Fixing focus? any one intrested

eyesoreracing Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The last Mazdaspeed3 I weighed was 588 on each
> rear wheel. This should be similar to a Fukus
> (Mazdaspeed3 front is MUCH heavier, but rear
> should be on par). So it looks like we're in the
> right ballpark with the XR stuff.

Yep.
>
> Hey Andrew, what are the DMS spring rates for the
> Focus?

Nobody ever knows DMS spring rates really. Most are taper ground wire and rather progressive, and the spec id usually quoted as a single rate.


Is the rear a coil-over, or is it in the
> stock perch?

We talked last night, so stock spring position.
>
> That 175 on the rear of the XR looks like
> something more in the 200 neighborhood when it
> gets to the wheel. You've got a >1 motion ratio
> back there.

I know.
>
> -Dave

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

So I took some shock measurements on the Focus last night they are from the center of the lower mount to the ridge that the top mount sits on. I forgot the paper I wrote the numbers on at home but from memory they were:

Uncompressed: 24" (23 31/32)
Compressed: 18 1/4" (18 7/32)

This was done with a tape measure so I may be off by a slight amount. John how does this match up with what you have?

Andrew

> Nobody ever knows DMS spring rates really. Most
> are taper ground wire and rather progressive, and
> the spec id usually quoted as a single rate.

Yea, so what do they quote? I suspect they're linearish from static ride height to the bump stop, and just go softer in droop. Haven't measured mine yet, but they're off the car and I know someone with the right equipment, so what the hell am I waiting for? Damn, I still suck...

> > That 175 on the rear of the XR looks like
> > something more in the 200 neighborhood when
> it
> > gets to the wheel. You've got a >1 motion
> ratio
> > back there.
>
> I know.

I know you know, I'm just pointing it out for the rest of the class.

-Dave

>
> I know you know, I'm just pointing it out for the
> rest of the class.
>
> -Dave
>
>
HooooKay!

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Ok, bringing this thread back from the dead. Does anyone have a part number and stats on the shock that you are using the rear of the XR? Like free length / extended length, etc.

Thanks,
Andrew

Andrew_Frick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok, bringing this thread back from the dead. Does
> anyone have a part number and stats on the shock
> that you are using the rear of the XR? Like free
> length / extended length, etc.

Same as Focus except Fucus uses a fucced up pin mount. 9.3" travel
>
> Thanks,
> Andrew

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

So does bilstein sell the shock with a pin mount? Do you have a part number for the one you use for the XR?

Andrew_Frick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So does bilstein sell the shock with a pin mount?
> Do you have a part number for the one you use for
> the XR?


No, they sell a shock with removable eyelet on top, I make a stainless pin top.

You'll want an extended lower spring seat to run 14" springs.
Again, I make that.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

So since this is a thread about what is wrong with the suspension on the Focus. Here is an update from my car. This applies mainly to those interested in DMS for the focus.

After tall pines I realized that the bottoms were about to rip out of the struts. which would have produced a failure similar to this one.


So what I did is send the strut bodies off to friends tool and die shop. He was able to machine some new ends for the shock tubes. Looking at the picture below. The way DMS constructs their strut housings is that the from where the big ear connects down is a machined part that slides onto the strut tube and is then welded around the top edge and their are two plug welds added on the sides. the little ear you see on the top strut is welded to this machined part and is used to locate the strut in the knuckle.


What I had him do was redesign the joint where it transitions from the knuckle to the shock body. DMS had a sharp corner here that create a stress riser and is where the failures were occurring see the top picture. here is a close up of this transition. If you look closely you will see that there is a nice smooth radius now that matches a similar radius on the knuckle.


Here is another shot that shows the radius


Another change was that the bevel inside the strut body that the shock end bolts through was a disk that was placed into the end and then welded around the edge. the new one was created during manufacturing so it all one solid part


The other thing that is harder to see is that the flat section of the end after the transition is now thicker. This leaves more material behind the transition. I do sacrafice a couple of mm of distance before I hit the bump stop but I think it will work well. I can make a cut away drawing if my description falls short.