Escort axle ponderings...

Post by **Spag** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:39 am

Hi all,

Had a really productive weekend and finished the repairs to the shell, so started fiddling about with the axle...

http://spagweb.com/gallery/william_01/index.htm#latest

The U bolts were a little reluctant, until encouraged with a bit of blow torch action, but all came apart without too much drama.

Sliced off all the unnecessary brackets from the Escort axle to leave a nice clean toob, so now have to think about bolting it all together !

I was thinking of cutting the thick bottom U bolt bracket (that the shock bolts to) and welding in a bit to stretch it a few mm so the holes are in the right place for U bolts for the larger diam axle.

Then cut some semi circles in 3mm steel and weld up some bits to go under the axle that sit on the springs.

Alternatively, any cheap off the shelf bits that'll make it any easier?

Or anyone got any pics ?

Ta !

Post by **chickenjohn** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:47 am

You should come along to the East kent branch meetings. Dave runs a Minor with complete Escort running gear, cross flow engine, axle and even the front struts.

Post by **bigginger** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:22 pm

As a moderaor, I'm not allowed to say who. but one specialist sells the soring perches for the 'scort axle ready to weld on. Tell you what, I'll PM you
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Post by **Orkney** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:54 pm

Looks like your having great use from that new cutter Ian !

Post by **Spag** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:39 pm

The cutter is just fab, and even if it expires after the Moggy work is done, I think it will have been well worth the £££.

Must have saved at least 2 days worth of cutting with the old selection of tools - 4.5" & 9" angry grinders, air saw, air chisel and air cutoff grinder. + the cost of disks and blares etc.

The precision through the body and chassis is great, and the torch is so small and maneuverable - being smaller than the MIG torch - so if you can get to it to weld, you can get it to cut !

Great fun using it on the axle casing ' gouging' the welds off, kind of like a blow torch on butter - but with less complaints in the kitchen...

Post by **Orkney** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:43 pm

I saw it on your blog page - honestly didnt realise they were so handy for the relative low cost nowadays.
Will have to go on the wishlist after a small gasless mig though alas and that wont be for some time

Post by **aussiemike** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:53 pm

I have an escort axle in my traveller, i bought the fitting kit form jlh,(jonathon on here) and it is just like all his other work,.....spot on.
Made the job easy an quick.
cheers, michael.

Post by **Spag** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:42 am

For my own twisted personal reasons, I wanted to keep the existing Armstrong, levery shocks for a while, so decided to do a quick build with bits I had to hand...

Took about 3 hours to get the axle fitted, so a bit of time to look at making a bit of room in the engine bay too...

Quick axle fit instrux and more pics now here

http://spagweb.com/gallery/william_01/index.htm#latest

Not a bad days pottering i guess...

Post by **Orkney** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:28 am

Your making that look easier than it probably is !

Post by **jonathon** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:19 am

No location for the top plate, apart from the small boss ?

I'd be more tempted to locate this correctly with the U bolts, especially being powered by the lump up front. You will need some sort of axle location too,

Post by **aussiemike** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:31 am

what are you going to do about gearbox clearance with the steering rack spag?? love that pot belly stove!
cheers, michael

Post by **Spag** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:37 pm

Hi Jonathon, good point, I guess the axle could twist and ride over the top of the pin through the springs... Looking at the Escort stuff, the U bolts only go through the bottom plate, but then again they don't have squishy rubber blocks!

The bottom plate is going nowhere as it was a hammer fit into the ford bit , but the top could either have some suitable ears attached to meet the u bolts - could weld it to the bottom of the axle too!

Mike, dunno.

Seriously, the plan is to work from the front, and make space along the way. Will be looking at the bulkhead and gearbox stuff this afternoon so will be reporting back soon !

Post by **Spag** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:20 pm

Right...

Looks like the box will go in pretty well as is, but I will take a lump out of the bellhousing to make some extra space.

Seems I have added even more pictures and blatherings now
http://spagweb.com/gallery/william_01/index.htm#latest