Mk 1 Escort Rear Setup

[russo]

Howdy...

I would appreciate anyone who can assist with a killer setup for a Mk1 Escort rear suspension. We have to run 60 series Yokohama and no 4links ( cutting the body shell ) would like to get away from track rods ( possible geometric quarrel ? and weight ) obviously axle tramp is a problem area though, using English diff....again for weight saving ( approx 200 hp f/wheel )

[Al Weyman]

I have seen slipper leaf springs used on the Escort (but am no expert on the model) so the spring section between the chassis and the axle acts as a solid link but the rear of the spring is allowed to slip between two rollers then when you use the links to locate the axle you are less likely to get bind.

Axle bind is a problem on a stock suspension set up which is why the manufacture puts in big rubber bushes. I think I actually harmed the rear suspension on my 87 Camaro by putting in hard poly bushes in the trailing arms and Panard rod and Torque bar, I would have been better leaving one end rubber bushed. I have now solved the problem by fitting (at great expense) fully rose jointed componentry to eliminate bind so be careful what you do if you are restricted as it can end up worse.

[johnny yuma]

look through some old leaf springs off anything of the same section,maybe one of the shorter leaves off an escort turned around the other way and trimmed. Run it above the main leaf from axle housing mounting clamps to a point tucking neatly into the recess above and behind the front spring eye.Grease up the faces of all the spring leaves where they touch to resist binding and fit a small u-bolt clamp [not too tight] to press the new half-leaf against the main leaf as close as is easy to the front spring eye,and another one half way back to the axle housing.If it still tramps I'd be surprised,if the rubber bush is big and spongy on the front eye try a poly bush in the front[only] maybe the front driver side only[more subject to tramp]---how much torque does this little beast have anyhow ??? Wrap the leaf springs with your favourite duct tape to stop the grease between the leaves from drying out--like old fashioned spring gaiters.

[retro_msport]

Where abouts in the world are you?

[russo]

Thankyou.....yes a mate has tried that ...pretty solid front spring arm approach.....apparently still suffered from tramp though ( running a good pinto app 200hp)
they have since resorted to the tramp rod setup....it works ok allthough I do not think that they get the best traction ( keeping in mind that these guys have been National champs allthough they are now running a good cossie)

[russo]

Sorry Garry....Good old Tasmania......Fedex keeps us in touch with the rest of you guys pretty ok though...

[russo]

Johnnie thanks for the info....I will get back to the workshop and lay under the car with your e mail and sort it and then give you a buzz later......sorrry mate but the ol grey matter takes a while to warm up sometimes...

[russo]

PS......sorry Gary for calling you Garry......

[russo]

Yes thanks Al ....got under a car ( RX7 sorry mate ) to see what his binding problem was and as it turned out it was all too rigid just as you found yourself....
By the way...when you said torque bar is that off the top of the diff.....as in circle track stuff ??

[russo]

Al sorry to jump about , I will get used to this forum sometime....
I did speak to a colleague re your thoughts and it all sounds good, but he then asked what about the increased roll steer if you do away with the rear shackles
and go with a slider type setup......locate it on a box structure down to the original level ???

[Notso Swift]

Originally Posted by russo

Thankyou.....yes a mate has tried that ...pretty solid front spring arm approach.....apparently still suffered from tramp though ( running a good pinto app 200hp)
they have since resorted to the tramp rod setup....it works ok allthough I do not think that they get the best traction ( keeping in mind that these guys have been National champs allthough they are now running a good cossie)

That would be Scott then say G'day

[Al Weyman]

Correct, the Torque Tube is bolted rigidly to the back axle it is about 4ft long and on the original car is made from pressed steel and has a big rubber void bush at one end that actually mounts on the gearbox tail shaft housing.

