Escort Suspension issues

[Forest_rallying]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Are the Spax Dampers you are using on the Rear suitable for Turrets and are the Turrets std height or tall? shockers need to be mounted correctly on to the Axle for which ever one you have. Has anyone checked to see if they are short or long inserts in the front Struts.

As GP4 says the whole package looks soggy, the Rear Springs look to behaving like a CD6 would which is 85lb and not what you would with a 146lb. People take the word of the supplier when obtaining Springs when really they have n`t a clue what they are, especially if they are second hand.

[Fosworth]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

It's been interesting following this thread but I think it's time to get back to basics. The advice has been good and not so good but all are assuming this or that !!. My advice for what it is worth is to get hold of some standard suspension and fit it. Anti roll bar, TCA's and known struts. At the back put the axle on leaf springs and standard shockers. Set the castor, camber and toe correctly and give the car a try. Obviously nowt fancy or fast but I promise it won't do anything stupid such as it has been. Then start one upgrade at a time. MAKE SURE IT WORKS then move on.
I know this sounds a pain but its likely that you are going to wreck either the car and/or yourself or just give up. A properly handling Escort is a joy to drive.
And for all the knowalls that say it must have this or that just look under Steve BANNISTERS front running car. Although beautifully built by folk who know there stuff it is very short of fancy links etc.

[Erikmex]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

I know what your saying and don't think the lowering block is the problem on mine when I jack it up on the chassis the axle obviously drops but not to the full extension of the damper, the weight of the axle can't overcome the spring so the lowering block on mine makes the wheel/axle higher, there's still about and inch to go on the shock before its full extended, mine are single leafs, I don't think the rear is too soft but def think the front is, on a fwd car you stiffen the rear and soften the front and the tendency is to lift a rear wheel, I think it's the same here.

[Erikmex]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Does it have slipper springs? if so then it's diff from mine in that respect and the axle will drop fully, my leafs are fixed at both ends so the shock doesn't fully extend when the weight is off.

[mexicotait]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

It's been interesting following this thread but I think it's time to get back to basics. The advice has been good and not so good but all are assuming this or that !!. My advice for what it is worth is to get hold of some standard suspension and fit it. Anti roll bar, TCA's and known struts. At the back put the axle on leaf springs and standard shockers. Set the castor, camber and toe correctly and give the car a try. Obviously nowt fancy or fast but I promise it won't do anything stupid such as it has been. Then start one upgrade at a time. MAKE SURE IT WORKS then move on.
I know this sounds a pain but its likely that you are going to wreck either the car and/or yourself or just give up. A properly handling Escort is a joy to drive.
And for all the knowalls that say it must have this or that just look under Steve BANNISTERS front running car. Although beautifully built by folk who know there stuff it is very short of fancy links etc.

Thank god for common sense john !

[jonsey]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Thanks for all the responses. It all helps to buid a better picture. The Idea of changing one thing at a time is a good one, but like you say time consuming and sadly I don't have that time. Thinking back though when I used the car when I bought it in 1997 I raced it at Anglsey track ( the one you see on 5th Gear) and going down the straight into the right hander at the end it was lifting the rear wheel then according to spectators. The rear then was completely std except some mk2 escort single leafs. It still had the slope and hope rear shocks mounted on the cross bar. I was using the same front struts though, but they had std capri spring on them, but with an ARB. As everything else is new, quantified and from (i'm assuming) reputable dealers such as WWRS and Rally Design I think i'm going to conclude its the front spring are too soft and the struts need to be changed to something that is quantified incase it is under damped. Just to clarify the rear is on 146lb single leaf - not slippers. It is turreted and on angled anti tramp bars. Not even anything as fancy as a panhard rod.

[lukem30]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Did you get to the bottom of this after?

Thanks for all the responses. It all helps to buid a better picture. The Idea of changing one thing at a time is a good one, but like you say time consuming and sadly I don't have that time. Thinking back though when I used the car when I bought it in 1997 I raced it at Anglsey track ( the one you see on 5th Gear) and going down the straight into the right hander at the end it was lifting the rear wheel then according to spectators. The rear then was completely std except some mk2 escort single leafs. It still had the slope and hope rear shocks mounted on the cross bar. I was using the same front struts though, but they had std capri spring on them, but with an ARB. As everything else is new, quantified and from (i'm assuming) reputable dealers such as WWRS and Rally Design I think i'm going to conclude its the front spring are too soft and the struts need to be changed to something that is quantified incase it is under damped. Just to clarify the rear is on 146lb single leaf - not slippers. It is turreted and on angled anti tramp bars. Not even anything as fancy as a panhard rod.

