Focus II loud bangs on wheelspin

[Kreativ]

Any time when I spin wheels on a loose surface, very loud banging noise can be heard at the front. Sometimes also when gear is dropped from 5 to 3 quickly on overtake situations. The noise can not be induced only driving on uneven surface. Gear change or wheelspin has to be present.

Parts that has been so far changed to new ones on both sides at front:

- CV axles

- Stabilizer rods

- Lower control arms

Any ideas what to check next? Nothing feels loose in steering and car drives just fine. A friend of mine told it could be strut top bearings.

 

[Luke4efc]

To me it appears it's just the sound of you destroying your driveshafts by putting an incredible amount of load on them all at once.

[Anubis]

Engine mounts? Dogbone connector between engine and gearbox... if the Focus 2 has one? Hard to tell I wd say

[Kreativ]

11 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

To me it appears it's just the sound of you destroying your driveshafts by putting an incredible amount of load on them all at once.

The noise can be heard also on snowy/slippery surface when less than half of throttle input is required for wheelspin. The bang is less imminent, more like a slight tap instead.

[Kreativ]

1 minute ago, Anubis said:

Engine mounts? Dogbone connector between engine and gearbox... if the Focus 2 has one? Hard to tell I wd say

What is the best way to check the engine mounts' condition?

[TomsFocus]

It'll be the ESP braking the spinning wheel.  It's very sensitive on the Mk2.

Not uncommon to get enough engine mount movement on a harsh gearchange to knock but there's nothing you can do about that either.

[Kreativ]

Just now, TomsFocus said:

It'll be the ESP braking the spinning wheel.  It's very sensitive on the Mk2.

Not uncommon to get enough engine mount movement on a harsh gearchange to knock but there's nothing you can do about that either.

There is no ESP in my 2005 model.

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, Kreativ said:

There is no ESP in my 2005 model.

Not even basic traction control?  I thought all the Mk2s had it.  There isn't a button to switch it off in normal Focus' though, only the STs.

[JW1982]

The Focus Mk2/Mk2.5 can have 3 different brake systems:

No ABS
ABS
IVD (ABS, ESP and traction control).

Which system is installed depends on market (country) and trim level. Most Western European countries did have ABS as standard.

[Kreativ]

3 hours ago, JW1982 said:

The Focus Mk2/Mk2.5 can have 3 different brake systems:

No ABS
ABS
IVD (ABS, ESP and traction control).

Which system is installed depends on market (country) and trim level. Most Western European countries did have ABS as standard.

Yeah, my Focus has ABS but no ESP.

[TomsFocus]

10 hours ago, Kreativ said:

Yeah, my Focus has ABS but no ESP.

Fair enough!

I'd probably be looking at the engine mounts next then, especially the lower gearbox mount (torque restrictor).  You can easily wedge a crowbar in under it to check how much play there is.  A little is normal (compromise between holding the engine still and reducing cabin vibrations) but you'll see if it's excessive.

The other test is to have an assistant hold the brakes firm, and 'bump' the clutch in a few times while you watch the wheel.  If it moves backwards within the chassis that shows it's a suspension issue.  Usually the wishbone bushes but I note you've changed your wishbones already.

[DaveT70]

12 hours ago, Kreativ said:

Yeah, my Focus has ABS but no ESP.

I'm pretty sure it does have TCS and ESP but you can't switch it off or even know if it's on until you use it.

[unofix]

The Focus Mk2 with ABS also has ESP, there is no switch for it the system is always on. If I remember correctly there is a ESP light on the dash, but it only comes on under extrem conditions like 3 seconds before you crash ! - see picture of skidding car on the instrument cluster below

 

[Botus]

23 hours ago, JW1982 said:

The Focus Mk2/Mk2.5 can have 3 different brake systems:

No ABS
ABS
IVD (ABS, ESP and traction control).

Which system is installed depends on market (country) and trim level. Most Western European countries did have ABS as standard.

as above, I have ABS, I don't have ESP or TC.... is it ONLY cars with rear discs that get ESP ?

[JW1982]

On  the Focus MK2/MK2.5 the IVD system could be combined with both drum brakes or disc brakes.

Years ago I retrofitted the MK2.5 IVD system to my 2005 Focus MK2 that originally did have the ABS system. Compared to the ABS system the IVD system has a different/bigger ABS pump, a different mounting bracket, different wiring, different rear ABS sensors and additionally a steering angle sensor and a yaw rate sensor. The only difference between the MK2 and MK2.5 IVD system is that the MK2.5 IVD system supports DDS tyre deflation detection and emergency brake lights.

[Kreativ]

On 4/26/2021 at 5:17 PM, unofix said:

The Focus Mk2 with ABS also has ESP, there is no switch for it the system is always on. If I remember correctly there is a ESP light on the dash, but it only comes on under extrem conditions like 3 seconds before you crash ! - see picture of skidding car on the instrument cluster below

 

 

I've played enough with handbrake turns on snow, no ESP in my Focus. Even though I have rear disc brakes.

Nevermind guys, it was a loose exhaust hanger which resulted exhaust moving and making a contact with frame. Problem solved.