Wheel spin and loud bang

[ChrisM41]

The road leading to my work place is always greasy and slimy so a little wheelspin is quite common for everyone, it takes very little throttle. My focus did it today and the 'bouncing' was accompanied by really loud bangs from the drivers side. Other cars ive had in the past have had a bit of a knock, but nothing like this. Is it normal for a focus to make such a loud bang/clonk when wheel spinning? Someone suggested it might be traction control/ABS, but i wasnt aware my car had it, its only a basic 1.6.

[alexp999]

It just the traction control grabbing the brakes on the spinning wheel.

It does make quite a bang, doesn't take much to set it off on the non-ST Foci.

[Micro]

1 hour ago, ChrisM41 said:

The road leading to my work place is always greasy and slimy so a little wheelspin is quite common for everyone, it takes very little throttle. My focus did it today and the 'bouncing' was accompanied by really loud bangs from the drivers side. Other cars ive had in the past have had a bit of a knock, but nothing like this. Is it normal for a focus to make such a loud bang/clonk when wheel spinning? Someone suggested it might be traction control/ABS, but i wasnt aware my car had it, its only a basic 1.6.

Any focuses over 2009 have ESP. Mine sounds clunky/grindy when it's doing its thing.

[ChrisM41]

Mine is just a 2006 model, i wasnt aware it had traction control. It does sort of feel like ABS pulsing through the peddles. Ill have a good look underneath just to be safe. It passed its MOT just 20 days ago, so shouldnt have anything loose or worn.

[alexp999]

I don't know if the MK2 has a menu option for traction control?

Do you get any icon lighting up or flashing on the dash when it happens?

[artscot79]

mk2 has no traction control only abs

[alexp999]

Bit worrying then...

[artscot79]

it could be a worn driveshaft or a bush is perished on the wishbone faulty strut mount really you need the suspension checked over and have the gearbox and engine mount checked as well

[Cleaner]

The focus has a inner drive shaft bearing, not the inner UJ, but a bearing that has a cap and is bolted to the side of the engine, if you had give it a bit more than usual when the wheel span you can make the shaft bang as it moves very slightly, if the bearing is a bit worn now it can bang louder.

get under the front of your car, follow the driveshaft to the bearing unit and pull on it near the engine, if you have some play change the bearing, it is called the driveshaft support bearing it is a bit of a git to replace but it is up to you.

if you do change it, with drivers side wheel on floor loosen the driveshaft bolt, underneath loosen the bearing cap bolts, then lever the inner end from the gearbox, it won't come all the way out yet but it will leak a bit of oil.

jack up front end take drivers side wheel of, undue the steering control arm, you do not have to undue anything else, turn the steering by hand drivers side and you will have enough room to pull the shaft out of the front hub, now pull shaft from gearbox, collect the oil you can reuse it.

strip down the inner UJ you will find a C clip take it of and the knock the inner joint of and then the bearing, fit new bearing and put it all back, inner shaft first, to set it home in the gearbox push the inner shaft in as far as it will go then give it a good shove, you will hear a click that is just the clip locating in its seat, put it back in front hub bolt everything up.

if you keep wheel spinning the car you will be doing the bearing again, they don't like it.

hope this helps.

 

 

Paul

[ChrisM41]

OK thanks guys. I will check for any play in the bearing, if there is any is will get it done, the car has a 3 month warranty, so might as well use it. If not then ill leave it since it doesn't seem critical.

EDIT: Checking prices an entire drive shaft isn't that much and would be easier, would be a good time to change the gearbox oil to.

Got the inner wheel to spin a little today (not on purpose), much less noise, just a little as I would expect really.