Posted June 17, 2020 Author Share Posted June 17, 2020 3 minutes ago, TomsFocus said: Lol, fair enough! If you look under the rear end you'll either see one solid beam across between the rear wheels with springs above. OR 3 sections, one short middle beam with two separate wishbones at the ends with the springs. As the name suggests, mulit-link is the one with 3 sections. If you're still not sure, take a picture and we'll confirm it for you. Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply! I'll have a look later on and update you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 If it’s a 2020 stx hatch? you are , as we say in Glasgow...ontae plums ! I’ve got the twist beam. I have read reviews saying it’s exceptional in its own right. Derived from the Fiesta ST twist beam I believe. I’ve never driven one with the multi link. My stx handles really well. I guess it’s down to what you’ve driven before to compare it too. i wouldn’t be too disappointed.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excession_ocp Posted June 17, 2020 Author Share Posted June 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Alex.S said: If it’s a 2020 stx hatch? you are , as we say in Glasgow...ontae plums ! I’ve got the twist beam. I have read reviews saying it’s exceptional in its own right. Derived from the Fiesta ST twist beam I believe. I’ve never driven one with the multi link. My stx handles really well. I guess it’s down to what you’ve driven before to compare it too. i wouldn’t be too disappointed.. That's good to hear! Tbh, I was starting to question why I cared so much - the car is so much fun to drive so I think that should be the important thing! I think it's a case of a little knowledge is a dangerous thing in my case, as I had been led to believe by various reviews and articles that MLRS was the suspension of the gods and felt a little bit cheated that I might not have it. I'm still going to stick my head under the machine tonight though, if only to make my neighbours think that I have some sort of clue about these things. I might bring out an old socket set for appearances' sake too! 😂 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 So? you have torsion beam but your neighbours estimation of you has gone up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 These Ford-patented force vectoring springs are used on the ST's twist-beam rear suspension, and are able to apply vectoring forces to the rear suspension as well as enabling cornering forces to travel directly into the spring, for increased lateral stiffness. Re Fiesta ☝️ My question is , before ford changed to torsion beam even for higher spec focus, did the lower spec focus already have the patented springs? Or is it just the higher spec that had independent suspension removed and replaced with the patented twist beam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Heaton Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 17 hours ago, Alex.S said: If it’s a 2020 stx hatch? you are , as we say in Glasgow...ontae plums ! I’ve got the twist beam. I have read reviews saying it’s exceptional in its own right. Derived from the Fiesta ST twist beam I believe. I’ve never driven one with the multi link. My stx handles really well. I guess it’s down to what you’ve driven before to compare it too. i wouldn’t be too disappointed.. Exactly. To be honest my STX the same handles well and can corner faster than I ever want to. It's more the fact that Ford seemed a bit sly in promising something and then removing it on the quiet, that's got people annoyed. That said, it doesn't feel as high-spec as my Focus Mk1, which DID have multi-link across the range. It feels like a backward step. It may be rose-tinted glasses but I remember my Mk1 handling very well, really fluid. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 10 hours ago, Alex.S said: My question is , before ford changed to torsion beam even for higher spec focus, did the lower spec focus already have the patented springs? Or is it just the higher spec that had independent suspension removed and replaced with the patented twist beam? Iirc at launch it was twist beam on lower output cars, multi link above. They just moved the bar and dropped multi link from most versions. Afaik there's only one twist beam arrangement, other than the ST-Line getting "sports tuned" suspension - lower ride height, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 11 minutes ago, Guy Heaton said: That said, it doesn't feel as high-spec as my Focus Mk1, which DID have multi-link across the range. It feels like a backward step. It may be rose-tinted glasses but I remember my Mk1 handling very well, really fluid I never owned a Mk 1 but drove a fair few and and was always really impressed with the ride/handling balance. It would be good to drive a decent one again to test the rose tinting!😃 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizer Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 My 10 year old MK2 with sports suspension and Multi-link coped with uneven roads better than my MK4 with Twist beam suspension. I went straight from that to the MK4. Handling wise the old MK2 was better too, but that is probably because my MK4 has 65 profile tyres. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsFocus Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 11 hours ago, Alex.S said: My question is , before ford changed to torsion beam even for higher spec focus, did the lower spec focus already have the patented springs? Or is it just the higher spec that had independent suspension removed and replaced with the patented twist beam? Yes, the magic springs are fitted to all twist beam models. Everyone will be moaning when they snap in a few years time and realise how much they cost... Though presumably aftermarket manufacturers will sell cheap conventional equivalents to further reduce the ride comfort. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 I’ll be interested to see what suspension they put in the focus 155ps hybrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Guy Heaton said: It feels like a backward step. It does but the fact that they patented the springs then put them in almost the whole range , Ford must have confidence in them. When first put in the fiesta Ford were boasting about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamweb Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said: I never owned a Mk 1 but drove a fair few and and was always really impressed with the ride/handling balance. It would be good to drive a decent one again to test the rose tinting!😃 I can confirm the road handling of the MK 1 is superb having owned one for over 10 years.Sorry couldn't resist barging in👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Had cause to be in a ‘kwikfit’ style chain up here in Scotland. Kinda honest version of. Got the usual ‘nice car mate’ . I told him it was torsion beam ..didn’t believe me! Had to look for himself . Astounded. There’s no getting away from the fact (and I’m a non technical guy) that independent suspension is far superior. More expensive, takes more space but holds the road better. Ford have shot themselves in the foot with this. I’ve my focus 2 more years , I doubt very much if I’ll stay with Ford . I like the car but at the price....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 They're all at it. Just been reading a review of the latest SEAT Leon FR (their equivalent to ST-Line) which has also dropped mult-link for torsion beam. (I had the previous version with multi link and it drove very well.) Apparently customers prefer touch screen controls, sophisticated infotainment and superior connectivity to good basic engineering, or so they infer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Heaton Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Doesn't surprise me, the average punter today wants space, comfort and toys, rather than razor handling. It's why the new 1 series is FWD, lets it have a bigger boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Guy Heaton said: It's why the new 1 series is FWD, lets it have a bigger boot. But it still has multi link rear though, afaik. (Unless they've also sneaked it out while no-one was looking.........!)😀 Which reminds me I was going to try and get a test drive of that before lockdown stopped play. More complication there though, the 3 cylinder engines get 7 speed DCT but the 4 cylinders get 8 speed torque converters. Edited June 25, 2020 by Eric Bloodaxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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