Jump to content

Mondeo NSF wishbone replacement


Tony
 Share

Recommended Posts

To replace the NSF wishbone the front retaining bolt needs to be 'tail down' for obvious safety reasons, but this would involve much more work by the garage since to enable this the sub-frame would need to be lowered or the engine lifted..... An easy cop out is to cut the existing bolt away and fit the new bolt 'tail up'.... Be warned this is a potential killer because the nut does have an opportunity to undo releasing the wishbone from the chassis.... a dire situation!

 

If you have this.....

 

post-2-1157057176_thumb.jpg

 

Instead of this.......

 

post-2-1157057268_thumb.jpg

 

Scream Treading standards...... Then realize the cheapest quote may not be the wisest destination B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thing is if it was done on the cheap,you wouldn't know untill it all went tits up.

 

Scary B)

And it has for some unfortunate owners..... This warning is prominent in the Ford forums (rightly so) I also often see the cop-out method hence the images. The time differential is this..

1: Incorrect method... 20min

2: Correct method... 1hr 20min

 

So any quote for the easy job may be £80 less then the correct procedure... Human nature steers people toward the cheapest quote since this form of repair is normally insisted!.. by this i mean the car may have failed an MOT or is handling pants, so the owner peruses the cheapest solution..... The 'Trauma' market is far removed from the 'Modification market'...... Scary!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the way i do these is to take the bolt out that goes right through the foward lower engine mount, then remove the 2 nearside subframe bolts, slacken the 2 ofside bolts then you can pull down on the subframe enough to slide the bolts out and in again, refitting it the reverse of stripping except you need a subframe alignment tool to makesure the subframe goes back as ford intended then sugest a full geom to the customer :lol:

 

also i have noticed on some mondeos that i the bolt is in upside down then the tip of the bolt rubs on the gearbox.. that cant be healthy either

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cant you mark the subframe then do away with the tool.

No tool mate only procedure..... Simple fact is the Mondeo requires many wishbones during it's short lifespan, and the NSF bolt is an issue... Most places will reverse the bolt because it's easy to do, but the consequences are dire..... very dire!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Well the bolt on mine has been reverted (not by me). I didn't even realise until Tony pointed it out during my geo. It had been fitted about 14 months beforehand. It's now been like this for 19 months and I've had no problems. Lower arm is a pattern part as well and I'm surprised it's lasted this long anyway!

 

There seems to be a lot of dispute about this on the MEG forum and some people think it's fine like this, whereas others will put the bolt in the correct way. As Tony says the price puts people off! I'm sure the lower arm bolts are reverted on some makes of cars out of the factory though?

 

However, you could argue about the subframe bolts as these are put in upside down. I had a scary moment last year when my subframe became loose on the M25 while doing 70mph, I could feel I was losing control of the steering as the frame was moving :blush: If I'd crashed that could've been nasty! One bolt had come undone and then seized in the nut, plus the other bolts were only hand tight and not torqued up. I suspect this could be down to a clutch change by the previous owner!

 

When me lower arm does need changing I will be making sure the bolt is put in correctly, especially as I have the little one in the car. I think I will be calling on Tony to advise me on this as lowering my subframe will be a pain cos of the problem I had. There is no longer a captive nut there as the bolt sheared when trying to remove it, so the nut and rest of the bolt had to come out from the floor. If the subframe is dropped and I have a new captive nut put/welded on, do you think this will will cost much more? I would obviously prep the area first.

 

Sorry for the long post! :blush:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

but if a Nyloc nut is used it should never come loose

Agreed! but most shops use the old Nylock nut.... We know it is a one time use for the Nylock but some even miss this basic knowledge..... I think next time i see this car i will mig the bolt to the sub-frame if only for my peace of mind :blush:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought that photo was from mine as it was around the same time you did the geo for me. I've been very conscious of it since you mentioned it but as it's been ok so far I didn't want to start messing with it. Especially with the problems I'd have lowering the subframe if I attempted it meself.

 

If the bolt was mig'd (this is a type of welding isn't it?) or a proper nylock was used are you saying it would ok to revert the bolt, or there would at least be minimal chance of it failing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought that photo was from mine as it was around the same time you did the geo for me. I've been very conscious of it since you mentioned it but as it's been ok so far I didn't want to start messing with it. Especially with the problems I'd have lowering the subframe if I attempted it meself.

 

If the bolt was mig'd (this is a type of welding isn't it?) or a proper nylock was used are you saying it would ok to revert the bolt, or there would at least be minimal chance of it failing?

Nothing beats the logic from the original design (bolt nose down) but a spot weld in your case would put my mind at rest! And cost nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Racer: what reg is your Mondeo?

 

Are the lower arms replaced cos the suspension bushes perish?

 

I will certainly be making sure the bolt gets put in the correct way around when the time comes on my Mondeo. Thank you for bringing this to our attention Tony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Racer: what reg is your Mondeo?

 

Are the lower arms replaced cos the suspension bushes perish?

 

I will certainly be making sure the bolt gets put in the correct way around when the time comes on my Mondeo. Thank you for bringing this to our attention Tony.

 

 

It's an X reg, MK2 though not a 3. As yours is a TDCI I'd imagine it's a MK3. I don't think this is an issue on the newer mondeos, I've never seen it mentioned on MEG anyway.

 

I replaced mine (the O/S) as the ball joint was knackered where the rubber had split. When I first got the car I had both replaced as the bushes were worn and the arms were knocking badly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Afflicts all MK1 and MK2 Mondeos...

 

I guess the design has changed on the MK3, I haven't looked underneath one though to check.

 

BTW, Hello Essex_Racer, it is I, Monkeyra rolleyes_anim.gif

 

I think the design must have changed for the MK3.

 

Monkeyra what's your view on reverting the bolt? :thumbsup_anim:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Afflicts all MK1 and MK2 Mondeos...

 

I guess the design has changed on the MK3, I haven't looked underneath one though to check.

 

BTW, Hello Essex_Racer, it is I, Monkeyra rolleyes_anim.gif

 

I think the design must have changed for the MK3.

 

Monkeyra what's your view on reverting the bolt? :thumbsup_anim:

 

 

Can't remember on what the consensus was TBH... There was a big thread on MEG about it a while back (we're talking a good few years ago I think)

 

I think when people changed it themselves, the reverted the bolt, along with some threadlock... which tbh, on a nylock bolt (new) should be fine.

 

Put it this way, on MEG so far, I can only recall one instance of the bolt falling out. (Thats over the past 7 years!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

I was looking for something else and found it! B)

 

That is true Ford didn't design it that way but as Mat said a nylock will stop it coming undone anyway. I've never had an issue with it in 6 years of owning the car. I don't think I will get another one though, had enough of changing the arms cos of the crap design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...