For racing this causes real problems from ripping gearbox mounts apart to snapping off the gearbox tailshaft housing (ouch expensive!). Plus the axle tramp on braking has to be experienced to be believed as the torque arm tries to lift the rear axle. The Sphon fully rose jointed and adjustable piece that is sanctioned for SCCA racing on Camaros and Mustangs (similiar set up) transforms this situation and with the fully rose jointed lower track control arms and panard rod I now have zero bind. Got some more parts on order for Sphon to finish the conversion off and hopefully get on the pace as it still is not quite right.

[R59]

Russo,

If you can find one, you need the Ford AVO Preparation Manual for the Escort. This details how the works would prepare the suspension.

If you take a look at msttiming.com, look under BARC, then this Saturday (6th May) at Thruxton - the car that won is a Mk1 RS2000. It runs to Gp.1 spec (ish), and uses factory type anti-tramp bars, it's built to the late Mk1 spec with the crossmember in the back between the inner wheel arches which straightens the dampers towards vertical (which affects tramp lots!). It runs single leaf springs (progressive) which also improves tramp.

The car was build by a good friend of mine, Carl Sawford, who campaigned it successfully in the BRSCC Super Road Saloon Championship, but when that fell apart, he rebuilt the car for the BARC Post Historic Touring Car series, but sold it when it was finished, rather than race it himself (other projects took his time). If you want further info on the car, PM me and I'll see what I can get out of him (he's not computerised - so I have to talk to him in person).

Rob.

[Al Weyman]

I can vouch for how well it handles when he came past me through the complex at Thruxton.

[retro_msport]

They old Gp 2 cars used to use a solid link to the axle which replace the front half of the leaf spring, the rear of the leaf was a plastic/GRP lookalike. That lot formed the lower link, they then used the "anti-tramp" bars as the top link, one car had these attached to the center housing to form an 'A' frame rear, thus doing away with the tranverse link. But most ran a panhard rod. The dampers where placed in the wheel tubs using Capri turrets, which are now avalible as copies through most Escort Prep Parts suppliers, which was allowed in the rules. As the original springs are still in place, allbeit half plastic springs, the rules allowed the use of "helper" springs on the dampers... which looked just like a set of coil-over funny enough.

You would need to experiment with the lower arm angles to get the best out of the arrangement and this was done with spacer blocks on the lower links axle mount. There was a picture floating around the web of a Zakspeed Mk2 rolling over, in the picture you can see the setup and the fact that one half of the spring is missing, though as it didnt acctually do anything that probably wasnt the cause of the roll....

[russo]

Gary...thanks a heap for your time, I think a look at a derivative of the stiff frontal spring section is the go ....in my view anyway...I will have a look for the pic of the Zakspeed as well

Kerry

[retro_msport]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I have seen slipper leaf springs used on the Escort (but am no expert on the model) so the spring section between the chassis and the axle acts as a solid link but the rear of the spring is allowed to slip between two rollers then when you use the links to locate the axle you are less likely to get bind.

The Standard O/E spring is mounted in a forward chassis housing attached to the chassis rail, this front mount is a solid rubber bush with a bolt through the middle, the length change during the working action of the spring is taken up with the rear mount, being shackles on either side of the rear spring bush and attached via bushes inserted inside a tube welded into the chassis.

The slipper springs are used when the car uses 4 radius arem (4linked) and the rear mounts stay the same, the front mount is modified to accept 2 PB bearings and the spring slips through these bearings, hence "slipper" spring. The reason for having the slipper at the front is the pivot points of the radius arms are not in line with the pivot of the front spring bush and would cause binding.

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by retro_msport

The slipper springs are used when the car uses 4 radius arem (4linked) and the rear mounts stay the same, the front mount is modified to accept 2 PB bearings and the spring slips through these bearings, hence "slipper" spring. The reason for having the slipper at the front is the pivot points of the radius arms are not in line with the pivot of the front spring bush and would cause binding.

I've seen a multi link set up on an HRSR Anglia, when the leaf springs can't move freely from the axle casing it ripped the radius arm links off the shell !