[jonsey]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Not really Luke. I've just been using it as it is for the Motorkhanas down Pembrey. I can still feel it trying to lift the inside rear wheels on hairpins. I think I've just changed my driving style to suit the car as it seems to be going pretty quick these days. The last few I've done I've had fastest times of the day twice (would have been 3 times but I clipped a cone on one), umpteen 1st in class and a good few 3rd overalls. So I'm quite pleased with how it's going. I have bought some second hand tarmac bilsteins with adjustable platforms, put new bushes in them and bought some 250 lb springs. But they have been sat on the garage floor for about a year as I'm building a mk2 16gt 2 door cortina so all my efforts have been going into welding that. So the escort is getting used but not getting the attention it needs. Are you going to do the Kidwelly Club Targa rally in September Luke?

[freddy686868]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Thanks for all the responses. It all helps to buid a better picture. The Idea of changing one thing at a time is a good one, but like you say time consuming and sadly I don't have that time. Thinking back though when I used the car when I bought it in 1997 I raced it at Anglsey track ( the one you see on 5th Gear) and going down the straight into the right hander at the end it was lifting the rear wheel then according to spectators. The rear then was completely std except some mk2 escort single leafs. It still had the slope and hope rear shocks mounted on the cross bar. I was using the same front struts though, but they had std capri spring on them, but with an ARB. As everything else is new, quantified and from (i'm assuming) reputable dealers such as WWRS and Rally Design I think i'm going to conclude its the front spring are too soft and the struts need to be changed to something that is quantified incase it is under damped. Just to clarify the rear is on 146lb single leaf - not slippers. It is turreted and on angled anti tramp bars. Not even anything as fancy as a panhard rod.

The back end is the same spec as mine, i think i am running 180lbs springs on the front with tarmac springs and a twink arb if you run that set up maybe with stiffer spring that should sort your problems.

Also is the targa rally a 'night event' type run or motorkanha? If it is a motorkahna i would be interested in that.

[jonsey]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

It's run to night event rules John so no throttle bodies etc. I'm hoping the shocks and springs will sort it. Got compression struts on the front and no ARB. There's another Motorkhana on on 17th June. But is full. I've got an entry but I'm on call till 8am so will have to wangle that somehow.

[Erikmex]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Not really Luke. I've just been using it as it is for the Motorkhanas down Pembrey. I can still feel it trying to lift the inside rear wheels on hairpins. I think I've just changed my driving style to suit the car as it seems to be going pretty quick these days. The last few I've done I've had fastest times of the day twice (would have been 3 times but I clipped a cone on one), umpteen 1st in class and a good few 3rd overalls. So I'm quite pleased with how it's going. I have bought some second hand tarmac bilsteins with adjustable platforms, put new bushes in them and bought some 250 lb springs. But they have been sat on the garage floor for about a year as I'm building a mk2 16gt 2 door cortina so all my efforts have been going into welding that. So the escort is getting used but not getting the attention it needs. Are you going to do the Kidwelly Club Targa rally in September Luke?

As I said in an earlier post, stiffer front springs will sort it, with sticky tyres and no ARB you need at least 250lb springs on the front, I've tried all sorts of spring set ups and anything less than 220's with decent tyres on Tarmac was hopeless....and that's with an ARB

[jonsey]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

I'm hoping it does Ericmex as I don't want to spend anymore money on it.

[lukem30]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Leave it well alone if the car is setting fastest times, might end up slowing it down lol. I didn't realise the targa was running this year, depending on the date I'll give it a go again. I've put my name down as a reserve with Caroline for the motorkhana, so will hopefully get a run on that, think I'm 5th reserve atm

[jonsey]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

Leave it well alone if the car is setting fastest times, might end up slowing it down lol. I didn't realise the targa was running this year, depending on the date I'll give it a go again. I've put my name down as a reserve with Caroline for the motorkhana, so will hopefully get a run on that, think I'm 5th reserve atm

I'll be leaving it alone for now simply because I can't be bothered. I saw on the club's FB page you were 5th reserve. I think last time a good few dropped out in the last week so you may be lucky. It'll be good to have some competition.

[lukem30]

Re: Escort Suspension issues

I'm really fancying it, I haven't done one since I first bought the car and that didn't end well. What parts of pembrey do they use now?