steering problem.

today my car started to make a grinding sound, almost like i was dragging something behind me...so i took it straight home, but on the way, it would swerve violently...while i was holding the wheel straight, it would pull left or right, and i would have to battle with it to keep it straight. just as i was getting there, the grinding sound became louder and louder. the car is parked for now...until i figure out what to do with it. i haven't taken it to a mechanic, it just happened before i had to be at work...so i haven't had time...and i have a friend who can probably fix it, if it's anything that can possibly done outside of a shop, say without an alignment machine and all that...but he doesn't know what it is just hearing me describe it. it sounds similar to when the ball bearings went out on my mustang's alternator, just throw in massive stearing problems at speeds over 5 mph and your there... ideas on what's wrong? and more importantly can it be fixed with a normal car enthusiast's tools(gouging has been a problem for me with mechanics in the past, and i really don't have the money to deal with extreme labor charges right now)? help me out here, i know nothing of suspensions and steering.

today my car started to make a grinding sound, almost like i was dragging something behind me...so i took it straight home, but on the way, it would swerve violently...while i was holding the wheel straight, it would pull left or right, and i would have to battle with it to keep it straight. just as i was getting there, the grinding sound became louder and louder. the car is parked for now...until i figure out what to do with it. i haven't taken it to a mechanic, it just happened before i had to be at work...so i haven't had time...and i have a friend who can probably fix it, if it's anything that can possibly done outside of a shop, say without an alignment machine and all that...but he doesn't know what it is just hearing me describe it. it sounds similar to when the ball bearings went out on my mustang's alternator, just throw in massive stearing problems at speeds over 5 mph and your there... ideas on what's wrong? and more importantly can it be fixed with a normal car enthusiast's tools(gouging has been a problem for me with mechanics in the past, and i really don't have the money to deal with extreme labor charges right now)? help me out here, i know nothing of suspensions and steering.
how many miles on the car? ATX or MTX? need these details, but just from you describing it... snapped axle/CV/tie rod...

68k, MTX.

I agree with ZX2...I recently had almost the same situation, grinind sounds at all speeds, had to fight the steering. Turns out I had some damage from when Mr. Ice and Mr. Tire didn't get along and slid my wheel into a tree :)
Since we have almost the same situation, it could be the same repairs that I needed...new strut, sway bar linkage, control arm. The axle was fine, but that could still be it, or possibly the tie rod/ and or tie rod linkage. You'd probably be able to diagnose it best once you got it on a lift, or jack stands to see if anything looks bad. I know that you're trying to stay away from shops, but anytime you do any suspension work like I had to do, I think that an allignment is a good idea to keep everything the way it's supposed to be.

i haven't hit anything, and i don't think any of the previous owners of the car did any rallying...so i think i can rule out the axle...but i'm having it towed to a shop just pretty much for the hell of it... i can't deal with it right now... and this shop starts telling me about any engine problems(any ones i haven't diagnosed as needing care within the next couple months) i am never taking it to any shops in my area again. like this one time... where i had to replace the door on my mustang, and while it was in the autobody shop, the ECU went out. when i came back to get the car, they were all, like,"your car won't start, but we can push it across the street to our friend's auto shop." i was furious, but this seemed like a good solution, since i needed the car ASAP. well the shop replaced the computer, with a faulty computer, that i was able to replace later under warranty at a different shop, but since then the EGR valve has DICKED with my idling and power. oh, and the shop replaced my fuel pump relay, but when that didn't fix the problem, they said that my fuel pump relay was fried anyways....bastards.

I am just guessing, but lift up the back of the vehicle, and check how both the rear wheels spin. If one or both do not spin freely, you have a rear wheel bearing problem. If you do, call your dealership. Most of the early Focuses had a recall on rear wheel bearings, which would fit the symptoms you are describing. With just you VIN, your dealership should be able to tell you if the recall applies to you, and if it does, they'll probably pay for the tow as well so you don't have to hobble it to the shop.

I am just guessing, but lift up the back of the vehicle, and check how both the rear wheels spin. If one or both do not spin freely, you have a rear wheel bearing problem. If you do, call your dealership. Most of the early Focuses had a recall on rear wheel bearings, which would fit the symptoms you are describing. With just you VIN, your dealership should be able to tell you if the recall applies to you, and if it does, they'll probably pay for the tow as well so you don't have to hobble it to the shop.

well my car is no longer under warranty(the owner before me did a whole bunch of custom work on the car), but at least that's an idea... hopefully that's what it is...and i hope that the tow truck guy didn't end up dragging one of the back wheels for the 7 miles to the shop. hopefully this is a cheap fix... and i'm hoping most of the early recalls were fixed because my car was a ford fleet vehicle in a distant past life. i've talked to a focus owner i know and she said the ball bearings went out on her rear wheels...and maybe this is why it seems to come from the back. thanks for the help, everyone.

ok, so, the shop called me today and told me that the ball bearings went out on the left rear wheel. oh, and that that took out the spindle and the brake line..."and you can't just replace one of them" so $570 after labor after taxes.

"and you can't just replace one of them" so $570 after labor after taxes.
no see... that's when you say "just fucking do it anyways."