I've had a knock on the rear of my focus for a couple of weeks so this morning I had a look and found that the top of one of my dampers is somehow moving slightly inside the mounting point. So I obviously need a new damper even though they look fairly new, the previous owner lowered it on H&R springs and fitted bilstein B4 dampers. I tried tightening the nut and bolt but couldn't move it.

 

So I got the part number off of the damper and googled it, the first link was to autodoc where it says it doesn't fit my car but listed different focus engines etc (mine is a 2012 1.6 ecoboost). Weird, well it clearly does fit my car so I went on to the bilstein website and used the part number. Well I can't believe it but the dampers are for a MK1 focus 1999-2004! So back to autodoc to find the dampers that do fit my car and they're £90 not the £50 of the other ones! 

 

https://www.bilsteinsuspensionstore.co.uk/bilstein-b4--gas-damper-19065885_p31024847.htm (these are the ones on the car)

 

So my question is why on earth/how are there MK1 focus dampers on my car? Is it something to do with it being lowered? The other thing is there are H&R springs and bilstein dampers on the front too, what are the chances they are for a MK1 focus too?

 

Thanks for any help

Sounds like you need a new top mount, not necessarily a new damper.  Or maybe the nut is just loose?

No idea why you've got Mk1 dampers.  They're a fairly standard size, many will physically fit, just have the wrong damping rates for the weight of the car.  Previous owner probably just typed 'Focus rear dampers' into eBay without probably checking compatibility.

25 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Sounds like you need a new top mount, not necessarily a new damper.  Or maybe the nut is just loose?

No idea why you've got Mk1 dampers.  They're a fairly standard size, many will physically fit, just have the wrong damping rates for the weight of the car.  Previous owner probably just typed 'Focus rear dampers' into eBay without probably checking compatibility.

Thanks for the reply 🙂

what do you mean by top mount?

 

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/dtsbsh0415c?auto_apply_coupon=end65&gclid=CjwKCAjwxaanBhBQEiwA84TVXNbj91-dEB_9_XA1nv0iSwc5Yvplpyh-Bz75yAi9Qsbf_54uaUB0oRoCnG8QAvD_BwE

 

One like this?

Mine doesn't have those mounts, the damper has an eyelet mount either end and goes in a slot in the chassis that a bolt passes through, the metal crush tube is the mount itself. The above mount would be for a top pin mounted damper, I took a video but I'm not sure how to upload it, that shows how it mounts and shows it moving slightly inside the chassis mounting point, as if the crush tube is slightly undersized.

 

I have already tried to tighten it and even with all of my weight on a spanner I couldn't tighten it any more, access isn't great so it's all I could get in there but it was a long spanner not a little stubby one.

 

I'm wondering if it is a weaker damper than the correct one and they've done it to stop the rear end from being too stiff. I hope not as I'm going to probably buy a pair of the correct dampers and fingers crossed it isn't too stiff!

 

 

Ah, now that's interesting.  It looks like the estates use 'eyelets' both ends whereas the hatchbacks use a separate mount at the top.

You may be able to replace the rubber bush in the top eye with an aftermarket part, though as you've confirmed the dampers to be wrong anyway, would be better off replacing them in this case.