Board logo

Standard rearend width?
Spottty - 21/6/03 at 11:27 PM

I was wondering if anyone knew the width of the escort rear end or other popular ones? I'm hoping I wont have to do major mods to the frame to make mine fit as im planing a +4 frame. Thanks!


craig1410 - 22/6/03 at 07:08 PM

Hi,
Look at www.carfolio.com. They have loads of stuff including track widths for various cars. Remember that track width is usually the width between tyre contact patch centers and thus is sensitive to the type of wheel fitted.

I am virtually certain that the escort axle will not be wide enough for the +4" chassis since it barely fills the arches on a standard width chassis. Better to go for a Capri (+2.5" or even better a Cortina (+4" axle otherwise you are likely to have the problem where your wheels will foul the trailing arms. You could use spacers (and probably still will with the Capri axle) but better to minimse the use of spacers and I certainly wouldn't go more than 1" on the spacers per side. So Capri axle with 1" spacers each side or a Cortina axle with no spacers.

One other thing, I think (from another post here) that the Capri and Cortina axles can swap diff's and so you could put an LSD from a Capri into a Cortina axle if that was a concern. Note that I am not an authority on Ford bits so check this swapability first!!

I hope this helps,
Craig.


Viper - 22/6/03 at 07:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by craig1410
Hi,

One other thing, I think (from another post here) that the Capri and Cortina axles can swap diff's and so you could put an LSD from a Capri into a Cortina axle if that was a concern. Note that I am not an authority on Ford bits so check this swapability first!!

I hope this helps,
Craig.


If you are going to be taking the diff out of a capri axle you had better know what you are doing, i say this because the diff has to be built into the casing, the escort axle has the diff built into its own housing then goes into the axle...
so if you want a wider axle get the capri 2.8i special edition model, that should have a slipper but check some people will sell you a 2.8 axle thats not a slipper...