MetalworkingFun Forum

Ford Focus mk1 uprights modified for rally use

Interesting set-up, but just what are you doing? "Ford Focus mk1 uprights modified for rally use" just doesn't say much.

looks like he's changing the camber on them

(10-17-2015, 04:44 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting set-up, but just what are you doing? "Ford Focus mk1 uprights modified for rally use" just doesn't say much.

Machining the bore from 45 mill out to 50 mill
With a 1.5 degree negative camber tweek
John

Hi John , looks like good set up , hope the angle plate was just the job for the job   Hope you took some video too .
  Cheers Mick

Looks to me like John is boring out the steering knuckles to accept larger diameter McPherson struts judging from the thread title.  

But it looks like he is adding more positive caster instead of negative from the look of his adjustable angle plate - unless it's just an optical illusion due to the camera angle.  
(Update) I just went and watched Sunday Night NC 95 pt. 2 (should have done that first ya' bluddy bell end....) and saw that John had used a previously modified knuckle to set up the same camber angle. It isn't necessarily a negative angle, just more negative (or less positive if you will) than the factory angle. He copied it perfectly with his set-up.  

Heck of a way to have to do a front end alignment though...  

(10-17-2015, 05:02 PM)Micktoon Wrote: [ -> ]Hi John , looks like good set up , hope the angle plate was just the job for the job   Hope you took some video too .
  Cheers Mick

Aye not much flex on the angle plate lol
Be doing a bit video on the machining & set up now that I know I can do it
John

Didn't leave much space left, nice setup  
 
DaveH

well dun john

(10-17-2015, 05:02 PM)Highpower Wrote: [ -> ]Heck of a way to have to do a front end alignment though...  

Got to love McPherson struts for their simplicity but not for their adjustability.

When I was into autocrossing I would use what Toyota called "crash bolts" on the suspension of my MR2. They were replacements for the two bolts that attached the bottom of each strut to the spindle. They came in several sizes, each a slightly smaller diameter that the next, and all smaller than the originals. The smaller diameter took advantage of the "slop" that they provided in the spindle mount hole and would allow me to put several degrees of negative camber in the front and back while staying within the "stock class" rules.

If the class rules would have allowed it I would have been tempted to try adjustable plates where the top of the struts mount to the chassis. That would have allowed both camber and caster to be adjusted.

But maybe they were just trying to protect me from myself. With the camber I was able to get with the crash bolts and an eight inch of toe-out the car was "interesting" to drive down the road as it was.

Arvid