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Thread: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

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    Mechanic windy's Avatar

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    Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Anyone got a drawing with dimensions of where to put the 4 link boxes in an Escort MK2? I have the boxes already, they are the 2 piece ones, manufactured to original Group 4 spec (I think). Note: The rally prep book is fairly vague on this & doesn't tell me what I need to know.

    Thanks in advance.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Here you go Graham...





    Simon

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Marvellous, that makes sense of the dimensions gartrac were telling me over the phone.

    However I have an unidentified part (a pair) which I think is supposed to be part of the kit. Can I work out where these fit - er NO!!! Any ideas?






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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by windy View Post
    Marvellous, that makes sense of the dimensions gartrac were telling me over the phone.

    However I have an unidentified part (a pair) which I think is supposed to be part of the kit. Can I work out where these fit - er NO!!! Any ideas?





    Well you're in the right sort of area Graham!!! Those are the skids that protect and add strength to the base of the body bracket. Here's one in situ...I'm sure you'll work it out from there.



    Simon

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    By the way Graham...start the whole process with the chassis tubes. If you can get them in accurately and square to the chassis then the body brackets should all fall into place. Once the brackets are in scribe in the covers to suit, fold them and stitch them in. Finally join the cross braces together, trim them on the sides to suit the inner panels, plonk them on and stitch them in.

    Doddle...



    Simon

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by GP4 View Post
    By the way Graham...start the whole process with the chassis tubes. If you can get them in accurately and square to the chassis then the body brackets should all fall into place. Once the brackets are in scribe in the covers to suit, fold them and stitch them in. Finally join the cross braces together, trim them on the sides to suit the inner panels, plonk them on and stitch them in.

    Doddle...



    Simon
    Simon, Cheers for the tip.

    I've just been looking at one of the brackets and the link rod bush won't fit inside it. I think this must be one they had the aprentice make So before I start welding, that bit is going back to get swapped for one that does fit properly. Worth checking these things before you start I guess.

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    Mechanic tezscort's Avatar

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Got this off here hope it helps. Sorry about size don't know how to make it smaller.

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    Mechanic windy's Avatar

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Went down to Gartrac today. Came away with some more bits but luckily the credit card didn't see daylight for too long so not too much money spent. Gartrac is a real gold mine & you can get lost for hours looking at parts in the back room & nattering to Dave. Saw someone elses MK1 - pictures on this forum I think. Looks like they've done a nice job of the fabrication work.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by GP4 View Post
    Here you go Graham...

    so brackets on the axle are spaced narrower than in the body? what's the effect when compared to equal spaced mountings?
    Cheers, Tepi

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    The taper on the boxes allows for the axle to articulate fully without the link bars touching the sides of the boxes. Not sure about axle bracket dimensions yet. I was planning to bolt the axle in to do a dummy run before welding on the diamond brackets.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Hi,
    had my baby atllas axle made up by gartrac last year,
    not fitted it yet.
    If you need any measurement`s let me know.
    steve





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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1975-1980-FORD...ash=item45eca3
    why is the clubman 4 link straight 30 3/4in by 30 3/4in

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    why is the link to a switch ????????

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    lol that when wrong i was looking at post 7
    Last edited by jimmy2006; 01-01-2010 at 23:53.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Does anybody know if 4-linking a 4-door escort is the same process as doing it to a 2-door?

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    Way too much free time Decade Plus User Retromotorsport's Avatar
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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    its the same

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by John Mcguinness MK2 View Post
    Does anybody know if 4-linking a 4-door escort is the same process as doing it to a 2-door?

    Exactly the same as Gary said just done mine

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Ah okay thanks guys

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Just trying to fit my Gartrac 2 piece boxes. All diagrams I see require the chassis tube to be welded in a position worked out from the rear ARB mount hole. I DONT HAVE ONE!! How the heck do I work out where to drill now?????? I can only really work out the position of the body box then work out the chassis tube from there??
    1970 Mk1 Escort Tarmac Rally Car

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    Way too much free time Decade Plus User Retromotorsport's Avatar
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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    without the jigs or the chassis hole you have to do it the long way

    From Simons ( GP4 ) drawing you have the spacing for the front brackets .. 31.5" on centers.... now these butt up against the rear seat x-member / floor brace. so that the distance from the missing anti-roll bar hole.. the tube sits down 1" from the floor.. that all you need to fit them.

