What Causes the Chassis Noise in Classic Focus?

[AxelAnn]

Here are the reasons for chassis noise in the Classic Focus: Disc Brake Noise: When the vehicle is driven at low speed on a flat road, an intermittent and irregular "creaking" sound is heard at the wheel axle. Cause: This is due to damage, deformation, or detachment of the brake shoe support plate, damping spring plate, or guide plate of the disc brake, which increases the gap between the brake shoe and the caliper support frame, causing them to collide and produce noise. Deformed parts can be repaired at a repair shop, and detached parts should be replaced. Front Suspension Ball Joint Noise Characteristics: When the vehicle is driven in low gear on uneven roads, a continuous "clicking" sound is heard from the front axle. The worse the road condition, the louder the noise, and it intensifies with increasing speed. Cause: The gap between the ball joint and its seat becomes larger, causing severe looseness. Since the ball joint seat is a sealed structure and cannot be disassembled, this situation requires replacement at a repair shop. Front Wheel Shock Absorber Noise Characteristics: On flat roads, a slight "gurgling" sound can be heard from the front of the vehicle, which intensifies during sharp turns. Cause: The vehicle is often driven on poor roads with improper maintenance, leading to oil leakage and damage in the shock absorber. Depending on the severity of the damage, it should be repaired or replaced.

[JoyLee]

I've been driving this classic Focus for seven or eight years, and the chassis noise issue has bothered me several times. The most likely cause is the aging of the suspension system, especially the rubber bushings on the front suspension's lower control arms. When the rubber deteriorates and cracks, it creaks when going over bumps. Loose ball joints on the stabilizer links can also produce metallic knocking sounds, and sometimes you can hear the thud from worn-out shock absorber top mounts. If the steering tie rod ball joints are loose, they can also cause noises when turning. I suggest checking these areas—any worn bushings or ball joints should be replaced, otherwise, the noise will only get worse. Last time at the repair shop, the mechanic also mentioned that loose brake caliper guide pins could cause metallic clashing sounds from the chassis.