Stub Axle

Scarfacé · 12 Mar 2006 at 15:39

Hi,

I managed to slide my Ford Focus into a kerb, I think it might be the stub axle that is bent, the main beam is in tact.

How much am I likely to have to pay for the part direct from Ford? I can't find one at a local scrappy.

Mechanic told me he'll charge about £60 for the labour.

Cheers.

Firestar_3x · 12 Mar 2006 at 15:44

Look on-line, will be cheaper than ford.

Scarfacé · 13 Mar 2006 at 12:48

Ok Ford want £90 for the stub axle and the guy I know said about £60 labour for fitting it.

I'll get this done then afterwards change the obviously destroyed bearing, but is there anything else that could be bent?

The guy said the main beam isn't broken so he's guessing it's the stub axle. Is this good enough? What else could it be? Cheers.

George.

Scarfacé · 14 Mar 2006 at 13:53

Ordered the stub axle from a car breakers... £37 delivered to my door by friday.

Do any people with the know... some people are telling me <10mph would never have been enough force to bend the stub axle... some are saying different.

Now, obviously I won't know until Saturday when it's all pulled apart... but, could a collapsed bearing be causing this? Eg, a hell of a camber?

I do get a noise over a certain speed, the car feels kind of "wobberly" too... the wheel isn't "buckled" just at an angle (pushed in from the bottom). Enough for it to have worn down to the material in hardly any miles at all.

If I replace: a) Stub axle. b) Bearing and the main beam isn't bent... what else could it be?

Could bushes be bent? Suspension? What about the hub? Would that cause this too?

Thanks for any help again.

Goliath · 14 Mar 2006 at 14:47

It's not the force that bends things, it's how you hit 'em. A stub axle is designed to take a lot of vertical force (i.e. the wheel moving up and down) and a bit of fore/aft force (hitting a pothole edge etc). If your wheel hit the kerb "side on" then it's perfectly possible to do damage at low speeds.

The bearing would have to be totalled to cause that much of a camber, typically when they start going you just get a speed variable rumbling noise. Is it the front or the rear?

D4VE · 14 Mar 2006 at 14:55

The rear I assume as he mentions a beam.

Is it not fully independent rear suspension on the Focus?

gc123 · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:07

if the stub axle is coming from a breakers at £37. i would expect the complete hub, with bearing. its unlikely that they would bother to split it .as said it takes very little to bend a stub.

D4VE · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:16

The hub and bearing might all be integrated into one expensive unit - they are on later Astras.
Have you got a Haynes manual for this car?
Its very hard to suggest what might be wrong without knowing the Focus well as there are very different suspension types on the rear.

Scarfacé · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:15

The guy said he's going to send just the stub axle?

Yes, its the rear driver's side wheel.

The mechanic said it would be an easy job to strip it all down and replace the stub axle? I guess we'll see on saturday!

Just really worried he'll take it all apart and find it isn't the stub axle...

Thanks for your help guys, much appreciated. Glad to hear it's probably the stub axle! And yes, I hit it dead side on...

Thanks again.

George.

Goliath · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:45

D4VE said:
Is it not fully independent rear suspension on the Focus?

Sort of, it's a lower wishbone with a 3 link trailing arm arrangement. It sounds like the top end of the stub has failed, either that or one of the trailing arm links. Hope it turns out OK, whatever the case.