[duckcanuck]

Just wanted to mention a small (but irritating) problem I hit, when installing a set of "multifit" steel wheels on my 2010 Focus SE.

The front caliper design on the 2010 (not sure if it might also be on 2008/2009) has a new brace between the outer "ears" of the caliper. This brace sits close to the centre hub. I suspect it makes the caliper more rigid. When I test fitted a 15" Ford OEM wheel, no problems at all. When I put on the 15" multifit steel wheels that came with my new-used snows, the wheel rubs very slightly on the brace. It is not much, but I had to figure out where the contact was (top outside corner) and use a dremel to take off some metal.

Also interestingly, the problem only happened on the driver's side. No contact on the passenger side, so I suspect it is a question of manufacturing tolerances for the caliper (because all the wheels rubbed on the driver's side front).

I just thought I would post this in case someone else hits this problem, on a cold dark night, with a blizzard forecast for the next morning....

Bob

[castone]

There also could be bigger weld on the inside of the steel wheel that is hitting.
We've ran into that problem before at work with generic aftermarket steel wheels.

[duckcanuck]

(11-16-2010, 09:17 AM)castone Wrote: There also could be bigger weld on the inside of the steel wheel that is hitting.
We've ran into that problem before at work with generic aftermarket steel wheels.

Yeah, that was what I thought initially. I spent a while cleaning up the weld areas on one of the wheels, before I realized that the contact is on the INSIDE shoulder, near the bolt circle. The multifit rims have a shallower angle in this area than the Ford OEM steelies. It took me a while to spot the very faint "witness marks" from the contact.

Bob

[Focus man. Focus.]

A set of 1/8" spacers would have been an easy fix. But a dermel works too I guess.

[duckcanuck]

(11-16-2010, 10:05 AM)Focus man. Focus. Wrote: A set of 1/8" spacers would have been an easy fix. But a dermel works too I guess.

Yep, you are right. I thought about that later. Of course, I didn't happen to have a set of spacers handy, and I thought four flat washers would be tacky...

But on a related topic, it winds up that the set of snows I bought has three multifits and one Ford OEM steel wheel. The Ford wheel has about 1/4" less offset. For now, I put the Ford wheel on the back, but do you think I would notice weird front end behaviour if I had to mix the two different offsets on the front at some point?

Bob

[Focus man. Focus.]

Take em back and get a matched set.

[duckcanuck]

(11-16-2010, 11:14 AM)Focus man. Focus. Wrote: Take em back and get a matched set.

Not always an option when you buy used off Kijiji.

Four lightly used Michelin X-Ice, on wheels, for $200... I decided to take the risk (and I did not know about the difference in offset).

My question remains: Do you think I will notice the effect of the 1/4" difference in offset? I'm sure I would in the dry, but these are the winter tires...

Bob

[Focus man. Focus.]

You might have an issue with tracking. You know when you are following in the tracks of somebody else. It may wander a bit.