Bearing top mounts, Do they really lighten steering?

[Rally Pack 2000]

It used to always be the case that when you fitted a quick rack that it was recommended you use roller bearing top mounts to lighten the steering over the standard rubber mounts. Its true that using a quick rack on my own Escorts the steering is quite heavy especially parking and slow speeds. Is using the bearing mounts to solve this problem as has always been suggested or is it just a sales pitch? Does this even apply to the newer spherical mounts type as they are different in the way their are weight loaded and as such may not offer significantly lighter steering? Do you loose any wheel centering effect with either type of bearing mount? I cant seem to get a definitive answer from staff that sell these things. They seem to operate on the assumption that anyone that owns an Escort must be racing it in some form or other and therefore the driveability of these parts is inconsequential.

[JP.]

Hmmm, have two of them ( Capri V6's, Cologne & Essex ) and can't really notice the difference.

Beware with those roller top mounts, they raise the suspension with 1" so nose up. Meaning you have to use -1" lower springs to get the same ride height back. 

 

It looks trick tho.

[HotRodMatt]

The castor angle gives the steering its self centring so I don't think that will be affected.

[John escort mk1V6]

With the normal rubber topmounts the steering wheel come`s after taking a corner faster back in the straight forward possession, with the roller mounts you must  push your self the steering wheel in the straight forward possession.

I did experience with mine car while cornering when i let the steering wheel lose that it kept in that angle.

And i know the story , and i have all those things on mine car and it is stil heavy on the steering.[roller type]

With the rubber mounts the leg turns on the piston, with the bearing mount it can turn on the piston and it can turn in the bearing,

The bearing type i don`t see often , they do exist [little trapezium cylinder bearing]

[BigBubba]

Unless you have a tarmac rally car or circuit car don't bother!! They will have no effect on the "lightness" of the steering. 
You can buy 2 types, concentric or eccentric. Concentric has the bearing in the middle (standard), the eccentric has the bearing off centre, so you can alter camber and caster angles. As mentioned it's caster that affects the steerings ability to self centre. Too little caster gives the symptoms mentioned above. That's why drift cars run huge amounts of caster, to allow the wheel to essentially turn itself straight when they let go. The more the strut leans back means more castor, the more it leans forward means less.

[PeterMEscort]

The "lightness" vs "heaviness" feel of the steering is dependent on a variety of factors.

 

Some factors include width of tyres, tyre pressure, wheel offset, road surface, wheel alignments, age and amount of wear of the tyres, steering wheel diameter, level of maintenance on the front end, road wheel diameter and width (ie weight) etc.

 

In "theory" there should be little or no difference in feel between well maintained OEM rubber bearings and the roller type. 

 

When designing, the Ford engineers opted for a steering ratio which gave a good overall "feel" or "weight" for the average person to comfortably operate at all speeds, whilst resulting in a good lock to lock. The feel and operation is legendary, especially considering the simplicity (primarily because was very cheap to manufacture) of the entire front end.

 

By reducing the rack ratio will increase the manual effort to steer.

 

A solution to heavy steering is power steering which is a fairly simple upgrade and a well trodden path in Escort Land.

[BigBubba]

With the normal rubber topmounts the steering wheel come`s after taking a corner faster back in the straight forward possession, with the roller mounts you must  push your self the steering wheel in the straight forward possession.

I did experience with mine car while cornering when i let the steering wheel lose that it kept in that angle.

And i know the story , and i have all those things on mine car and it is stil heavy on the steering.[roller type]

With the rubber mounts the leg turns on the piston, with the bearing mount it can turn on the piston and it can turn in the bearing,

The bearing type i don`t see often , they do exist [little trapezium cylinder bearing]

Hi, are you running compression struts or an anti roll bar on the front?

You could cure that by changing the length of your compression struts, or fit a twin cam arb - they have a slightly longer threaded part, so when you tighten it all up it gives you more caster.

[John escort mk1V6]

Hi Bubba , at the moment  it`s reasonable good , with parking it`s heavy [short steering rack].

I have got the compression kit with pushrods for the anti rollbar [custom made] , ajustible TCA and roller top mounts [rubber] , but with bit of play at bearing clip.