what is the absolute best setup for the mk4 escort on the road?
my mk4 has quite a high spec but its not grippy enough for me.
i think the coilovers are ruining the handling as my car is stripped out and very light.
i was thinking more of koni's or simular for suspension.
what ride height ? i know too low ruins them too.
what about wheels??
i found that sierra cosworth wheels offered loads of grip on pull off but were to wide when cornering as the car would slide too easy.
i currently have 6.5j 16's with 195/45/ tyres but they arnt the best.
i know that std 15's would be better but i wanted to stay 16's really so i could fit bigger brakes.
whats your ideas?????????
dont tell me 17's as they dont handle well on such a light car this is a fact!!

 

on a light car my mate ran cut springs.and it performed brilliantly round the track.i no u shoudnt cut them as its dangerous but it was like a go kart and cornered exactly where u put it lol.had koni shocks too

 

the right tyre helps try some 15's with 205 r888's all round and cossie disk/pad set up and as above seems standard springs with koni's works quiet well

 

what other suspension mods have you got apart from coilovers
17"'s work well on my car but i use 16"'s on track

 

My konis seem pretty good mate but i'm pretty sure the coilover setup you have is far superior if setup right- maybe some geometry setting would help as i'm sure with lighter cars its makes a much larger difference.
there are some mk4s on here that really to pedal well round a track so i'm sure there are ways

 

geometry.

 

in my short ownership of my s2 ive found that koni's and poly bushes work very well...have the koni's at the front set to hard and the rears soft...

 

Do you not find with soft rears it loses grip badly when you accelerate?

 

I've done the odd trackday in my time,and I find that Koni's,Chassis Dynamics -25mm springs,fully polybushed and a good secure trust in the car works wonders.Very simple,very straight off the shelf parts,very easy and cheap!!Not much too it really.Regards,Micky

 

^^^^^^^that man's formula works - extremely well

 

What wheels you running micky?

 

have u checked your camber and toe settings?

 

Ditto for me except -25 Eibach springs.
Its simple and it works without spending Ł1000's and having all that scope for adjustment messing with your head
(Says a man who's just fitted adjustable everything including coilovers to his Mk3 track car)

 

my cars got avo coilovers lowered about 40mm with turbo tecnics front anti roll bar setup, polly bushed and 6.5j mondeo rims with 5mm spacers to make 35 offset, 195/45 michelin tyres. cossie brakes all round.
it seems that the front end doesnt have enough grip and it understeers too much, plus on bumpy roads its too skittish, i think it needs progressive springs on the front so im gonna try ditchin the coilovers.
the back end isnt a problem appart from it coming round on breaking into corners but thats due to the car being light and the cossie brakes are too powerful.
it does respond to little changes and i have now lowered front tyres to 30psi and given it a tad of toe in and its a bit grippier.
i think it could do with 6j 15's with 205 tyres then it should be awsome.

 

if the back comes loose your braking set up needs looking at
have you got fully adjustable suspension as that will help alot

 

what profile tyres do you run on? as 17's with a 40 profile work out pretty much the same as 45 profile on 16's nearly if im correct? (just a query lol)

 

mine has koni's on fiesta centre cut 50mm, rs16i front roll bar and rs turbo rear and it holds the road mint, can take corners at double the speed limit

 

16vzetec.com- this is the mk4 escort you have for sale on ebay for Ł4k or something isnt it? Just wondering how a mk4 Escort with a 2L zetec gains such high valuations! I might have to start making them!

 

Get any understeer Micky?

 

No mate I dont,as Andy R can confirm from being in the cabin,plus loads others from here who have had a dice or two with the car over the years,one reason why my car laps so well.

@ roro22,My wheels are made by a company called Mangal,in Brazil.These alloys are over 14 years old and where cheap as hell back then.They are 15 X 7 inch.

Regards,Micky

 

not for sale any more, reason it was highly priced is its cost a bomb to make and has still only done 19'000 genuine miles since new.
try and find me another mk4 escort the same sort of spec with the same milage and absolutely no rust at all!!
bet you a grand you cant.

 

yeah ive got a bias valve and its completely turned down but the rears are still too powerful lol.

 

i think 15's are the way forward (or backwards) for best handling

 

its needs to be looked at further then
i use 330 on the fron and 305 on the rear and mine doesnt come loose

 

Cool

 

If you want it to handle, put a multi-link rear setup on it.

 

I had all the MEF gear for my S2, but Cliff S1 had it off me when i decided to change my plans.

 

yeah but is yours stripped out?
it makes a huge difference, i had a fiesta mk3 and stripped that out and that kept locking the rears all the time too with puny little drum brakes on it!!

 

yes mine is stripped
a bit of weight has just been added to the whole car tho
ive never had that problem on standard wishbones/konis or the mef set up

 

Whats been added Nigel??? PM me if you want...

 

Cool
are 15's the future? lol

 

been out in my car again tonight and found a large smooth round about, i gradually went round faster and faster and it can go round very quick but any sign of acceleration or a bit more turn on the steering wheel and it just understeers and screatches the tyres.
it seems to let go at the front too easy and ive tried all different settings with the coilovers/ tyre pressures but all i get is tyre squeal instead of grip.
could it be that the coilover springs are too stiff for such a light car, coz i swear my last mk4 gripped better at the front with std suspension

 

dont pm radders nige keep him in the dark he hates it

 

It most likely did. Coilovers are shit for normal roads. Some decent dampers like Koni and near-standard springs will probably piss over what you've got.

You've ignored the best advice given to you on this thread - the problem is at the back, not the front. Multi-link rear (MEF etc) will fix the problem.

 

Are you running rear ARB ?

 

The set up on the rear of the Mk3 and 4 Escort means that the outside rear wheel start to "toe in" when you turn into a corner and the harder you corner the more "toe in" you get = understeer, so the front have to work harder!

If the car has been lowerd and the rear tracking has not been reset or improved the the car will be very unresponsive.

This is a small guide, without giving all my gained experiance away.

Simon.

 

I don't know if this helps, but I have found koni suspension teamed with poly-bushes, rear strut, front strut brace, (avoid the -45mm lowering springs or perish), with the rear track and front track checked on a proper engineering flat floor will make your RS Tub handle on rails. Also avoid having 17's as the lack of rubber can make the car bounce thus loosing traction, by products are torque steer and wheelspin, max you should go for is 16's!

Using this I have managed to build an RS Turbo that does not Torque steer, (Or at least I do not notice it), or loose traction!

I have had the car for 8 years and its been great.
Its also just come back from its holiday, (Restoration). Got some shocking pictures. Just interior to sort now

 

no, will it make that much difference?
the thing is my car is light and stiff at the back and it doesnt seem to move or lean hardly at all! its very flat through the corners as it is so i didnt bother looking into it anymore