BigDave Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 A few folks seem interested so here is a few snaps of my old 4 link bars being removed to make way for shorter Gartrac itmes... the powder coated black ones are a much better set, they have extra bracings and have been slash cut to eliminate stress points. Just need to re-tap out the ends for the rose joints tommorow and refit the new set. Its also pretty handy being mates with Pete, an ex race works team mechanic and bloody good Escort Rally driver!! I will post up more as it gets finished. CheeRS Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 19, 2004 Author Share Posted July 19, 2004 Hope I am not being boring here, but someone may be interested?? Anyway, I didnt like the old bolts that came out so being a tart went and bought nice shiney new ones today. Also borrowed the right size tap to refit the rest of the bars. Just need a ahnd to swap the upper ones now, I have extra gussets inside the car so its a two man job to get the pivot bolts in place. But here goes todays little bit of prgress... New Nuts, bolts, washers and tap for threading bars... Jig for measuring rose jiont equal lengths (Simple but works eh Pete!) Nice new threads... Nice and shiney in place now, also did panard rod bolts (Damn that rust tho!) And my beautiful assistant... Like I say, hope this is of interest to someone?? CheeRS Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerm Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 nah its not boring... i like to see this stuff....its interesting....you really are a perfectionists aren't you ...good to see the progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 19, 2004 Author Share Posted July 19, 2004 Read "perfectionist" as "tart" LOL, thats me fella!! I have some of the boxes going in if you want to go right back in time?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 19, 2004 Author Share Posted July 19, 2004 My mate Mark back in the Uk is really clever... Turrets, boxes, big diff tunnel and gusset brace sections Double skin bulkhead, big gearbox tunnel Etch primed... The force is strong in that one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WESTCORT Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Nah mate like jerm says its always interesting to see what your up to and you can learn quite a bit too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WESTCORT Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 you can learn by looking at this stuff and reading what you say i mean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 I will keep posting progress reports as I do more work then, cheeRS!! Also if anyone needs any pictures of a particular item or job I may just have them on my files from past cars?? CheeRS dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizzl Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 mate....this type of post is exactly what we need..... when you read in classic ford mag and read that its been turreted and 4 linked and yadda yadda.....its really good to see what the hell they mean and how its actually done... mad props to you mate..(good shit!!(cheers)) now...wheres that coilover conversion id love to see how to do that on the cheap(but not budget) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerm Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 yeah its mean... cos you can't actually go anywhere to get pics of how to do shit......especially good quality colour photos.... i want to know exactly how to change my springs and put blocks in.... i'm guessing its easy but still wouldn't mind knowing the details before i do it..... on thing is do i really need a spring compressor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizzl Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 youll only need a spring compressor for the front.....or you could do it the rangi way.with the car on the ground,undo the spear nut,jact the car up and the spring unloads inside the wheel arch not reccomended... the leaves are easy though...if you just put blocks in,put your escy on axle stands,undo the U-bolt nuts that hold the diff to the leaves,jack the diff up so you can slot the blocks between the diff and the leaves,lower it back down onto the blocks,make sure the lugs and holes are lined up or you block will pop out,put your new U-bolts on like the old ones were,do up the nuts,do them up tight,take the car for a spin around the block,jack it up again and retighten the nuts if needed....some settling does happen with blocks.... the front of escorts are a pain in the arse...so i found anyway....i just left standard capri coils in the capri struts...sits low enough...might upgrade to kings later though once its all going...with the 17"s on it and spoiler fitted.....so i can check clearances etc...and ill ave to get the gaurds rolled/pumped/lipped etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerm Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 where do you put the axle stands?...... on the chassis rails aye.... or another part of the body...... not on any part of the axle/diff aye....... cos when you undo the bolts the diff etc is free to move.... and the front if you get a spring compressor its easy aye you just jack it up put the compressor on and undo the strut from the bottom right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Haha yea spring compressor is essential for the fronts. I took out the whole strut and then tightened bits of wire around the coils a few times then took the nut off, the wire only loosened a little bit so I was lucky that the spring didnt fly off. Kept that wire on and tried putting it back but on the strut but there was no way it was going to go on so I got some spring compressors and they worked piece of cake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizzl Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 yup....you learn something new every day... axle stands must go under the chassis rails.... on a escort the strut doesnt come away from the hub assy....its all one piece...youll get to hate it as much as me....i had to take off the sway bar and control arms to get mine out....such a bitch... anybody got an easier way to get front coils out of a escort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 On the other side of the coin, if you fit lower springs and jack the car up then they can fall out of the platforms. cable ties sort that problem dead easy tho!! If you want to do a proper cowboy job then you can cut a coil from your fronts. Not recommended but it does the job for looks alone...but dont do it, springs are cheap anyway. Rears are pretty easy also, as mentioned the blocks just bolt in place dead easy! I must have a pic of them some place, watch this space... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 I found it easy to do... Just get a balljoint remover for the control arms, jack the car up a bit and then drop it out... Getting it back in was simple too, just got a mate to use huge ass prybar to lower the control arm while I lifted the strut in place. Maybe I just got beginners luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 A calibrated FBH is always the best tool I find, Makes life a lot easier for everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 Oh yeah, being a tart like me you can always just unscrew the top of the strut and slide the spring over the top... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 Some lowering blocks on my last Mk1 RS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Mk1 Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Escorta got it str8 for dropping the front struts, the pri-bar bit ne way, i just did it an hour ago on a mk1 capri... Its so much easier to handle when out and spring compressors are like $25 unless u can borrow them off a garage. I just took out the factory coils and put in Cobra lowering springs, didnt even need the compressor to put the Cobras on!!! much shorter... Ill do the other side 2morro and should see how low i got it Ideally u want 2 ppl doin the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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