Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

[exboyracer]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Nice work Markus, should be pretty much the 'ultimate' english axle when you've finished!

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Thanks X , but I believe the ultimate would have 18T LSD and Shafts or Quaife semi floaters and on top of that an alloy housing. But I aim for as good as possible for my needs.

Engine wise my plans have changed. My credit card will not allow the smaller 1490cc engine I originally planned for next season. This new axle was a part of that small engined, lighter car- plan.
The axle will however improve the car. The 20(ish)kg weight saving is more than adequete seeing that the car is allready at its minimum weight as it is. But shedding that weight from unsprung mass and re-locating that where I need will vastly improve the weight distribution of the car. And I finally get the shorter ratio I so badly need. And hopefully I can bend the English to better wheel angles than the Mustang axle had.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Are the STD crownwheel bolts (new) up for the task ?

[Graham]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Are the STD crownwheel bolts (new) up for the task ?

never heard of them being broken myself, but seeing as they are the same as x/flow flywheel bolts you always have the arp upgrade option

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Yes I noticed. That got me thinking is there a genuine need for ARP items or just another overkill option. OE bolts and factory torque spec is usually a good option. Do the ARP ortions have a full lenght thread or do they have a tiny threadles lenght under the bolt head?

[FOSSIE]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Standard bolts will be fine, just make sure they are either genuine Ford ones or equivalent and not a cheap soft copy. The key to them NOT breaking is to make sure they don't come loose. I reckon most sheered CW bolts are as a result of them coming loose first... Cleanliness is godliness; make sure the threads (male and female) are properly clean, degreased, then degreased some more - then use a proper high strength loctite and torque as per the book. It pays to keep an eye on them for any signs of movement, but don't worry about them, ATB's aren't harsh on CW bolts. Oh lastly, as you're using an ATB, check the standard bolts are the right length - the flange on ATB's is not always the same thickness as the OE diff carrier so the standard bolts can sometimes be a little too long.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Thanks for the heads up ! I'll check.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Are the HCS Fiesta engines flywheel bolts similar to Crossflow fly bolts? The finish number differs but what is the real world difference?

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Haven't exactly been busy with the builds but checked the CW bolt today.

Leaves me 4 mm under the head when bolted down



The LSD flange is 10 mm thick so these bolts are not too long. I started thinking if they'd be too short.



Measured 9,5 mm of thread for the cw. That beeing the width of the bolt I reckon it is enough. If the general rule of thumb



And punched in the studs to the flanges. 1/2 shaft flanges I was surprised to see quife has not splined the stud holes. Was a tight fit though.

[FOSSIE]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Look at the size of the chamfer on the end of the bolt - in fact you've probably only got 8mm of thread engagement... But if we're starting to get that picky, then you could argue the holes in the diff are too big anyway, and the bolt should have a longer shoulder (snug fit in the hole) etc. If I were you, i wouldn't worry, use those bolts - history says they'll be OK (if threadlocked properly)

The flanges don't need splining - they are soft - the studs make their own spline on the way through.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

But beeing so picky is fun. Now that you mentioned it the bolts are quite loose in their holes. I see this conversation ending in some doweling =)
Whats the torque spec on these cw bolts? I'd bet theres plenty of options for these bolts. 3/8 unf isn't that rare thread so I propably could find a bit longer 12.9 bolt from a specialised bolt dealer. The unthreadded bit could prove to be a problem though and I wish to keep it. Well if people have been getting away with these bolts for ages maybe I should not bother. But then again longer bolt would not get loose so easily and has more area for the thread lock.
Are norldock washers a bad idea for the CW bolts? Would they leawe the bolt head too high? And they deffo need longer bolts.

Thats propably the reason I saw splines in an old shaft when I replaced the studs.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

While back made a quick decission to weld on a oil drain plug from what I could find fromme garage. I ended up with a 9/16 BSF thread and had to make me own magnetic drain plug since none was available off the shelf.
However I ordered a magnetic plug for the filler plug. Only then I realised how utterly weak the DIY plug was. So picky as I am I re tapped the drain plug hole and ordered me a new plug.
Wanted to show you fellas these I thinks their brilliant.
Alloy so weight next to nothing, costs practically nothing and still have very strong magnets.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

The HCS flywheel bolts are not the same as xflow ones. Which are no longer available from Ford.

[RWD fords rule]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Nice job, that is what I was thinking of, a nice press fit over a long length and the weld for some additional strength

Going to be a very light axle vs atlas, I would get some longer bolts for the crown wheel if you can, dowelling is an option but crown wheels are as hard as a rock, even a cobalt drill is no use, it would take spark erosion in a toolmaking shop or a small carbide cutter in a mill at big rpm to break through the surface hardening, longer bolts would be easier if you can get them, but arguably in a race car the stresses will be much lower than a rallycar so it would more than likely be fine as is, those bolts do look rather short to me all the same

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

I've been meaning to give a call to the local bolt dealer but just haven't got around doing it yet, been a bit busy at work and all that...