Good video! I did both lower arms and the control blade bushes on my ST170 today (I did the banana arms last year). I also fitted new genuine Ford rear springs at the same time. I removed the whole subframe assembly to do the work and I'm glad I did. Both bolts on the lower spring arms were sized in the bushes and had to be cut off as did the outer bolts on the short lower arm bushes. Much easier done with the subframe out of the car. Both control blade bushes were gubbed so the rubber and dog bone link twisted out of the bush housing easily enabling me to carefully cut through the housing with a hacksaw to remove it and I pressed the new one in with a pair of G clamps and the spring retaining plates from my spring compressor that fits through the hole in the bottom of the spring arm, was the easiest part of the job! The lower spring arms were corroded around the anti-roll bar mount enough to be an MOT failure which is something to watch out for on old Foci. Thankfully the ST170 has poly bushes on it's anti-roll bar mounts. Took around 8 hours for me and my mate to do the job taking it easy, also removed and treated the rust on the subframe which is also a lot easier when it's out. A job well worth doing, the car feels really tight at the rear now but I still have to get the alignment done properly to finish the job off.

Just paid the garage to change all of the rear including the subframe. Got it back and it was high, he didn't know about setting the ride height. Took it back and he set it correctly. After I jacked up the front corner and lowered it back down, the rear was sitting high again. Have used all Lemforder parts with Sachs shocks & springs so I know they're good so I'm thinking of swapping for ST springs now. I rang the local main dealer about setting the height and they said no. Explained that everything was brand new so they wouldn't be dealing with rusted bolts and they said they won't touch it.. cheers Ford!

love your vids just want to say thanks for everything you have helped me d-side to fully rebuild my focus mk1

Starting out on a st170 myself and watching your video has already been insparational. Thank you. Some of my problems so far is the Haynes manuals which very nearly but not quite cover this car. So, a combination of Haynes and google searches i can usually get an average answer. One example if front hub nut torque(the big nut in the center)!

Great video man! The rear of my MK1 looks rusty like the Titanic. I'm scared to change anything back there as it would be a huge deal to get those bolts moving. I'm hoping it can last another winter season or 2 before she becomes a safety concern. Too bad really, the rest of the car is great.

Really enjoyable, Got the job of replacing all arms ,bushes and springs . After trying to remove the bottom blot last week. Give up before it broke Already changed the drum brakes on the 1.6 to dice and calipers which all blots on from a 2.0. Also have to change handbrake cable

Great summary. That rear suspension is in quite good condition, literally rust-free. Keep it that way, bro', it DOES worth every minute you work on it. Focus has the best suspension in its class. What do you think about axle spacers? I use a pair, motocnc product, it improves handling experience, for a bargain.

Interesting video. I bought a set of the eibach lowering springs and fitted them without touching bushes and it lowered nicely. I've got a mk1.5 tdci sport , pretty lucky due to no rust absolutely anywhere, I love these cars and definitely a keeper when you have a decent one. Pitty cant add photos to replies....

😮 Awesome thanks 👍

Hiya mate. Your vids are top notch and have really help me diagnose various problems before handing over to a auto shop. I can only mange basic maintenance on my MK 1 1,6 Auto Hatch. I have a brake problem just happened with a torn/ripped flexible hose to the rear drivers drum. Could I trouble you for the part number please for the flexible hose and would it be prudent to replace both sides? Thanks again, Steve.

Try and get new bolts when buying suspension parts, them if they rusty and need cutting you have them. The anti roll bar links, on the top of control arm the rot, so make sure thiss section is reinforced with a plate welded on. Stopss the rubber bush falling through aand collapsing, time stamp @ 7.41. After alot of miles replacing suspension bushes is needed, for sure. Best bet i've found is try and loosen the bolts and take each bolt out and replace one cleaned. 11:32 i can source the trailing arm bush but need the tool to put it i. Can you let us know where you got the trailing arm from. Might go a garage to do them trailing arm bushes, tell them loosen all the bolts aa bit for me. 18.08 are you sure the mk3 subframe just bolts straight in with the exhaust mod, if so it better just to do all the work off site ad bolt it all complete straight on. i think your rear anti roll bar sets your ride height like it does at the front When replacig anti roll bar there is a height settinng.

