This is just a very basic anti-dive kit I made recently for my Mk2 Escort. There’s nothing complicated about it and there are some very simple ways of improving it through the use of additional clamps, double width brackets and moving the pick up points forward to allow for increased caster angles. However it does demonstrate just how easy it is to make your own.

To start with, I used standard Mk1 Escort sway bar mounting brackets. The way these differ from the Mk2’s is that they utilize a separate “bush locating strip”, which is spot welded to the main bracket.

Download Attachment: 1. Standard Mk1 Mount.jpg
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Using a 6mm drill bit, “un-pick” the six spot welds holding each bush locating strip to the bracket. You will need to drill completely through the strip, but only part-way into the main bracket. However once you’ve done this you may still find you need to gently prise the strip off with a screwdriver.

It was at this point that I also cut two 135mm long spacers from 20mmx40mm steel box tubing I had lying around to suit. The appropriate “depth” of an anti-dive kit will vary depending on the rest of your car’s suspension set up. My theory is that ideally you should be aiming to have the sway bar positioned parallel to the ground whilst braking – not when the car is stationary (please e-mail me if you have a differing opinion) – so take this into account when choosing the size of your spacers.

Download Attachment: 2. Unpicking Spot Welds + Making Spacer.jpg
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On the 20mmx135mm faces of the spacers, mark out two points 66mm apart on a centre line. These are the centre points of the 9mm holes you will need to drill for the sway bar clamp bolts to pass through. Ensure these points are perfectly mirrored on the opposite side.

Using bolts longer then standard, bolt together the sway bar clamp, bush locating strip, spacer tube and main bracket to ensure everything lines up correctly. Stick the whole lot in a vice and weld it together.

Download Attachment: 3. Drilling Holes + Welding Together.jpg
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Now I am by no means a great welder and only have an arc welder at home, but even so, it’s pretty easy to get a reasonable result.

Give the finished brackets a clean up, a quick coat of paint and bolt them in. Done.

Download Attachment: 4. Finished Brackets Painted.jpg
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Download Attachment: 5. Finished Bracket In Car.jpg
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With some poly bushes, I can't see why this set up shouldn't be reasonably effective. However, as mentioned earlier it can definitely be improved upon. To give you an idea, this is another anti-dive kit I have “sitting in the wings” waiting to go into my Mk1 Escort. It uses a full width spacer, central double width clamp and poly bushes.

Download Attachment: 6. Anti-Dive Kit.jpg
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Simon Piper.