After talking to a wheel alignment specialist and reading a lot on this forum I am on the hunt for more castor.
 
The way I would like to achieve this is to build an anti-dive kit which would mount to the sway bar bracket holes but also move the sway bar forward. I have a kmac adjustable sway bar now so minute adjustments can be made if my workmanship isnt perfect.
 
The idea of my anti-dive kit is only to move the bar further forwards and perhaps use a clamp in the centre to stop flex. I will use standard width brackets on the outsides but I will drill holes to accomodate double width brackets if I choose to in the future.
 
Here is a design I found which I will pretty much copy and Ive drawn another to the right of how I will go about mounting it further forward. I will weld a steel bar to each side of the kit (maybe 4mm? -Shown in red) and drill holes to attatch it to the car.
 
Please let me know your opinions! Do you think this design will work and how much should I aim to move the bar forward?
 

 
Cheers,
Ryan

Hey Bud,
 
You could get one of these http://www.motorsport-tools.com/escort-mk1-mk2-roll-bar-anti-dive-kit-group-4-rally.html as it may be cheaper then making it yourself and comes with all the brackets etc.
 
Given you have the K-Mac bar you won't get any more adjustment from mounting the anti dive bar.
 
You could get adjustable strut tops for more caster too.
 
Cheers,
 
Matt
 

I think you might find the front apron will prevent the anti-dive from moving much in the forward direction.
I made mine to be pushed as far forward as possible and the apron was in the way, then I biased the bracket bolt holes as far forward as possible too.
You can just see what Im talking about here.

You could make a standard anti dive ans modify the bracket mount positions using 4-5mm steel. Will be heavy though.
 
JP

Thanks Matt, I didn't realise I could get one so cheap! I'll give making one a go first as I have two single width outer brackets already so only need to buy one double width bracket. Wont worry about double width on the outside. Also I'm being given the steel so its just a matter of how much the bracket costs.
 
Thanks JP I'll look out for that, might be a good idea for me to just offset the brackets rather than the whole thing. I'll have to take some measurements and make up a cardboard one to see what room I have at the front.
 
A bit of added weight is ok with me, its only really a road car so a couple kgs wont mean much to me.
 
Thanks for your help guys!
 
Ryan

Due to the heat here in Adelaide I havnt started making up the anti dive kit yet, but I have had a closer look at the car.
 
The front apron is approx 1.5 inches below the mounting points for the sway bar. This means providing I make it shallow enough I can push it forward over the front apron. the photo is shocking but you might be able to see. hopefully this week Ill get cracking and Ill keep this updated. Please keep your ideas coming, im open to any constructive criticism also!
 
Ryan

Hi, the way I would tackle ...or have on my mk1 is to move the swaybar bolts forward 20-25mm and then make the dive kit to fit.
The way to move the bkt bolts forward is to drill the dimples which releases the swaybar mount plate, you simply move it forwards and weld in place , drill new holes and weld new 10mm nuts on. Its best to do this with the bkts removed from car..

That is a good idea, thanks martymexico. Im going to have a look/get some parts off an escort at upullit tomorrow morning so Ill grab the sway bar mounts from that, then Ill be able to change it without mucking up the ones ive got.
 
That means I can use long bolts for the outside sway bar brackets and connect the anti dive kit directly through those holes just like most other kits around. Will have a play tomorrow.
 
Cheers
Ryan

After a few days stressing over cutting up my sway bar mount plates I was lucky enough to be given some by a nice guy who I bought some parts from. 
 
Plan is to cut out the section where the original nuts are and weld in a piece of thicker steel with the holes moved forward. This seems like the simplest way to go as on a mk2 you can't move the plate forward, it is located by two bolts through the side and one at the front.
 

 
As I will be cutting it up I thought it would be a good move to strengthen it as much as possible, so I welded some of the seams. Welds started really bad but ended up ok and they seemed to penetrate enough for me to be happy with them.
 

 
first weld...

 

 
So I am slowly getting there. Should finish these on sunday then start the actual anti dive kit next week.
 
Ryan

Good work Ryan, keep the pics coming, nice to see home engineering at it's best.....

which U-Pull-it has an escort. did you see and or remember what the front bulkhead wheel arches were like. the round bulbs near the accelerator and mirrored on other side?
Cheers
 
JP