    Cut a slot to fit the bracket through the floor, and notch the top of the x-member, hold the bracket in plumb then put a pointed bolt through the brackets lower hole and punch a dot on the chassis rail 1" down from the floor.. do this to the other side .. now measure from the spring hanger bolt hole to this dot, it should be the same both sides, if not tap the bracket against the x-member to move the short one forward. When the are the same, plumb down from these to a flat piece of steel.. tack this across both chassis rails .. plumb up from that to give you a line on the other side of teh chassis rail.. mark another line across this 1" below teh floor.
    You now have 4 drill points, drill these with a 1/4" drill and slide a 1/4 " diameter rod through all 4 holes... this tells you if they are inline.. you can adjust these with a file to get them all in line..
    Now you can drill them to the outside diameter of the tubes.. insert the tubes, insert the body brackets and pass a length of studing through everything .. this studing should be the same as the bolts .. 3/8" (you mave to file the holes in the chassis rails again slightly ) as you pass through one sides chassis and bracket.. wind 2 nuts on the studding, these you space out on the bar 31.5" minus the width of 1 bracket, gives you your 31.5" centers, pass it through the other bracket.
    Nip some nuts up on the ends.. make sure the brackets are at 31.5" centers and centeres in the shell, Now weld the out side of teh tube to the outside chassis rail .. weld the inner side as far as you can, then remove the studding and body brackets and fully weld the tube..
    You now have the chassis tubes in the right place and square to each other.. now just fit everthing else as Simon describes above .

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    top bloke....thanks!
    1970 Mk1 Escort Tarmac Rally Car

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by GP4 View Post
    Well you're in the right sort of area Graham!!! Those are the skids that protect and add strength to the base of the body bracket. Here's one in situ...I'm sure you'll work it out from there.



    Simon
    I have 2 pairs of gussets. The ones shown above and a pair that look like wedges. Do I use them both? Gartrac drew a pic that shows the wedge ones going where you have put the above??!!
    1970 Mk1 Escort Tarmac Rally Car

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Is this the same process in a mk1 escort?

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Click image for larger version Name:	image1.JPG Views:	609 Size:	81.5 KB ID:	77806Click image for larger version Name:	IMG_6970.JPG Views:	609 Size:	102.1 KB ID:	77807

    CAN somebody tell me what went wrong here? its a gartrac four link kit...
    much appricaited

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Why the two drawings are different? Gartrac 4 link boxes has a taper but the RACE one is parallel. Which is correct in terms of 4 link box positioning?

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    I realise everyone is bored and is reading every topic ever discussed - but replying to a thread from 10 years ago?

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by katana View Post
    I realise everyone is bored and is reading every topic ever discussed - but replying to a thread from 10 years ago?
    I have noticed that there was not a clear info about the boxes being parallel or not. Since all the 4 link bars is same lenght in mk2s whether clubman or 2 piece works ( or even HD kits ) then all the 4 link boxes should either be installed either parallel or taper, whichever is correct. But which method is correct ?

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    It shouldn't make any difference - as long as the bars are the same length, and the mounting holes within the boxes and on the axle are the same distance apart, it won't make any difference if the box / axle mounts are vertical or set at an angle - the bars will essentially remain parallel through their movement. Although if you draw the arrangement out the 'off vertical' mounting will show less angular rotation of the axle through its swing - but we are only talking fractions of a degree.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    I doesn't matter replying to a thread even if it's 10 years old as long as the information's relative and someone's just not just Dicking about bumping their posts up.

    I was reliably informed the reason some 4 link boxes are fitted into the tapered position is to stop the bars fouling on the side of the boxes due to axle articulation, this's probably more pronounced with coilovers than leaf springs.

    I would say both metods of fitting are correct, in the Ford Prep book they are parallel as are most of the old School Cars of period. There are plenty of other things to worry about at this moment in time than a few 4 link bars, carry on regardless.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Quote Originally Posted by Forest_rallying View Post
    I doesn't matter replying to a thread even if it's 10 years old as long as the information's relative and someone's just not just Dicking about bumping their posts up.

    I was reliably informed the reason some 4 link boxes are fitted into the tapered position is to stop the bars fouling on the side of the boxes due to axle articulation, this's probably more pronounced with coilovers than leaf springs.

    I would say both metods of fitting are correct, in the Ford Prep book they are parallel as are most of the old School Cars of period. There are plenty of other things to worry about at this moment in time than a few 4 link bars, carry on regardless.
    Thank you very much for your kind reply.
    Stay safe.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    I know this is a really old post but hoping someone can advise. If the boxes are tapered as suggested in the diagrams above does this mean the axle mountings would be narrower than the centre of the boxes? I’ve fitted my 2 piece boxes and have fitted the 4 link bars and have mocked up an axle and the dimensions appear to be narrower on the axle. Is this right?
    Last edited by mattrally; 17-06-2020 at 21:31.

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Lost me?

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    If your boxes are tapered-then yes the axle brackets position would be slightly narrower than the centres-just like the tip in a triangle.


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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Thanks for confirming

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    I have a 4 linked, disc braked, English axle that I have had for a long time, but was intended for a Locost kit car. Unfortunately the brackets are already welded to the casing, because they are much wider spaced, meaning that the boxes would end up being between the chassis leg and the arch. If they do actually fit, am I ok to use it like that or would I be better to remove the brackets and weld new ones on in the "normal" position?

    Thanks for any input
    You can never have enough Ford toys

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    Re: Escort 4 link boxes - Drawing Please?

    Forget my post, just been under the car and done a more accurate measure and there's no way they'll fit

    Good news is that the axle that's on it is in pretty good nick, so I can set that up properly and transfer the disk setup over
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