Nice clean and tidy rear subframe and suspension setup.👍 Puts my mk2 2007 Focus ghia estate rear setup to shame, it's structurally sound just very crusty, I do attack it every now and then with a wire brush, zinc anti rust paint and smoothrite. It past it's last MOT just needing a new rear shock absorber, had a slight leak on one. I suspect I may need the front bushes on those trailing blade arms replacing. Probably on the original ones, no knocking just a bit of a vague, sloppy rear end feeling, like it needs a bit more of an improved positive, tighter feel. Did the Febi kits you mention come with the arms or just bushes? Mine has rear disc brakes and the mounting for the shock absorber is a bit different, it attaches under the rear body rather than through into the cars boot.

Am I right in thinking, if I use the ST springs then I don't need to worry about taking a measurement between the subframe and lower arm? Also should all the bolts then be torqued up after the wheel is on so the cars on it's normal load?

Hey, I have a 2002 ford focus SVT. Couple questions based off the video you just made. So I am going to change the sway bar to a Whiteline. I noticed the driver side rear lower arm that the bolt for the swaybar connects to has a crack down that. So that lower bar needs to be replaced. I noticed that there’s a lot of bushings you said six on each side so I’m assuming mine at 22 years old should be replaced. my thinking is I should replace the lower arm on the passenger side so I have new ones on each side. I’m also also going to change the shocks but not the springs because they’re only 10 years old. They’re performance springs. I’m not the one doing the work. I have a mechanic that will be doing the work at a good shop. Is there anything else I need to do? If you are a mechanic and your client came in and said I got a video for you to watch before you do the work Would that piss you off I just want to make sure that they know this is a unique suspension that they need to make sure they follow the steps correctly. 😊

I rang 3 garages yesterday about changing all the arms, shocks & springs on mine and none of them would touch it, which worries me

I changed my rear springs 6 months ago, specifically i put the Kayaba K flex springs. Should I change the front ones too? If so, can i just put a set of the same springs I used in the rear suspension or do i have to change all four of them again in order for them to wear out equally? I believe that the front ones need changing for sure because the car is higher on the rear and lower on the front, it's wearing the oem springs up front and it has 326.000 km? What should i do?

Hello. I have a Mazda 3 2004 which have the same rear suspension setup with your car. I get a squeaky sound when driving with low speeds on uneven surfaces. The sound is pretty noticeable from the inside. Do you have any idea what can it be ? Thanks

Stupid question but did you take the rear subframe off to clean and sanitize it? Or you just did it all in situ?

Cant wait to start working on my SVT/st170, you didn’t help my itch 😂. Great vid man

Does anyone know where to buy replacement rear subframe please? They appear to have dried up on eBay. Or has anyone had theirs replaced recently? What sort of price?? Mine is not longer for this world...

I had advisories on my MOT today that coil spring on the rear (both sides) and the suspension arms on both sides are corroded - please are you able to help me with this? are there other things I should check/change at the same time?

Great information, great video, I'm having a problem. I set the ride height torque the bolts, then its seems like my coil springs are bottomed while my shocks are completely decompressed. I changed all 6 control arms and i dont know what I'm doing wrong, i dont torque anything down until the weight of the car is down the ground under its own weight, and the ride height doesnt seem to change it stays a few inches higher then it set before the job was done. Ive redone the job 4 times now and have gotten nowhere. It doesnt seem slike anything wants to compress unless all of the bolts are out a few turns but even then it doesnt seem to be at its original height or evern close. Any help would be extremely appreciated!

pretty sure ford had this set up with the mk3 and 4 escorts,maybe as old as 1980 mk5 went to typical torsion

Hi,Regarding the ride height,is it 112mm ? Thanks.

Hello,my focus is very poor in a straight line, seems to wander quite a bit,new trailing arm bushes fitted,gen Ford,made no difference and new bottom arms on the front,any pointers of what to change to cure it as I really want to keep the car as the rest is great? Regards Richard.

dont forget this suspension is also on volvos and mazdas

Mk2 is the same