hi i was wondering has anyone one here tryed to use independent suspension on a mark 2 escort like trying to fit a nissan s13 mazda fcrx7 or seirra rear subframe and suspension instead of a live axle im currently lookn into doin somthing like this to my car instead of an english or atlas axle i was thinking it might give me a more adjustable rear suspension for less money than goin down the english or atlas axle route if i can do it or make it work i have tryed to get information on the internet on this but cant seem to get any info on this if any one here has any information that can help me it would be really great any comments information or oppinoins are really welcome

 

I have driven a track car mk2 with sierra rs rear end conversion and a road car mk1 with an M3 rear end conversion and in my opinion it ruins the car.
Both cars just felt a bit vague on the arse and i couldn't get the power down off the line like my mk1 , suppose i could just be biased.
It just didn't feel like an escort if that makes sense , with my linked rear i know how far i can hang it and what the rears doing but maybe with more time behind the wheel of both the cars my opinion would change.
Without trying a converted car for yourself it could make for an expensive regret.
Don't get me wrong i am all for technological advances and developing your car but for me the conversion removed the escorts character.

 

I remember Ricky Hutch having a superb MKII Escort with a BMW rear end. Think he still thought the Atlas was the better handling option.

And his car was developed to the maximum for the track.

He's only sold it a few months ago but had owned and sorted it for years.

It was running 430(ish) BHP YB Cossie

 

There are many people who have tried the IRS on MK2's, DJM built the famous Colin Mcrae car

http://www.djm-motorsport.co.uk/mkii_escort_mcrae.html


Phil Collins sucessfully campaigns a similar car in the English and Irish tarmac championships...







And some others that are or have been built...

Dave Thwaites car is on IRS...



and this car currently being built....



They all use a similar concept of an Escort WRC cradle and Esc WRC uprights/hubs...

Too expensive on most people's budget and as has been said above seems to have little competitive advantage over the live setup, Simon Mauger and the Irish mk2 boys are still achieving as quick stage times...

The use of an IRS does allow for more suspension travel and a superior suspension unit to be used, larger wheels can be accommodated, wider track is possible...

I pal of mine is putting a nissan back end into a sunbeam...again fairly straight forward to do but he only doing the conversion to get away from the rubbish sunbeam axle.....

It's a topic I have considered many times and I still can't decide which is best, both live and IRS have disadvantages and advantages.....

 

thanks for the feedback lads as i said in the start of the thread this type of info is very hard to come buy. the main reason im lookn into this is i know a lad that has done nissan rear subframe conversions to sevral ae86s with great success and i have a nissan 180sx drift car that due to work commitments i dont get to use or compete in that often and it got me thinking of doin the nissan conversion to my escort after talkn to the lad that has done the twin cams before he said he would do the conversion for 1000euro if the subframe would work and i would have have a full suspension setup for little more than a grand in that case. but after measuring up the escort and the nissan subframe i found it would not work without cutting the chassai of the escort or doing extensive modification to the nissan subframe so that option is pretty much out but the lad that has done this before has also mentioned using an fc rx7 rear subframe which he reckons is a more advanced and stronger rear subframe but will work out a bit more expensive as i will have to source all the nessecary parts for that option. so at this point it is still all up in the air and lookn like i could end up goin down the english or atlas axle route yet but a little research into the matter should put me in the right direction what ever route i choose to go down

 

thanks for your input and information mate the pics are very intresting and have me wondering about that set up.is that the setup based on the escort wrc mentioned or is it a custom fabricated setup. what sort of diff is been used in the orange escort been built i seen the ford badge is it an escort or seirra diff and i would really appreciate it if there is a build thread on that escort could you post a link to it thanks

 

blue-oval-bass - the reason the power doesn't go down off the line as well is a independent rear suspension setup gains negative camber as it squats, good for cornering, not so good for launching.

This is the reason live axle cars are quick down the quarter mile, eg a mk2 with 400bhp, vs a 400bhp saph