Hi All,
I have a mk3 escort estate which i wish to rwd........
have looked into grafting a sierra pan, but don't like this idea, have heard about a genisis kit where a live axle is fitted using link boxes.
I feel this would be the better option, my question really is how to get the link boxes in the correct position on a mk3, there are datum point for the mk1 and mk2 but none that i can find for a mk3.
Done some quick drawings just to determine the link box height position, its not a scaled drawing but no far off....
Bought myself one of these of the bay £25, its a Volvo 1031 axle non LSD.
The Volvo 1031 - (Dana 30) heavier duty was introduced around 1981 onwards, most 4 cly 240's came fitted with the 1031 with ratios of 3.54, 3.73 to 4.41. However, 264 models have been fitted with the 1031 version for years. Outside of Scandinavia, the 1031 with LSD is a less common find than in 1030 diffs.
John Sargent writes: "The Limited Slip Differential was fitted as a dealer option to certain 1031 rear axles. The LSD add-in for this axle is a Dana Power Lock with Volvo's name on it and a tone ring for cars with electronic speedometer."
The 1031 housing is a bit stronger again than the 1030 evidenced by the extra rib, and beefed up internally with larger diameter gears on the crown and pinion (Volvord in Canada writes: "30 series uses a 7.2" ring gear while the 31 uses a 7.562". This small increase in diameter of the ring gear and the larger pinion gear (1.376" vs 1.406") adds up to a marked increase in strength"). The 'drive pinion gear shaft' diameter & bearings are larger than the 1030. Note: If trying to fit a different diff ratio (eg. change of crown wheel) from a 1030 diff into it a 1031 diff (or vice-versa) forget it. If you wish to change diff (final drive) ratios, stick to the same diff version componentry. In summary, don't try and mix'n'match the 1030/1031 parts. The 1031 holds 1.6 litres of oil.
Ivar Finnvik from Norway writes: we used a 240 Turbo in European Rallycross Championship in the late eighties and the (1031) was the 'one and only axle' to use.
Large numbers of LSD available from tru-track, Dana 30 Power Lok and Detroit Locker(one above). Volvo have a wider choice of ratio than ford starting at 3.73 and up.
My only worries are the track width may be too short 54 1/2 inches(1384mm) hub to hub and converting the vovlo 5 stud pattern to ford 4 stud 108pcd....
Only a small update mostly pictures...
removed the unwanted brackets
made a template to centre spot the holes to be drilled
the pcd is 108 but 5 stud, so cut off 4 and left one to act as a datum
point
bearing are a pain to get off, need to be pressed off, but it was using a press that could take the length of the halfshaft, on the estate i work on is a coach company brought it round to there press, was easy cos they had the right tool......
Gartrac kindly sent me out a grp4 stud to see if it suitable.....
After centre popin the holes, i measured up again and the positioning is not spot on so have desided to bring the half shaft to a machine shop to get done properly, i need the centre locating hub turned down anyways so i happerier knowing that studs will be right. The volvo hub bore is 65.1mm and fords r 63.3mm
Should have the hubs drilled soon, realised we have an indexing head at work, so have borrowed this and left it with a friend at an engineering firm and will head over there next week to get it done, he has a lathe too, so can turn down the centre hubs to suit the ford wheels.
I'm going to use a mk2 link kit also, who r u getting urs from? seen some really cheap kits on ebay but unsure about there quality!! 2.8 special axle is the one to go for, it has LSD as standard i believe, from my research i felt the width was going to be too short, but i have heard from somebody else that it was a perfect fit on his mk3. I'm still running with the volvo axle but progress is slow, hopefully within a few weeks i should have it complete.
As for the front i'm still undecided how i'm going to do this, most likely will graft a sierra front pan in the front as it has all the mounting and fixing points that i need.
Some images of a mk4 engine bay for a v6 conversion iirc, he has fabricated his own to suit
Your synopsis of the link kits is about as much as i understand too, my knowledge is still limited and i've a lot to learn about 4/5/6 linking a live axle, so if anybody else can add more info on this it would be much appreciated.
The estate is my daily drive so i will wait for the tax to run out(july) before i pull it of the road and i need to get the mk1 xr2 running to replace it.
Small update: Was in Uxbridge tonight for the monthy shitboxracing.co.uk meet - mk1 and mk2 fiesta but anything ford turns up, anyway i called in to c if the halfs shaft had been done......
Yeah baby yeah..... Now 4 stud, ford pattern
Some nice big deep discs 298mm
Just enough room for some calipers
won some wheels for the mk3 on ebay, there are early 80's 15" compomotive MH600 x2 7j 28ET and x2 6j 48ET, had tyres but are not right for what i want, gonna run 195s on the front a 205 on the rears.
they look scruffy but are scuff and gouge free
They are the same style as the datapost cars but they were 16 and a different ET
Got the tryes off and started to refurb them
results after day 1
Got a bit side tracked on the rwd project by the compomotive wheels, heres how they looked at fitp
Back on track after classic ford where i looked at a couple of 4 link kits and didn't really see much difference between a heavy duty kit and another much cheaper kit, in fact the cheaper kit looked stronger than the more expensive one, anyways i purchased the cheaper kit and axle brackets.
Had a measure up during the week and realized that the axle tube are 8mm larger than the holes in the axle brackets. Have access to a mini milling machine and a 3 jaw chuck turn table and a couple of hrs later they were the correct size for the volvo axle
One machined axle bracket next to the normal one
Moved onto the rear of the car and decided to remove the extra panels that the estate had spot welded in.
Compared the rear end to a hatchback and they are pretty much the same, i'm also thinking if i can use the rear shock towers without having to cut and fit round turrets? Anybody know a reason why i cant do this.
