steering couplings

[Spot]

Evening Folks i took my mk1 escort down for it's mot and it turns out the steering coupling is worn and after a quick look it seems there are a few types too choose from and i wondered if anyone has any preferences on the best ones??? 

 

 

[katana]

I got the cast / forged one from Burton's - plenty good for road car. I've seen reports of the pressed steel ones not fitting well or clamping up right. If you've the disc rubber type it can't be hard to repair if you can find the rubber. Maybe the polyurethane bush companies do a replacement?

[Rally Pack 2000]

Go with the cast type. Yes they are double the price of the pressed steal ones but I found that they barely have any splines just a rough pressing that implies they are splined when in fact they arent. Instead they simply clamp down over the actual splines of the steering column shaft and damages them. The pressed one for me had this strange feel to it that took me a while to identify that it was actually the issue. After going with a forged cast one everything felt right again

 

Burtons have both listed for you to compare.

[Kenbex522]

I dont have a Escort but this may be of use. I made my own rack conversion for my Corsair, and used a Fiesta mk3 coupling on the bottom of the column. Now these are a stamped/pressed out item with a hex in one end splined in the other. I found after much head scratching as to why my steering was a bit notchy, they are frankly, shite. I thought I would get a proper Ford mk3 fes one as the  one i was using was an aftermarket version. The Ford one was even worse, everything was trying to rotate off centre, and the splined end was badly made also. In the end I've had to swap to a cast type UJ. Various places supply them, I got mine from Motorsport Tools.

[colr6]

Come across several pressed ones all shite, don't fit correctly( very few splines that line up) run untrue and notchy. The receptical in the corner corner should be used for these and that's it! Cast ones all day long for me. It's a safety issue not a cost issue.

[Spot]

Thanks folks just had a look at the burtons cast ones and will have a look and see what length i need and get one ordered

[stephens_xpack]

Super looking cars you got there. I know they have plastic, but I do love the mk1 Cossy...awesome...