My Mk3 was dropped off at my local garage today for a new rear subframe (£98, non-genuine component) to be fitted.  I have been told it should take a couple of hours, but obviously this depends upon how stubborn the bolts are to the existing subframe!  I am hoping for no more than three, or maybe four hours max.  I can't wait to get the car back as, since I purchased it about two or three weeks ago, this will be the first time I will have driven it without worrying if the rear wheels are following the front wheels, or just doing their own thing!  

Ah yes the dreaded subframe bushes lol. I also need to do mine but I'm keeping the subframe and fitting polyurethane bushes.

6 minutes ago, stef123 said:

Ah yes the dreaded subframe bushes lol. I also need to do mine but I'm keeping the subframe and fitting polyurethane bushes.

Yes I had considered doing the same, but I guess the standard bushes should be ok as I will probably cover only around 3000 miles per year in the car.  At the moment it handles like a pig-on-ice on our beautiful British cobbled highways!

I'm only going with poly bushes as it's the easiest option without actually dropping the subframe. Also I don't have a tool for the pressed in ford ones so it saves me trying to get one. 

Are you getting a lot of knocking from the rear subframe too? 

2 hours ago, stef123 said:

I'm only going with poly bushes as it's the easiest option without actually dropping the subframe. Also I don't have a tool for the pressed in ford ones so it saves me trying to get one. 

Are you getting a lot of knocking from the rear subframe too? 

Yes, a lot of knocking and banging from the rear as the shocks are overloaded on a rough surface!  On a smooth surface it's fine.  Hit a pothole (which breed overnight here in Cheshire!) and the back-end is all over the road - dangerous at high speed, so I've been taking it steady!

I've just bought a Zetec S 2.5 V6 and I made sure the bushes were sound! I just have a very squeaky, groaning rear near side shock so I will replace both rear shocks and maybe the springs while its stripped down.  The Zetec needs a bit of work, just tidying really.  It's not been abused, just neglected.  Underneath it's a sound car, and for £200 with nine months MoT a steal! 

A good deal for £200

do you work on your own cars too?

15 minutes ago, stef123 said:

A good deal for £200

do you work on your own cars too?

Thanks! Yes it was.  Guy had it advertised for £890 but three of the brand new tyres were 90% flat and the car was very dirty inside and out with a long term fluid leak, dead shock absorber and a little rust on the bottom edge of the rear near side door.  

I used to do a lot of my own work but with the help of a very experienced mechanic friend who basically supervised me!  Now my partners brother-in-law does most of the work on my cars, but I also use MLG in Kingsley near where I live.  They are superb, but it helps that I have known the guys for years.

I guess you do a lot of your own work?  Which model/year do you have? 

Wow that's quite a haggle lol. 

Yeah that certainly helps then. I'm sure you'll get that fixed up and back to good health.

yeah I do everything myself. It's a 2006 ST TDCI I have. Had it just shy of 6 years now. 

8 hours ago, stef123 said:

Wow that's quite a haggle lol. 

Yeah that certainly helps then. I'm sure you'll get that fixed up and back to good health.

yeah I do everything myself. It's a 2006 ST TDCI I have. Had it just shy of 6 years now. 

Sounds nice!  Have you had any issues with the TDCi?  This was my first choice, but my local garage said the TDCi engines were "appalling.." in terms of quality and durability, which I thought was unusual.  I guess there's some personal opinion in there somewhere.  Don't get me wrong, they know their stuff - they build and race cars as well as the usual garage business.  My dad was also considering a fairly new diesel (Citreon C5) and they warned him off also, saying that the DPF's on modern diesels were a nightmare unless you were doing a good deal of motorway driving.  I value their opinion, so all my three Fords are petrol!

Few usual wear and tear bits on the car in general but the engine has been bulletproof so far. It does need a set of injectors done now but I can't really complain as the engine has been spot on. 

That's not bad at all.  My Zetec S needs a few jobs doing as I said, but for now I will be cleaning the three years of grime off the paintwork!  It may look OK in these photos but up close its hanging! 

In the background is my Focus 2.0 Ghia, and my V70 Series 1...which is currently non-running!

On 9 September 2016 at 10:35 PM, stef123 said:

Wow that's quite a haggle lol. 

Yeah that certainly helps then. I'm sure you'll get that fixed up and back to good health.

yeah I do everything myself. It's a 2006 ST TDCI I have. Had it just shy of 6 years now. 

Just had the quote from the garage for the subframe on my Ghia X - £560 which includes a new subframe, four trailing arms, anti-rollbar bushes, new set of bolts (only available from Ford) and four hours (estimated!) labour as the existing bolts are heavily rusted.  Not bad I guess.  The car has done 110k, so I guess I will be happy if she does another 110k without this needing to be done again! 

The bolts would need to be pretty bad to put 4 hours labour on it. Iirc there is 12 bolts in total including the anti roll bar bushes and they are all very much accessible. 

if i had a £1 for every bush ive done. lol 4hrs!!!!!!

2 minutes ago, iantt said:

if i had a £1 for every bush ive done. lol 4hrs!!!!!!

Do you want to earn another 4 quid lol 

funny! not .

we found it easier and quicker to remove subframe and then fit bushes, or should i say we had a spare subframe that was bushed up ready, then quick swap over, tracking done. quick turn around. old subframe then bushed up at leisure for the next time.

did loads of them in there day, dont see mk3 that often now though.

Is there an official alignment procedure for the rear subframe? 

The subframe is aligned with pegs then bolted up without the subframe moving. There's 2 holes in subframe that line up with holes in body, a man of your talent should be able to make 2 pegs to line it up. Can post photo tomorrow of the pegs and dimensions.i can do them by eye and a finger. Lol

that's a nice car the zetec, i really like the look of it. not bad for 200.

5 hours ago, iantt said:

The subframe is aligned with pegs then bolted up without the subframe moving. There's 2 holes in subframe that line up with holes in body, a man of your talent should be able to make 2 pegs to line it up. Can post photo tomorrow of the pegs and dimensions.i can do them by eye and a finger. Lol

lol if you don't mind that would be great. 

I tried to get a set of the pins before but seems that everyone has discontinued them for some reason.

4 hours ago, craigie53 said:

that's a nice car the zetec, i really like the look of it. not bad for 200.

Thanks!  Yes she looks great.  I still have an oil leak to fix, and maybe a strut or top mount on the rear nearside, but the car has 9 months MoT, new tyres and brakes, so at least I can continue to use it whilst I am getting it straight.

7 hours ago, stef123 said:

The bolts would need to be pretty bad to put 4 hours labour on it. Iirc there is 12 bolts in total including the anti roll bar bushes and they are all very much accessible. 

Two and a half hours in the end.  New subframe and four trailing arms, plus anti roll bar bushes and of course the four wheel alignment and something else I think - can't remember what - total bill parts, labour and VAT £539.  Iantt can do it for £4 next time...I'll even round it up to a fiver! 

Anyway, drives well now...

Couple of additional shots of the Zetec S as the job of cleaning it up progresses!  

Looking good, nice work