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Half Shafts - are Mk1 and 2 the same?
DickieB - 5/7/04 at 08:22 PM

As it says, are Mk1 and Mk2 Escort half shafts the same?
Thanks
Dickie

cosworth - 5/7/04 at 10:34 PM

Yes

DickieB - 6/7/04 at 07:08 AM

Thanks!

britishtrident - 6/7/04 at 02:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cosworth
Yes


Wrong info

All ordinary Mk1 Escort have the Timken banjo "english axle", the expections being some RS models.

70+% of UK Mk2 Escorts have the Salsbury "baby atlas" or german axle.

No axle parts can be interchanged between the two types. Also note the diff flanges are different between MK1 & Mk 2 but applies equally to both types of axles.

Mk2 axle have of course metric wheels studs where as the MK has 7/16" unf but this isn't a major problem

DickieB - 6/7/04 at 05:38 PM

Now I'm confused cos both my last 2 cars have had Timken axles - according to the Mk2 Escort Haynes manual.

Peteff - 6/7/04 at 05:48 PM

Timken English axles were used on mk2 and if you have the halfshaft from a mk1 or mk2 english axle they should fit. The salisbury is different.

britishtrident - 6/7/04 at 09:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DickieB
Now I'm confused cos both my last 2 cars have had Timken axles - according to the Mk2 Escort Haynes manual.


Depends a lot on where it was built, the engine size and what was in the parts bin at the time, vans and 1600 engined cars are more likey to be "mini atlas" while UK production used a larger percentage of the Timken banjo "english" type than the Ghent factory, but the UK market was supplied from both Dagenham and Ghent production lines .

It got even more confusing with the Transit I lost count of the number of variations of gearboxes, axles and rear brakes Ford used on the MKII Transit 75.

[Edited on 6/7/04 by britishtrident]

DickieB - 7/7/04 at 07:30 AM

Right. So a Mk1 Timken and a Mk2 Timken are the same and interchangeable? (less perhaps the flange to the propshaft)

Is that right?
Thanks
Dickie

britishtrident - 7/7/04 at 03:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DickieB
Right. So a Mk1 Timken and a Mk2 Timken are the same and interchangeable? (less perhaps the flange to the propshaft)

Is that right?
Thanks
Dickie


Yes other than the brackets cut off an axle to fit a locost anyway.
The brake backplates are different from MK1 to MK2 but can be swapped,.
MK2 Cortina axle should also be the same.

NS Dev - 7/7/04 at 05:19 PM

every escort I have ever seen had the "timken" axle, known as an "english" axle in the motorsport fraternity (my background has been in rallying). Certainly all the Escort RS's that I have worked on had the English axle, but with the salisbury slipper diff in them.

The "baby atlas" is a totally different axle, it is the one fitted to the mk1 Capri 3 ltr, is very sought after and rather rare (some places make new ones based on old diff housings) which is narower than the mk2 and 3 capri axles. This is made from much thicker tube and will fit in the escort (with the spring mounts cut off and re-angled), has thicker halfshafts and a much stronger diff, but is much heavier.

The mk2 and 3 capri's used the wide atlas axle.

The cortina axle is different as it has the extra radius arm mounts on the casing.

IN answer to your ORIGINAL question, the ORIGINAL answer is quite right, Mk1 and 2 halfshafts are the same and ring any rally spares place and they will sell you an "English, non-RS or RS halfshaft" the RS ones are thicker, that's all. The non-rs ones go for about £10 with good bearings from places like Yorkshire rally spares, Ian Harwood etc etc.

I have never seen the other type of axle on a saloon escort and certainly never seen the shafts for sale.

[Edited on 7/7/04 by NS Dev]

[Edited on 7/7/04 by NS Dev]

britishtrident - 7/7/04 at 09:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
every escort I have ever seen had the "timken" axle, known as an "english" axle in the motorsport fraternity (my background has been in rallying). Certainly all the Escort RS's that I have worked on had the English axle, but with the salisbury slipper diff in them.

The "baby atlas" is a totally different axle, it is the one fitted to the mk1 Capri 3 ltr, is very sought after and rather rare (some places make new ones based on old diff housings) which is narower than the mk2 and 3 capri axles. This is made from much thicker tube and will fit in the escort (with the spring mounts cut off and re-angled), has thicker halfshafts and a much stronger diff, but is much heavier.

The mk2 and 3 capri's used the wide atlas axle.

The cortina axle is different as it has the extra radius arm mounts on the casing.

IN answer to your ORIGINAL question, the ORIGINAL answer is quite right, Mk1 and 2 halfshafts are the same and ring any rally spares place and they will sell you an "English, non-RS or RS halfshaft" the RS ones are thicker, that's all. The non-rs ones go for about £10 with good bearings from places like Yorkshire rally spares, Ian Harwood etc etc.

