McGoo 69

Ive been toying with the idea of fitting a focus rs rear beam to my escort project so it handles alot better than the crappy rear beam on escorts.

Obviously this will take abit of fabrication work but i just want peoples thoughts on this, is there anything you can think of that will make this a pain?

Also does anyone have underside pics of a focus rs and a escort mk5 so i can compare

cheers matty

cjwood555

Don't think you'd be able to fit it without modifying the floor pan due to the forward link (aka 'control blade').

cjwood555

Forgot to say also, that the frs beam is the same as a standard focus except for the uprights which are 20mm wider each side. Brakes are same as ST170 rears. (Which may be the same as 1.8/2.0L with discs - can't remember).

Chris

McGoo 69

thanks for your reply, i understand the floor pan will need fabrication work which i understand, it shouldnt cause to much problem as my car is only a shell atm and im sending it of for fabrication to fit my focus rs engine so it can all be done together.

also im after a rs one as my escort has a cosworth kit fitted so the width will be a help.

realy i need pics of the underside of both if possible so i can get a idea of where to start

main reason i want to do this as it should ad a much better drive

cjwood555

fwiw, i'd buy a standard focus beam (with discs) which will be miles cheaper and just run spacers. you could ugprade to frs rear uprights when it suited. would expect this to be cheaper than a complete rs beam.

will have a dig about in the pics i have..... have you look on ffoc?

Chris

mercury grey minter

Here,s pics of my focus st170 rear beam that iv,e just got to upgrade my focus rear drums to discs.

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

Wouldn't it just be easier to buy a real one?

Paul_RS

iTrader: (4)

Lot of work for not much gain in my opinion. The mk5/mk6 escorts actually handle pretty well too.

focusv8

Only help I can be at the moment,

Forward Blade mount inside view focus estate

Wide view focus estate

cjwood555

......really?????? mine doesn't!

McGoo 69

regards to the questions of which beam to use either the st170/rs one will be fine im not botherd, dont want to get a standerd focus one as i want the bigger st/rs brakes to come with the beam


murcury, is there any chance you can get pics of under your focus when ur changing your beam? will be good if you could get pics with std beam on, with no beam on and with the new disc beam just for comparison reasons

cossi will, it would be easy to buy a normal cosworth yes, but it wouldnt be a project then. also it winds me up when people say whats the point in doing a rep, if my mk5 escort didnt have the cosworth kit on id suspect id get alot of good comments for putting a focus rs engine in it etc but just because it has a wide body and whale tail its pointless either way ill be driving it every week rather than locking it up in a garage 9months of the year

FasterFords

crash damaged Focus shell and cut the floor out ?

cjwood555

Could you get a standard focus rear beam from a scrappy just for trial purposes? Shouldn't set you back too much and could be sold on later (or converted to the bigger brakes).

Chris

pa_sjo

Or go for a maxi beam?

McGoo 69

maxi beam?

D19 STE

Escort Mk6 Rally Maxi

This guy has started making them for the Mk6 escort Andrew@A.L.D http://www.sportingfords.com/forums/...p=32153#p32153 and depending on spec depends on the price but they start at about Ł500 I think.

He has a whole topic on it on the link above and alot of other stuff as well like engine work etc.

McGoo 69

wow never sean them before!! now that might be worth a buy!!

so do they work independantly? ill read up on it now

McGoo 69

just looked at the prices Ł500 for the cheapist and Ł1000 for the best.. for Ł1000 it will be alot cheaper to use a focus beam with a bit of fabrication surly?

xr4x4rs

iTrader: (5)

but the focus beam isnt adjustable like that one pictured is

id go with the adjustable one above that way your handling would be spot on, and if you get adjustable front end aswell even better

McGoo 69

is it independant though? or just adjustable? i want each wheel to move freely so the car has more contact with the road, which the focus setup will give me, but the beam pictured looked like its bolted and just bushed unless its Spherical Bearings?

it would be great if i the maxi beam is as good as it looks will save on fabrication but i cannot find much information on it atm, i have emailed the guy im just waiting on a replay..

pa_sjo

If you can't see if it's independant by looking at that photo then i'm not sure this is a project for you!!

McGoo 69

you can be a cunt at times... yes obviously both sides or the beam are seperate but i cannot tell from the pic whats holding it together, weather its bush's or Spherical Bearings... that will make all the difference..

projects are about learning as you go on, im enjoying my project and learnt alot so far considering i have no mechanical experiance what so ever and have sucessfully built and repaired engines for my motorbikes and on my zetecs.. yes maybe some of the most basic engines available but i have not learnt anything of any of your replys unlike some of the more helpful passionford members

so please infuture dont comment my threads unless your going to help..

pa_sjo

McGoo 69- Don't take what I say personally. I think you have misunderstood the nature of my comments (and perhaps elsewhere also).

I look at someone who wants to do a radical change to the rear suspension design. I would expect that someone doing so would understand a certain amount about suspension design to fully understand the pro's and con's of such a change.

My comment, expanded upon, means that if you're not fully aware of what is actually going to change, then perhaps this is not something you should be changing. It's a lot of work and if you're not familiar with how it will change things on the car, then perhaps the result may not be what you expect?

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

I had a custom-made hybrid beam made for my MK6 Escort some years back by Pumabuild. Cost a packet, but was superb. Sold it on to a lad last year, who then fitted it to his car and chopped it in. Very much doubt whoever owns it now realises just what's lurking under there, lol

Johnny Knoxville

Do you have pictures of that beam

McGoo 69

i understand what you mean but i was looking for more info on this perticular beam, i know i need a "indipendant" rear beam to give my tyres more contact with the road when turning and also that will need to be camber adjustable to suit the drop provided by my gaz coilovers

i realise you are a very clued up fella but sometimes this gets the better of you when us who do it for a hobby need help.

Thanks for help 1st and 3rd replys

McGoo 69

ive been in talks with the builder and hes been very helpful these are the 3 options for anyone intrested

The basic spec is Ł650 ( Ł550 if you send your beam in ) as seen in the picture, your lucky as i have some Mk5 beams ready to work on

Then there is one with a universal ARB, but this needs some small fabrication work on your side as some mounding brackets will need welding to the car and some drop links making Ł850

Then Ł1000 for a full rose jointed beam with the above mods

he reccomended the 2nd option to me as mine will be a road car with the occasional track day, the 3rd option can be hard to live with for everyday use.

pics would be great mate

how much did it set you back may i ask?

was it similar to the one above?

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

It wasn't like the Maxi beam mate, not as "harcore" as that, it was more intended purely for "fast road" use. I originally just wanted a new beam to accept rear discs, but then got chatting about options and it was something similiar to the Racing Puma beam (it used part of that) and then hubs and brakes from an ST170.

It cost circa Ł800 about 4 and half years ago.

I never got any pics of it as they made and fitted it and there it stayed until the lad took it away when I wasn't present.

I know the lad took a pic just before fitting it to his car though, so I'll try and track that down.

Johnny Knoxville

please if you could Mike C as one of my mates is looking into modified beams as well

D19 STE

Andrew@A.L.D is very helpful and excellent at what he does I would certainly recommend his work

McGoo 69

yeh ive been with talks with him on that other forum, its going to be featured in fast ford soon which is promising. going to be ordering one when i get back of my holidays i think

Johnny Knoxville

Pictures taken from another site that he posts on and here are the pics that might be used in the mag?

Johnny Knoxville

Did you have any luck with finding pictures of that beam?