suspension help

[Ray]

Hi Guys

             just getting back into my resto after a year or so break, the car was initially put together on a 2 poster ramp, so as you can imagime when she sat on all fours it was like looking at a big foot

 

so today i decided it was time to sort that out, only i cannot find much info on how it should be, the car is as follows

 

totally standard mk1 escort series 2 1300E, 2 door saloon, that has the rear anti roll bar

 

the haynes manual is a chocolate tea cup, as there is no mention of the rear anti roll bar at all, or std ride height dimensuins for any of the 4 wheels

 

so i picked up a copy of the haynes manual for the mk2 escort, knowing that if not the same it should be close

 

happy days, roll bar is covered, however, what i need to know is, while the anti roll bar looks the same, is it, are the set up dimensions the same

 

the haynes instructions for the mk2 are as follows

 

with the car on all 4 wheels and all bolts for the reaf springs, axle front anti roll bar and front lower arm inner bols slack, with the bolts that hold the rear ARB to the axle removed

 

set the ARB bush centrelines to 265mm from the centreline of the straight part of the ARB

 

load the car up with weight until the centre of the 2 spring bushes, on each end, are inline with the centre of the axle tube (not sure how to measure that yet, as a straight line is out as the axle is in the way lol

 

now what i need to know is, are this procedure and dimensions above, the same for the Mk1 and MK2, or does the MK1 have different dimensions etc

 

i need to clarify, because, when i fitted the ARB on the ramp, the dimensions were set at 285mm, not a technical decision, just so as all the bolts fitted, (but the axle was hanging from a 2 poster ramp, but on the ground the car wouldnt compress the springs with human weight, which i assumed it was the ARB incorrectly set stopping it

 

now i have set it at 265mm (from the M2 manual), and im weighing the car down, which i roughly worked out that its got to lower the top of the arch by about 4 inches, ive got it down by around 3 inches at the moment, and the ARB mouns for the axle are miles off, looking like 285mm was more around the correct setting, as that would push the ARB back

 

but i do probably have another inch to drop it yet

 

now assuming the 265mm is correct, and the ARB to axle mount holes line up, what happens as you remove the weight, because at the point it was when i started, the ARB needed to be set at 285mm for the bolts to fit, or is there really that much strain there and it stops the body rising

 

please help

 

 

[colr6]

If I am interpreting your dilemma correctly all bushes should be tightened up at normal ride height so you don't induce stress on the rubber bushes. If the car has been left hanging on a ramp for a year it will sit higher, would suggest loading car and allow suspension to resettle. As for your rear anti roll bar again fix at normal ride height, take it from memory the ends are adjustable I would adjust till the bolts line up with holes irrespective of measurements given in a book. I have never heard of "pre-loading" an anti roll bar, I may be wrong in this but thats how I would set the car up. That my opinion.

[Ray]

thank you

 

not only was it left hanging for a year, the car was assembled hanging, and everything initially tightened at that point, having undone everything with it sat on the floor now, nothing moved, even my body weight wouldnt push it down

 

so im having to put a lot of weight in the car to get it down, going by your reply, once down, i will unload and see how far it raises before i tighten the suspension and fit the ARB

 

many thanks for the advive colr6

 

going to the garage to have a play now

[colr6]

You will also find moving the car around will help settle the suspension.