My daughter has a Ford Fiesta, the type with the rounded back. I was in it with her the other day and it didn't feel right at all. It was rocking and swaying on the front end especially at low speed. I have had the wheels off but can't find anything wrong which leads me to the suspension. What are the best checks hat I can do myself to see if it is the suspension beore I pay a garage a fortune to get it fixed. I have told her not to drive it until the problem is resolved.
2007-08-31 17:31:46 · 7 answers · asked by camel herder 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
THOSE AIR PRESSURES ARE WRONG.
standard rims on a mk3-4 fiesta:
30psi/2.0 bar on the front
26psi/1.8 bar on the back
32psi/2.1 bar on the back when fully laden.
as for your question the struts begin to wear around 60k, a bit of wallowing around is acceptable.
check your wishbones on the front (lower suspension arms) the bushes perish easily and the whole joint needs replacing, each wishbone is around 20 quid with ball joints, easy to fit if you have a haynes manual and are good with a spanner.
a garage will charge 100-150 quid, so make sure they are at least valeo/motorcraft/ford parts before you part with the cash or you'll be replacing them again within 10k.
bushes/balljoints can be checked by jacking up the car- getting a crow bar and ramming it between the wishbone and chassis/fixings and wiggling around - too much play and its bad - the rubber bushes and balljoints should also have no real signs of deterioration though small (i mean small!) cracks maybe acceptable.
change the anti roll bar bushes if present.
get the tracking checked - most tyre places offer free checking then charge around 20 quid if it is out, i think the setting is: toe in by 2 if i remember correctly, dont quote me on that.
you can tell the tracking is shagged if tyre wear is more present on one part of the tyre to another and if the car pulls away from you when cornering.
the back end of the car is non ajustable - any odd wear is due to cornering to fast/worn suspension/wrong pressue.
all of this makes the fez handle worse than it does.
p.s - this is a car that was sold in europe only to those who answer without knowing.
2007-08-31 18:32:46 · answer #1 · answered by handsonhips101 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
This gives you Fiesta tyre pressures, just pick the year and model: http://www.thetyrepressuremonitor.com/tyrepressures_ford.html
If they're right, then handsonhips101 gives a lot of useful information about the suspension.
2007-08-31 20:39:06 · answer #2 · answered by champer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shock absobers worn , to test pess on car on each corner untill it is bouncing up and down then stop it should only rise once and stop if it keeps bouncing the shocks are shot on the paticulare shock
2007-09-01 04:08:39 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
check the bushes on the anti roll bars they may need new rubbers fitted, also check to see there is nothing that may have snapped or come adrift
2007-08-31 19:16:12 · answer #4 · answered by JOHN G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
renew the front shock absorbers: do not let her drive it until this has been carried out.
2007-08-31 22:53:26 · answer #5 · answered by maclaren 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its rock and rolling to her c d player
2007-08-31 23:02:26 · answer #6 · answered by ken p 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First...check the tire air pressures. All four. (35psi)
2007-08-31 17:38:28 · answer #7 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