nicklm Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Hey, there's probably a thread for this already so if anyone can send me a link to it that would be sweet.. What I'm wanting to know though is what are most people's recommendations on here for a decent front suspension setup in a mk1 escort? This is a road car which I want to look good at a decent height but handle well too.. ( I am a bit of a noob and don't know too much technical stuff ) My first option is to get some shortened inserts and king style or custom springs with camber plates etc I think I'm looking in the region of $600 - $700 all up for the front going that way.. Or Get some adjustable suspension made up at a possible cost of $600 - $700 per side plus cert costs. Does this sound about right? I want the car to sit approx. 100mm or thereabouts... Any advice or info on what others have done with their escorts would be appreciated.. Cheers Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclejake Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I'd go see Palmside in CHCH (assuming they are still in business) as they knew almost everything about Escorts that there was to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
187inc Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Are you going to need a cert for the car anyway? If so I would definitely recommend going for some custom coilovers. Easy way to get the exact height you want and can be (alot) cheaper than you have stated if you; have a pair of struts you can chop the lower spring perch off, find a cheap set of threaded sleeves/platforms, choose whatever rate springs/keeper springs you want, and either keep your original shocks to get shortened or get new, and get them made up. OR if that is too much hassle/$$/you cbf, get your shocks shortened and some premade lowering springs and call it a day. If the top option interests you give Chris @ SuspensionTech a call, he's a GC whos always keen for a chat and more importantly knows his shit (builds rally spec escorts). Hope this helps Edited for drunken typos. #itsfriday #drinkthroughit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bling Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Pretty sure (90% sure) you'd need a cert if you went with adjustable camber plates for option one. Just something to look into if you decide to go that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
187inc Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Pretty sure (90% sure) you'd need a cert if you went with adjustable camber plates for option one. Just something to look into if you decide to go that way. ^good point. Would you need adjustabe camber with only slightly lowered standard suspension anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick 401 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I'd go see Palmside in CHCH (assuming they are still in business) as they knew almost everything about Escorts that there was to know I went into palmside yetsreday arvo and Simon in there said that they're coilovers they make for their group 4 escorts cant be certed? Something to do with the gussets on the bottom of the tubes... Wasn't sure about that as I've seen lots of sets of certed coilovers on here and then the people at Stock said that wasn't right either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicklm Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 Are you going to need a cert for the car anyway? If so I would definitely recommend going for some custom coilovers. Easy way to get the exact height you want and can be (alot) cheaper than you have stated if you; have a pair of struts you can chop the lower spring perch off, find a cheap set of threaded sleeves/platforms, choose whatever rate springs/keeper springs you want, and either keep your original shocks to get shortened or get new, and get them made up. OR if that is too much hassle/$$/you cbf, get your shocks shortened and some premade lowering springs and call it a day. If the top option interests you give Chris @ SuspensionTech a call, he's a GC whos always keen for a chat and more importantly knows his shit (builds rally spec escorts). Hope this helps Edited for drunken typos. #itsfriday #drinkthroughit The car already has cert for front seats, gearbox and 1600 xflow among other things and includes for lowered suspension, just not adjustable suspension which is lame.. I did some measuring last night and I would be looking for a drop of min 50mm to max 75mm if it's gonna be possible which is a big drop so coilovers are looking more likely the go.. (the car is freaking high at the mo 150mm of the ground from the rails) And if adjustable camber plates do come under the need for a cert well then it's deff looking like the coilovers are the way to go, are thoses threaded sleves / platforms on trademe anygood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durty Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I went into palmside yetsreday arvo and Simon in there said that they're coilovers they make for their group 4 escorts cant be certed? Something to do with the gussets on the bottom of the tubes... Wasn't sure about that as I've seen lots of sets of certed coilovers on here and then the people at Stock said that wasn't right either... No. Palmside are correct. Their ones will have reinforcing triangles welded between the tube and the hub. This can't be created as you aren't allowed to weld to the cast hub at all. If they didn't add the gussets it would be all good. A bit weird that the people at stocks wouldn't know that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicklm Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Hey so have decided I want to do this properly and get some adjustable front struts made up.. So I started by going into stocks and that is where my confusion has started... They want me to provide a bunch of measurements ie distance from bottom mounting point to top mounting point with the car in the air, the same again but with the car under it's weight or static, the insert marked with a cable tie in the air and then with where it ends up on the ground and a rough measurement from mounting point to mounting of what I imagine the final ride height to be... This is a bit beyond my minimal knowledge so any info would be helpful, I assume these measurements are for working out insert length to strut tube length? I already have a pair of mk2 struts for them to convert which have had their lower spring perches removed but always thought that the thread / sleeve would slide over this and just be welded on end of story... As you can tell I know little to F all so if anyone has an easy way to work out, explain or has done this before for a mk1 escort I'd love to know more cheers... Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Yes, those measurements will be so they can work out the correct lengths, if stocks are going to do it then you just need to pony up and give em those measurements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteretep Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Give Chris at Suspension Tech a call and let him know what you want to do, he makes up adjustables etc and specializes in escorts/fords Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.