Bosch

In car link

Took the RS to Time attack over the weekend and some some track time. Also done a few trackdays now but cars struggling with few issues.

When I had the car tracked up they advised me to get some camber as the car standard needs more.

However the only way to go I can see is comp brake bottom arms. They are rose joints and won't last very long with it also being a road going track car.

Top mounts there is nothing to work with regarding them as its mounted with a inner bush and top plate.

With the rear being on a solid rear beam is there anything I can do to get more rear camber too?

Any advice where to go? Or does anyone do anything to make the front more adjustable.

Thanks,
Sii

disco-stu

On the rear you can shim the bottom two bolts to kick the bottom out a little and leave the top ones as they are. Just use one or two thin washers between the hub and the rear beam

zetaboostboy522bhp

Lower arms and rose joints will last as long as long as you ain't going over speed bumps all the time and locking the bearings out , fit them with high angle spacers which will help a little. Just use a good rose joint like somewhere from mcgills Motorsport heavy duty ones. Top mount rotate on the bolt holes allowing you move the the centre point of the suspension strut. For ease I would use mk2 escort ones that have a sliding part in the middle allowing you to move the centre point by just undoing 4 m6 bolts.
Rear beam you need a proper shim making like they use on the the focus rs mk1 to widen the track but have the angle degree machines on one side , and if they only cost Ł20 to machine up get the angle made from 1 degree up to 5 degree + -
Hope this helps

Cheers paul

Bosch

Hi thanks Paul,

I've sourced someone to rear shim plate the rear, here's my current camber




Ignore the front we found top mount to be lose and made that the same as passenger side 1,26.

Not sure what you recomend for the front and rear.

Top mounts on the front are a cone style top mount so I think it needs chopping off with a flat plate to bolt to.




That above is my style of standard top mount. Currently running GAZ coilovers and it's the Mk3.5

I can see that the top mount cone can be removed leaving a flat area however that means the Coilover will be lower down. Maybe a circle plate can be made and welded on to make the height correct and then this be bolted on. Comp brake circle top mounts










Bottom arms still unsure on rose joints as with the condition of roads at the moment it'll be harsh

Thanks for all the support

zetaboostboy522bhp

I know mk3 fiestas very well have own every model since I started driving lol , yes you need to cut the top of the strut off and plate and ideally keep the same height as your coil overs are already purchased and specked to the car.
Use industrial thick walled tubing something like 4mm thick cut to suit your height and then weld a laser cut plate again 5mm thick to suit your top mount , they are the top mounts I was on about but heard lots of bad things about quality of comp brake items so would be looking at another company to supply them .
Rose joints aren't that bad like I said before unless you have loads of speed humps everywhere but my old fiesta rs 1800 used to be like a go cart going around corners and on B roads it could more than hold it own

Cheers paul

Bosch

Hi Paul, thanks for your advice. In going to sort out getting a set of bottom arms and run them I think with a modified top mount. To get it right I think I'll get it down to Norris motorsport and have them sort the top mounts out.

Car does handle really well, still room for improvements tho. Currently just poly bushes and semi-slicks and handles awesome, but like I say it can be better.

What advice would you give regarding the best camber settings.

Front camber
Front tow
Front caster

Rear camber
Rear tow
Rear caster

fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

Are you sure it needs more camber?
How does it wear the tyres?

Also, Did your loose nut on the front correct your castor issues as well as the camber?

_Jimmy_

If you drill out the rivets holding on the lower ball joint and change them to bolts with slotted holes can you make camber adjustments that way?
...or is that a dodgy way of doing it? /too hard to adjust accurately?

zetaboostboy522bhp

That's fine as that's how mine where built by ian at area six / fiesta frenzy. The only problem I found was there was no set up markers on the slotted holes so needed setting up at garage every time.
I would personally use the compbrake ones that use a rose joint as the lower ball joint with a machined pin as these would be a lot easier to adjust.
Or get building your own as they are only two bearing carriers welded to the original arms and a bit of threaded tube
Cheers paul

Bosch

Yeah it corrected the front caster and camber. Took it back in to have the tracking adjusted again, and checked the left side to ensure it would be the same as the right side. So is now same.

I just noticed that when on track, the wheel folds over. Wear seams even all round.

zetaboostboy522bhp

Where you from as I live in Derby you not far away?
Great looking car just something I love about mk3 fiestas

fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

You mean it's rolling the tyre over on the rim?
If the wear is even I would be tempted to increase the spring rate instead of adding camber.
Increasing the castor would also give you more dynamic camber without sacrificing too much grip in a straight line.
Not that it helps you much as castor is as difficult to add as camber on these.
Modifying the turret to take an adjustable top mount is probably your best option.

Bosch

Hi mate yeah not far away at all.
Nottingham.

Thanks. It's slowly getting there lots more to be done. Hopefully have most done with winter.

Bosch

Hi thanks for all the support.

I'll aim towards top mounts and work from that. I'll more than likely get it booked in and have it done professionally rather than me doing it, as I want it decent LOL

Caddyshack

Nice vid, seems to go well.

I think you could benefit a little speed out of corners if you unwind the lock a bit quicker and get back to the outside line faster. Also on a few down changes it sounded / looked like you were coming up off the couch quite hard which unbalances the car, maybe a more matching of the revs or sustained change.

Only comments trying to help, not criticisms. Only stuff I was taught that I kept doing.

Bosch

Hi mate very rusty since last year so need to brush up on my skills again and keep learning more.

I've watched the video back a fair few times to learn more. I wasn't fully on it due to only getting two flying laps as such. I've got a holiday soon and once that's done I'll be doing a few full days and evening sessions. Hopefully will get Ronnie Amis out with me to teach me more.

Yeah I do need to work on my down shifting too, get better at like you say matching the speed with the gear. Some corners I could of been more flat too and getting the right lines could mean carrying more speed and less down shift.

Thanks for the advice tho, something I'll deffo keep in mind on my next full day

Caddyshack

No worries, I was concerned it might come across the wrong way. Only minor points and I can see you were much quicker than everyone else out there. I always think I am at my best and then I go out with an instructor and they find many things that need work.

Bosch

That's cool, always up for advice and improvements. Sometimes you don't notice it yourself. Never really wanted to door to door race but deffo want to get faster and improve more. Hopefully once the handling is sorted and I've got a cage and few other bits it'll be new engine time and then compete in either hill climbs, sprints and will be doing one round of time attack.

This video was from sessions in time attack. Cheap quick fun really, very fustrating due to slower cars and others just not getting out your way. That Subaru I had to let passed on the pit straight then as you can see done him round the goose neck. Once passed that Astra never seen them two again. That mini was fun tho, he was really pushing hard to keep up, and like I say, was fast through the quick sections just the longer corners need to brush on my line.

Always learning tho, hopefully I may see you on track. Give us a bump if you do, gotta love some rubbing haha

zetaboostboy522bhp

What engine you going for next ? Surely 2.1 zetec turbo great conversion in a mk3 trust me and you can built it on a budget
300 bhp in one will make a great track car

Cheers paul

Bosch

I'm going for something a little different to the zetec turbo route. I'm going to be running a 1.6 Eco boost engine from the fiesta ST180. Tuned to around 350-400 but will have it on a syvex ecu. Means I can run various maps, road, track, full boost. Plus means a progress boost to get rid of any spin. Then run various sensors too to stop any knocks or surge damage. I'd have to change the clocks over so will patch a digital dash to the syvex.