2025/09/10 20:39:17
MarkA
I'm running 3 deg +castor and 3 deg -camber on the track car. As I have only driven it on and off the car trailer I have no idea how it will drive. This was just the initial setup recommended to me.
I have been using a digital spirit level and protractor for a while now and it makes life so easy. You should be able to get that angle between your red and blue line to the nearest degree I would think?
 
As I mentioned before, I had to get the longer control arm ends, I think the steering rod ends will make it ok 
 
2025/09/10 22:37:57
martymexico
Trying to remember what my mk2 was at, it's got all factory parts except the Selby swaybar that's 24mm thick. Factory as in Ford parts bin, Capri struts and springs, mk2 cortina roller tops but a sneakily fitted Hillman Hunter spring tops , they are up side down version of escort ones which allow to lower without cut springs.!

Taking it to a align shop Way back when, the guy said I've about 3 to 3.5 neg camber and the struts also about 3 on caster, he said at full lock it's at 8 deg!! BMW style Ackerman..

Crush tubes should do the trick, just add a smidge of grease on the swaybar so the tube doesn't seize up, I've cut so many off because of it..
2025/09/11 17:59:51
PartTimeMK2
Apparently the stock wheel alignment is


Toe (total):
0 to +2 mm toe-in (≈ 0°00′ to +0°12′)
Camber:
0° ± 30′ (can range slightly negative to slightly positive)
Caster:
+2.5° to +3.5°

So with my lower control arm inner bolt/bush position moved out 10mm and my sway bar moved forward 20mm with the vehicle lowered I think it will end up with roughly the below.

Camber:
-2° ± 30' - due to lower control arm angle, bolt position and lowering 
Caster:
+3.5° to +5.0° - due to change of sway bar mount and shorter crush tube - could be lower though due to lowering of vehicle changing sway bar angle.

That being said I will be able to measure up properly when the shocks arrive and the struts go in. Mark it would be great to see your front set up if you have photos of it.
 
2025/09/11 19:38:13
MarkA
Yep Mark, those std measurements look vaguely familiar.
I suppose the reason stock camber is close to 0 is your average Joe would not appreciate forking out for new rubber every other month.
 
An old timer acquaintance who has been building rally cars all his life, suggested what is shown in the first two pics.
I filed those photos under the heading 'Flinstones Pics'
I could walk under the car and adjust. I suppose its really just a home version of what the alignment guys do.

To note; the sway bar that MST provided did not provide the articulation required and I bent the heim joints that connect it to the lower control arms. So I got Selby (local to me) to make me a bar after I made a template one from some rod.
 
Like anything, start modifying and it just transfers right the way through

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2025/09/11 20:33:34
PartTimeMK2
I love the look of those torsion struts, apparently they're perfect for escort track cars, and those brakes too! I like the board idea, lets you settle the car to ride height and really dial everything in - might be a bit sketchy with a fully loaded car though!
2025/09/12 19:56:20
martymexico
Hey MarkA do you have a pic of where the compression struts weld to the chassis.
If I ever got to my mk2 that'll be the only car I'll fit them to. The kit has been sitting in the storage shed since the late 90s. I wonder if quality has changed in that time..?
2025/09/13 19:38:53
PartTimeMK2
Got a little bit more done today, started on the firewall blanket and the roof insulation.

CAD helped a heap with both projects, progress on the firewall blanket is currently on hold while I wait for some joining strips to add the bits on the side of the tunnel in. I also need to cut some reliefs so it sits a little nicer on the floor pan, you can see where it bulges up on each side of the tunnel towards the footwell. Same on the very outer edge of the near the A pillars. 


 
The roof was going swimmingly too - I used some tack glue and put two butyl mats up there (forgot to take a photo) then put the Insu-layer on, this is where I stuffed up a little, I had the pad off angle when I tacked it in above the drivers head - and there was no way it was coming back off without a tear. So I had to sacrifice that corner and start at the other side.

  
 
You can see where its a bit stuffed in that far corner, but i suppose the flip side is I know its never going to come off .

Will tackle the back section tomorrow, least now I have a better strategy for tacking it down and it should go a lot smoother. Oh and the handbrake is all cleaned up and ready to go back in, that's tomorrows job too. 

Also I got a quote from a mob in QLD that does alloy hubs for mk2 2L Aussie struts..... lets just say for what they were asking and the small benefit from the reduced rolling mass I am seriously considering sticking with standard hubs....

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2025/09/13 19:47:20
MarkA
Marty, the most I could determine from my research was to locate the mount on the chassis such that the compression strut was horizontal (at ride height) with the mounting point on the crossmember.
ie, you extrapolate the horizontal line (with TCA written on it in the pic) through to the mounting point on the crossmember.
I do have some research notes if you want to follow up. 
 
One thing I stumbled across in all this research was Arthur Mallock. He was one of those genius type guys and doing the anti squat calculations etc was really interesting. Funny note though from him was to the effect of, 'it doesn't matter how good it looks on paper (ie, in theory) it has to work on the road'

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2025/09/13 20:17:23
PartTimeMK2
OH instant center, anti squat, axle tramp and traction. 

For leaf springs its real easy, draw a line from the tire contact patch through the front spring bolt. Then find your cars centerline of gravity by weighing it and where those lines meet is your IC.

Problem with leafs is that line moves all the time, because the angle of the front half of the spring changes (from saddle to front bush) under load, turning and braking - that's why drag cars will put on caltracs to lock the IC by limiting the movement/angle of the front section of the leaf, they can then change the IC by lengthening or shortening the caltrac (to an extent) or changing tire/wheel size/tyre pressure.  



 
2025/09/13 21:34:49
martymexico
All that tech jargon goes over my head !
That pic you show MarkA is easy to remember, the horizontal line is just above the hole at the base of the weld on bkt , it's a good start point, thanks.
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