I have never seen the other type of axle on a saloon escort and certainly never seen the shafts for sale.

[Edited on 7/7/04 by NS Dev]

[Edited on 7/7/04 by NS Dev]


Wrong info on quite a few counts -- the Capri V6 axle was the Atlas axle -- the baby Atlas was 2 inches narrower hence "baby" .
The Cortina Mk2 axle was a leaf sprung english axle only the 1600E and Lotus had radius arms --- really just welded on brackets for anti-tramp links exactly like those on the Capri. The width of the MK2 Cortina axle was surprisingly identical to the RWD Escort.
No AVO Escort RS model came with an LSD as standard from the factory, yes the AVO built cars always had english axles but any real RS2000 I came in cont act had the other type (they were after all made in Germany). The original AVO operation of course closed with the end of the MK1 and all MK2 Mexico and RS2000 were built on the normal line.

Of the 4 escort axles that have passed through my hands in the last 4 years - 2 were english and 2 were Salsbury.

Mk1 1300 -- English
Mk2 1100 -- English
MK2 1300 --- Salsbury
MK2 1600 Harrier -- Salsbury

Only a small sample but fairy reprentative of my 1970s experience of maintaing a large fleet of Escort cars and vans belonging to a very large household name company.
The standard 1100 Escort MK2 salsbury axle is much heavier than than the english banjo type because yes the tubes are thicker.

[Edited on 7/7/04 by britishtrident]

NS Dev - 7/7/04 at 10:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
every escort I have ever seen had the "timken" axle, known as an "english" axle in the motorsport fraternity (my background has been in rallying). Certainly all the Escort RS's that I have worked on had the English axle, but with the salisbury slipper diff in them.

The "baby atlas" is a totally different axle, it is the one fitted to the mk1 Capri 3 ltr, is very sought after and rather rare (some places make new ones based on old diff housings) which is narower than the mk2 and 3 capri axles. This is made from much thicker tube and will fit in the escort (with the spring mounts cut off and re-angled), has thicker halfshafts and a much stronger diff, but is much heavier.

The mk2 and 3 capri's used the wide atlas axle.

The cortina axle is different as it has the extra radius arm mounts on the casing.

IN answer to your ORIGINAL question, the ORIGINAL answer is quite right, Mk1 and 2 halfshafts are the same and ring any rally spares place and they will sell you an "English, non-RS or RS halfshaft" the RS ones are thicker, that's all. The non-rs ones go for about £10 with good bearings from places like Yorkshire rally spares, Ian Harwood etc etc.

I have never seen the other type of axle on a saloon escort and certainly never seen the shafts for sale.

[Edited on 7/7/04 by NS Dev]

[Edited on 7/7/04 by NS Dev]


Wrong info on quite a few counts -- the Capri V6 axle was the Atlas axle -- the baby Atlas was 2 inches narrower hence "baby" .
The Cortina Mk2 axle was a leaf sprung english axle only the 1600E and Lotus had radius arms --- really just welded on brackets for anti-tramp links exactly like those on the Capri. The width of the MK2 Cortina axle was surprisingly identical to the RWD Escort.
No AVO Escort RS model came with an LSD as standard from the factory, yes the AVO built cars always had english axles but any real RS2000 I came in cont act had the other type (they were after all made in Germany). The original AVO operation of course closed with the end of the MK1 and all MK2 Mexico and RS2000 were built on the normal line.

Of the 4 escort axles that have passed through my hands in the last 4 years - 2 were english and 2 were Salsbury.

Mk1 1300 -- English
Mk2 1100 -- English
MK2 1300 --- Salsbury
MK2 1600 Harrier -- Salsbury

Only a small sample but fairy reprentative of my 1970s experience of maintaing a large fleet of Escort cars and vans belonging to a very large household name company.
The standard 1100 Escort MK2 salsbury axle is much heavier than than the english banjo type because yes the tubes are thicker.

[Edited on 7/7/04 by britishtrident]


Argument Time - you are not right!!

Right then - Capri mk 1 3.0v6 - Baby atlas or narrow atlas axle - check with Ford, it says this in their own publications such as "how to prepare the escort mk1 and 2 for rallying"!!!

mk 2 and 3 capri = wide atlas - I have measured and checked the two are different.

The cortina I was referring to was the mk 3 onwards as I am sure these will be the ones builders are most likely to be using, and these are the salisbury axles with radius arm brackets on.

The capri never had tramp bars, where did this idea spring from, it only had a rear anti-roll bar (which sortof acted rather badly as an anti-tramp bar too) on some models (cant be bothered to check but I know my 2.8i special did but a 2.0 I worked on did not)

The mk 2 Escort RS 2000 WAS available with LSD as an option from new from Ford, check with your RS dealer. (lots had them too)

anyway, I've had enough and I'm going to bed!