General information about the suspension (Mondeo 1 and 2)

1. The front suspension is independent, with MacPherson struts, contains coil springs with telescopic shock absorbers installed inside them and an anti-roll bar. The lower ends of the struts are connected to the steering knuckles, and the steering knuckles are connected to the lower suspension arms with ball joints. The anti-roll bar is secured with bolts to the rear of the subframe and is connected to the suspension struts with connecting links (see Fig. 1.1).



2. The Sedan and Hatchback models are equipped with a rear independent suspension of the "Quad-raliink" type with four support points on each side of the car. Its two lower arms (on each side of the car) are connected with their outer ends to the support of the rear axle of the suspension, and with their inner ends - to the beam. The reaction arm (on each side of the car), fixed to the lower part of the knuckle and the floor, absorbs the forces that arise during braking and acceleration (see Fig. 1.2).





3. The station wagon models are equipped with a rear independent suspension of the "SLA" (short-long arm) type. It provides a large luggage compartment area, since there are no parts of the suspension protruding into it. The suspension has three transverse levers on each side. The upper arm is forged, and the two lower arms are stamped. A reaction arm (on each side) supports the rear axle support of the suspension. Coil springs are installed separately from the shock absorbers (see Fig. 1.3).





4. All models are equipped with an anti-roll bar. On SI models, the front and rear shock absorbers are gas-filled. On other models, the shock absorbers are hydraulic. On GHIA-Estate (Station wagon) models, rear shock absorbers with automatic height adjustment are installed as standard equipment.

5. Steering gear is rack and pinion with variable gear ratio. The steering column is telescopic and contains two cardan joints. All models are equipped with power steering. The radiator of the hydraulic steering system is installed in front of the radiator of the engine cooling system on the beam. On models with adaptive suspension, the steering position sensor and its disk are installed above the upper cardan joint.



6. Models with adaptive suspension can select "hard" or "soft" modes for the front and rear shock absorbers. The adaptive suspension system is controlled by a computer. Using the switch located next to the handbrake lever, you can select the "sport" or "normal" mode. This type of suspension has an electromagnetic valve on each strut. When the valve is open, the fluid flows through the bypass circuit inside the shock absorber. Due to this, the soft mode is realized. When the valve is closed, the shock absorber becomes harder. The system reacts to the speed of the car. At high speed, the shock absorber automatically becomes harder. The computer that controls the adaptive suspension is installed in the luggage compartment behind the rear seats. It has a self-diagnosis function (see Fig. 1.6, a, b). The adaptive suspension is not installed on the Station Wagon model.



7. When servicing the suspension or steering, you may come across bolts or nuts that are difficult to unscrew. They are located on the bottom, and therefore constantly get water, dirt, etc., as a result of which they rust. To unscrew the fasteners without much difficulty, lubricate them with penetrating oil. Wait for a while, and then unscrew.



8. It is also useful to clean the threads with a wire brush. You can loosen the nut with a hammer and punch. Be careful not to damage the threads. Sometimes it is useful to heat the nut or bolt and the surrounding parts with a soldering iron to loosen it. However, this is not recommended due to the risk of fire. You can also use rods and pipes as levers to loosen it. Most of the operations presented in this chapter require raising the vehicle and placing it on supports. When raising the vehicle, it is better to use a mobile hydraulic jack instead of the standard jack from the tool kit. It can also be used to support individual components during removal and installation operations.

Warning: Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Do not jack up the vehicle by supporting the front or rear subframes.