The cause of front banging

[PaulQ]

On snookertable flat roads, the suspension was fine, however the odd imperfection in the road surface on a corner could cause the front end to skip and the suspension to sound as if it were bottoming

As you can see, the drop-link is see-through at the bottom. This is rarely a good sign. As the car has had new wishbones only a short time before I bought it: I would have thought that the garage would have done these at the same time. Foolishly I had discarded the drop link idea and had gone for suspension tops as the problem. (This is not to say that the suspension tops have not gone too...)

 

[Skippy]

I'm not sure that's the drop link you're seeing the hole in. I may be looking at the wrong thing, but it looks like the ABS swans or cable carrier. It has clip that goes round the bottom of the drop link.

Given how cheap and easy it is to swap the drop links I'd do it anyway. Also, how are your ARB bushes? Not so easy to swap but cheap.

 

[PaulQ]

It's hard to take a photo without taking off the wheel. Thanks for the prod in the direction of the anti-roll bar bushes. If it is those, would you recommend the polybush route?.

 

[IanC]

I was very dissapointed in poly ARB bushes, they failed in a couple of years and I went back to standards.

Also the fun thing about ARB bushes is they can look fine but when you get them out of the carrier they are all squishy.

Did them on the GF's MK4 fezzy at the weekend as that was banging, thought I had mis-diagnosed until I got them out and they felt like marshmallows . Personally I would go for Ford or a good OE brand, fitted febi bilsteins to the fezzy, they are working fine. No more banging and much flatter through the bends. :grin:

 

[PaulQ]

Drop-links done but no real change in the banging - the D/ls seemed OK but they were old, so not much lost. I have now noticed that the N/S/F shocker is done for. So bought a pair of KYBs off eBay, then, too late, was told that replacing one is OK...

 

[Skippy]

No harm in replacing the pair. I think I'd do that rather than one.

As for ARB bushes, I fitted polys (Powerflex). That was a couple of months back so too soon to comment on durability. They were a massive improvement over the very tired OE ones.

My front end went a little quieter over bumps with new track rod ends. A job to do before getting new tyres perhaps.

 

[quest63]

Agreed changing both shocks is a good idea :thumbs:

 

[CherryVimto]

Agreed changing both shocks is a good idea :thumbs:

+1

 

[PaulQ]

I'm glad both of you are free with my time and money! I'll go for it.

 

[PaulQ]

The shocks were changed and the transformation complete - magnificent! A winding road is a greater joy. Even the "Accelera" tyres seem to grip the road better, well, as long as it not damp outside or it look look rain. I must get a set of Uniroyals or something decent*.

However, my joy was short-lived. About 2 weeks ago, I returned from a 120 mile run and could smell something "chemical" and hot. Under the bonnet, the header tank was down to minimum and there were suspicious signs of leaking coolant at the block end of the top hose.

The good news was that there was no oil in the water or water in the oil. I was a bit worried that the hot hoses were solid with pressure, but that is normal.

I filled the tank, it took about a litre, but thereafter, I didn't go far and, at the end of a week, it was just about ½ litre down. Then four days ago I did about 40 miles and returned to see it below minimum. I ordered a top hose off ebay and booked it in for a pressure test as the top hose did look as if it could be losing that much.

This morning before going for the pressure test I put over 1 litre into it. I drove it for about 5 miles and checked the hoses... nothing.

The pressure test showed it was the thermostat housing -> new one = £38 from Ford - apparently it was pissing out.





*and there's a good thing: tyres for the Puma are about a third the price of those for my last car.

 

[Skippy]

Apologies for resurrecting the thread and glad you're up and running again. What I wanted to know was how you found the KYB shocks? I'm about to take my (probably original, 14 yr old) front shocks out to give them a spruce up and clean up the arches. I've got new top mounts and bearings ready. Given how much of a pain of a job it is, is it worth replacing the shocks? And if so, does it matter who makes them?

 

[ally frp]

i'll answer that for him. YES it will transform your car! especially if there 14yrs old

Cheers

Ally

 

[Skippy]

So what make? Ford/Sachs or anything?

Worth swapping springs at the same time?

 

[ally frp]

I put genuine Ford shocks, front and rear top mounts, front top mount bearings and eibach springs on at the same time and it was the best money I spent on my Puma.

I went with the Eibach springs because they are a great comprimise between hard and production springs. They also lower at the same time. You can buy them over the counter at Ford Finis number 1132327. They are cheaper to buy the Eibachs as a set of 4 than buy 2 front springs!

Your car will handle by than it was out the factory!

 

[Skippy]

I'm tempted to keep it at 'moon buggy' height now, as it's going to be a daily driver now (change jobs this month so no more walk to work :-( ) do springs age, apart from just failing?

I'm also trying to minimise spend as I'll be getting the cambelt, oil leak and possibly clutch sorted shortly!

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

They rust with time. And when they rust enough, they snap. If you find a part of them not covered in paint, they are rusting there

 

[Skippy]

Thanks.

So swap em if there's any rust, or if it's pitted? And if I'm on a budget, are OE still the ones to get?