Greasenuts

Just thought I'd let you all know about an issue I came across today on my 2002 ST170...

Took it to work this morning, (I'm a mechanic.... supposedly ) to give it a good talking to with a bucket of waxoyl. So I stripped the rear wheel arch liners out and was somewhat surprised and disappointed to find some fairly advanced corrosion. As you probably know, the liner is a funny fabric material which, rather inconveniently holds water and as such spends much of the its life damp. Where the liner is fastened to the inner arch, just above and ahead of the rear "axle", because it's permanently in contact with the metalwork its actually caused some fairly bad corrosion. Luckily for me I was able to get this back to bare metal and protect it properly, however I imagine many other focus' are beyond this. Unfortunately I didn't have time to get any pics so you'll just have to believe me

Why am I telling you all this? I hope some of you focus owners are brave enough to have a look and potentially save yourself loads of hassle in the future when the rot works its way to the rear chassis rails! A word of warning though, only look if you are prepared for the worst!

This might just be a one off but I'm bloody pleased I found it when I did and it didn't go through another winter and get a load worse! Needles to say, a mornings work later all signs of any corrosion were long gone and a couple of cans of waxoyl had been dispensed!!

Greasenuts

A second word of warning, dont get waxoyl in your hair........

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Worrying! The Mk2 focus has the same carpet rear arch liners, sound insulation I guess.

anthony lea

my ghia rusted behind the chrome handle on the boot. i had it resprayed but its come back again!

Greasenuts

Not ideal, I think its really important to make sure all signs of rust are removed to stand a chance of it not coming back! Still, with all due respect, at least a bootlid is relatively simple/cheap to replace... if you want to go that far!

botters

iTrader: (2)

yep the early focus's rust pretty bad ive welded a few, back subframes corrode badly as well

H3lsing

@Greasenuts: Did you check under the rear bench? I noticed on mine a while ago that it had some light surface rust, but on closer inspection there was some advanced rust and there was a small hole. I had to remove the back seat and partially remove the quater door cards for access. It has been cleaned up and treated now though.

If it was like that for me on the inside I hate to think what it's like under the arch liner . I will definately be having a look in the very near future. There already is some light rust on the wheel arch, so this would be a result of those carpet type liners then.

If I recall correctly doesn't ford have a 15 year anti corrosion warranty? and I think that they would have to honor such in this case as it has rusted through. I might just have to find this statement from ford and query it with them.

Shít .

botters

iTrader: (2)

if you have full service history from ford and have paid for the yearly corrosion inspections then yes, if not then no lol

Greasenuts

no mate i didnt look under the bench, i'll have a look though. thinking about it if the rust I had to deal with got much worse then I suppose it would get through to that sort of area!
Just to give you an idea, if you whip a rear wheel off and look for the funny reverse star shape washer thingy where i explained and push around it with your thumb. That should give you an idea of how bad the situation might be. That said, the liners are a piece of piss to get out once the wheels are off!
I got a wire wheel head for my drill and went mad with it, fuel pipes, brake pipes, any bodywork that needed it, then after warming a couple of cans wax just emptied it everywhere, even the lip of the arch itself! Hopefully that should prevent any rot developing any time soon.
I was surprised by the arch liner to be honest, the car hadnt been driven in the wet for days but it was still wet through!

Next up, wheels need painting!

H3lsing

Thanks for that although I'm a bit worried to check it now.

Lee-87

Im rattling around in a spotless 53 plate .... Paranoid now lol job for the weekend me thinks :-/

Mk2 Mondie Oli

From what I have head directly from Ford body repairers the Ford e-coat added to protect the bare metal from rusting is not very good which is why all Ford models have horrendous issues with it especially around rear quarters wheel arches although bootlids are not so common from what he said

Lee-87

Since last commenting on this I've had mine up a mates lock up , cleaned the under side and inside the rear arches and undersealed it with tetra Shultz via a air line and spray gun luckily I only had surface rot and paint peel inside the rear arches .... Caught it just in time !

DavebST170

My 2004 focus st170 has started rusting on the backs of the arches and at the bottom of the passenger door. The door issue looked like it was from a blocked drain hole. Luckily it looks like its only surface rust so it should be easily sorted

Daniel-1986

mite check mine

worst of all my car, this isn't a ford but my old mk2 vw golf and was always wondering why the inside of the rear passenger window was always dirty till I came across this

top of the rear suspension to the left of it

Lee-87

No worse than my old vx tigra mate , that was like a colander come the end !