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huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:50 am
by soul_hammer
has any ones focus become un drivable in the snow/ice after they lowered it? I went to see my folks last night in the little bit of snow we had and any time i went over 40 it would start to fish tail slightly at first then worsen the faster i went. kind of scary anyone else run into this?
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:01 am
by mars
um do u have snow/winter tires?? maybe it was just icey out there......
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:59 pm
by soul_hammer
i have my stock p6s on for the winter. ive driven RWD cars and trucks that are more stable than the focus was acting. i brought it home and jumped in my wifes fusion and had no issues at all so im sure its something with my car.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:39 pm
by o2designs
I have the same problem with my Wagon.
It could be either related to my tires suck(very little left of the Blizzaks) or the alignment still needs to be done.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:52 pm
by Pitch Black
sounds like an alignment problem!
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:13 pm
by soul_hammer
thats what im thinking. ill be getting a 4 wheel tomorrow and i got the camber bolts for the rear so hopefully it will take car of the issue. thanks for the responses guys sometimes i just need a couple other opinions.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:14 pm
by focinite
its a align issue!!. it needs a touch more toe-out, or the toe is uneven. i had this happen in the rain and in the ice on under passes. always kicked to the left.

Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:30 am
by CleanZX3
Mine does this too.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:07 am
by Steve@Tasca
P6's pretty much suck also, They are bearable but not great in slippery conditions.
I've also noticed that the Focus tends to be a bit tail happy, I like that better than having the front end wash out first though like most other front drivers because it's easier to correct.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:51 pm
by focinite
FORDSVTPARTS wrote:P6's pretty much suck also, They are bearable but not great in slippery conditions.
I've also noticed that the Focus tends to be a bit tail happy, I like that better than having the front end wash out first though like most other front drivers because it's easier to correct.
no its not fun. back when hwy 35 was a large turn to the left to get to county road E, i spun 360 to the left, got straight spun 360 to the right crossed all lanes of north bound and stopped right in front of the E entrance. when the tail comes around in a slippy condition it comes fast. its hard to control. after i set some custom specs i have a more gentall over steer.

Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:31 pm
by Steve@Tasca
focinite wrote:FORDSVTPARTS wrote:P6's pretty much suck also, They are bearable but not great in slippery conditions.
I've also noticed that the Focus tends to be a bit tail happy, I like that better than having the front end wash out first though like most other front drivers because it's easier to correct.
no its not fun. back when hwy 35 was a large turn to the left to get to county road E, i spun 360 to the left, got straight spun 360 to the right crossed all lanes of north bound and stopped right in front of the E entrance. when the tail comes around in a slippy condition it comes fast. its hard to control. after i set some custom specs i have a more gentall over steer.

No offense Rob but if you got crossed up that bad I would bet you were going faster than you should have been for the road conditions.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:34 am
by soul_hammer
well it was all out of wack ill post the print out of it later. but its way better now.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:17 pm
by HotRodWagon
I've never had problems since lowering. I have though run mostly on 15's that were all seasons. The only issue I ever had was with the stock Firehawks that came on the car. They came off when I lowered.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:14 pm
by soul_hammer
the biggest problem was the caster being off so the rear tires were pointing in and being draged. when i hit a bump it would lift one and let the other steer the rear of the car.
Re: huge handling issue
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:49 pm
by umdivx
I dunno my focus is a beast when it comes to snow/ice. I've got Yokohama Ice Guards on stock 16's with a full coil over kit on my focus and last winter (March) we had two huge snow falls in a row a week apart. Both storms dumped 24+ inches each storm in my neck of the woods and I was out tooling around in that snow in my neighborhood I was blasting through snow drifts that were up to my hood, and not once did I have a traction issue.
- Josh