esky76
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Chassis inspection/advice?
Just hoping a few people could point me in the right direction... I'm rebuilding my mk2 escort and want to try and correct the slight pull to the left thats its always had. From a previous wheel alignment i have been told that the wheel distance was slightly shorter down the LHS of the car and I can see the wheel arch has had some panel beating suggesting at some stage the wheel had kicked back into the guard. Visually everything else looks fine (rails etc.). Just want to get everything right now as I'm putting a lot of time and money into it. Any advice on what action to take would be great. Not even sure if I should speak to a suspension place or crash repairer. I'm in Adelaide if anyone knows a particular place Cheers Here's the car i'm talking about  
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Roger Miller
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/05/12 18:27:39
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well,.... usually if its not visibly damaged, its the sway bar.
Take it off and chalk around it, then flip it over, onto chalking s and see is its the same.
Replace if suspect.
Other bent stuff to check would be sway bar mount, or TCA.
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esky76
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/05/12 20:25:02
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Cheers Roger,
I'll get onto that. didn't know where to start
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esky76
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/06/12 15:09:46
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I pulled the sway bar out and it looks fine. So next I'll look at the TCA's. Still concerned that the tyre-wheel arch spacing looks different LHS/RHS Pics not accurate, just to explain. Think wheel is turned a bit and angle of camera doesn't help...  
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BryanS81
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/06/12 18:52:47
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jimmyd
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/07/12 09:37:39
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Check your cross member location - your TCA mounts to this. A little bit of displacement here relocates the inner mount for your TCA forward/back with your lower ball joint moving in the opposite direction. Basically your swaybar acts as a pivot point. Other point to check is the front swaybar to chassis mount bracket, not the 'D' bracket, the part that bolts to the front corner of the chassis. If displaced the TCA moves backwards/forwards correspondingly. Assuming your chassis structure is straight some quick measurements will tell you where to start looking, if it is out enough to pull to the left you *should* be able to see some variance in measurements with a simple tape measure and a reliable assistant to hold the other end.. - Measure from front crossmember to front of rear spring mount on both sides - this will identify if your crossmember is displaced; if OK, then
- Measure from front cross member to front swaybar mount bracket - this will identify if your swaybar mount bracket is displaced.
As an aside I assume you have already tried loosening and resetting the upper strut mounts to relieve wind up tension - in my experience the number one cause for steering pulling in the Escort? Cheers James
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ronsmallford
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/07/12 11:21:08
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Front wheels go forward and backward as they turn. So unless wheels are pointing properly straight ahead its impossible to get reliable measurements to guards as in pics.
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esky76
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/07/12 11:26:37
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Cheers James, I'll have at look at that and let you know it goes.
With the sway bar removed the LHS wheel still appears to sit a little further towards the rear side of the guard so maybe the crossmember...
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jimmyd
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/07/12 18:17:44
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May or maynot help you - scan from the Ford service manual with major dimensions and measurement points  Cheers
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esky76
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/08/12 18:09:09
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Problem solved. I hope....
I had a good measure up with those dimensions and it all appears to be within the tolerances. With both TCA's out I could see that the crossmember is slightly bent/distorted around the inner end of the RHS TCA.
Guess I'm in the market for a new crossmember. If anyone can help me out let me know.
Thanks for everyone's help
Dave
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smiley_666
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/08/12 18:22:30
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where abouts are you? i might have one from a parts car you could take.
might take me a couple of days to organise it though (on crutches atm)
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esky76
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/08/12 18:38:56
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I live down at seacliff/brighton.
No major rush and I can help out in anyway
Cheers
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smiley_666
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/08/12 18:43:47
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not too far then. im in the mclaren vale area. ill have a look tomorrow to see if its still there/ok.
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esky76
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/08/12 18:51:36
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That'd be great. See how it looks tomorrow and we can organise it from there
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smiley_666
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RE: Chassis inspection/advice?
2010/12/13 13:05:19
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sorry it took so long to reply.
its there and it looks like its good.
at the moment the car is sitting with no front suspention, so i couldnt see the underneath. (will also make getting it out a little harder too [:x)] )
how long till you need it? i will be able to go and take it off myself after x-mas, but if you wanted it before ill have to convince my brother or dad lol
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