Ford Focus Without Shock Absorbers Makes For A Bumpy Ride

Master Milo puts the “car” in carnage.

As you prepare yourself for the last weekend of January here’s a little something to put some bounce in your step, and we mean that literally. Yes, Master Milo is back with a new video, but before we get into the meat of this week’s adventure, there is some sad news to report. The old Opel Astra that survived a litany of abuse finally went to the scrap yard. Please observe a moment of silence for the valiant hatchback. Okay, that’s enough.

The new test vehicle is a first-generation Ford Focus wagon, and as you’ve no doubt guessed from the headline, the experiment this week is to see what happens when you drive a car without shocks, or in the case of the Focus, struts. Both perform the same function – dampening the movement of the springs – though a strut also serves as a structural part of the vehicle’s suspension. That’s why the struts on this Focus were drilled instead of removed, allowing the oil within to drain out. As such, they’re basically metal shells providing no dampening force at all.








That becomes quite obvious once the Focus hits the road. Without any resistance, the springs on the wagon cause it to bounce around like a Kangaroo on cocaine. Admittedly, the poor Ford isn’t exactly driven easy over bumps, but the effect builds up until the car is literally bouncing itself airborne. Eventually the front suspension – or what remains of it – collapses under the strain. At least it looks repairable, so the Focus should live to see another stress test.

Unlike previous experiments from Master Milo, driving on weak or completely blown-out shocks is something that happens quite often. Slow leaks can gradually reduce the effectiveness of the shocks or struts without drivers realizing it, and if the vehicle primarily stays on smooth roads, excessive bouncing may not be an issue. Ride quality, however, is most definitely diminished.

What future missions are in store for the Focus? You can bet we’ll see a new adventure soon.

Source: mastermilo82 via YouTube

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