neo Posted September 15, 2002 Posted September 15, 2002 just another thought as this is your choice but when you costed the job,sei or se bodies and diff prices,dont forget on top of that is the aditional cost of calipers and discs labro joints boots etc etc on top of the live axle as you would get it all comple i would assume anyway,just a thought Quote
Carl Posted September 17, 2002 Posted September 17, 2002 When I costed it the differance was about a grand because of the extra bits for the SEI, joints, discs, calipers, etc. Live axle was 50 quid and 30 quid a side for recon brakes. Carl Quote
PETER Posted September 18, 2002 Posted September 18, 2002 just bought my westey went for irs because of availability and adjustability my last two cars were mk2 rs2000 the standard axle for these cars as with all escorts is the english rated at 150bhp thoe they will take closer to 180-200. rally escorts with more power than this use atlas axles which take over 300bhp. the last atlas i saw for sale was !!!1250 pounds!!!! Quote
Howard Posted September 20, 2002 Posted September 20, 2002 This may be a completely stupid question but do Escort axles come in different widths? I started out with a 1300 axle. No-one said at the time that this was not the one to use, including Westfield who fitted the brackets etc for me. My axle seems to be narrower than all the other SEs I've just seen at Donington and it's causing problems sourcing wheels for back and front (differing offsets). Now it reads as though everyone is using RS2000 axles and I'm wondering if I've wasted time and money. Quote
Neil Purdie Posted September 20, 2002 Posted September 20, 2002 Any ideas for the maximum power that an early SEI can reliably take, English diff in Westfield casing. Would a 2.0 zetec be too much for it. Neil Quote
Bob Green Posted September 20, 2002 Posted September 20, 2002 I have had no experience of IRS, as my car has a live axle but I would have thought the IRS set up would lay scope for fine tuning should you drive the car fast i.e. track days etc. The live axle doesn't, spring rates and dampers to one side. Having said that, I have seen some very fast live axle cars at track days so I guess it is down to preference and of course cost. Quote
Blatman Posted September 21, 2002 Posted September 21, 2002 Neil. My Escort with a Quaiffe ATB, currently has around 240bhp going through it. It's in my sprint car, so it gets abused quite a bit, seeing as it gets double driven everywhere. By abused, I mean it gets to have us both dump the clutch (8 times per event), at 4500ish rpm, then we generally goon about round the course, making it work to try to keep traction to the wheels (not always successfully ) whilst trying to improve our times.......on cold transmission oil.............no problems so far (that'll do it..........). Unless you spend a lot of cash, you're Zetec will be never be powerful enough to worry the diff Bob Spot on. DavidC Get the IRS............... Quote
Fast Westie Posted September 23, 2002 Posted September 23, 2002 Howard Escort axle casings are all the same width and strength. The RS2000 one had extra brackets that you don't need Neil I have an SEi with English diff and Quaiffe ATB with a 200bhp Zetec engine in that I race. I suffered a lot of overheating problems until I had the diff built 'loose', i.e. practically no bearing preload. I still have my diff cooler on it though. Blatman See above Quote
Blatman Posted September 23, 2002 Posted September 23, 2002 Fast Westie. Race = 10-15 laps, and 20-30 minutes at high speeds/loads. Sprint/Hillclimb is normally <2 minutes per run, with long breaks after we've both run, but a load more standing starts. I have a Quaiffe ATB, so there is no option, AFAIK, to buld it loose, unlike a plate diff......... Quote
Fast Westie Posted September 23, 2002 Posted September 23, 2002 Blatman Agree wholeheartedly with you comments about cooling times etc. Do you take the car on trackdays at all? I only worked out the overheating problem after 3 CWPs and the judicious use of an IR temperature gun Do you still have the standard driveshafts? I was a bit worried about mine but they seem to have held up. I start at 4000rpm on slicks, but my clutch (twin plate AP jobbie) is probably a bit more vicious than you car's Quote
Blatman Posted September 23, 2002 Posted September 23, 2002 I used to track day my car occasionally, but track days ain't racing. I was never at ten tenth's for the whole of a 20 minute session (not possible to do so safely, at a track day, IMO) so I guess my diff remains un-tested in true race conditions. At the track days I have done, it's never been a problem. Maybe it is simply the difference between a plate type diff, and a gear type (ATB) that's has kept mine working. If so, I'm even more convinced I made the right choice. Slicks will have an impact over my List 1A tyres too........ I have standard V8 driveshafts.............I knackered a standard driveshaft at 2000rpm, pulling away from some lights on the A4 some years ago. I bough the V8 driveshafts, and then had to convert to disc braked rear end, 'cos the V8 shafts won't fit the drum braked uprights......... Quote
Neil Purdie Posted September 23, 2002 Posted September 23, 2002 Blatman / Fat Westie Thank you for the feedback, sounds like the news I wanted to hear . Just need some new diff mounting bushes. Neil. Quote
Howard Posted September 23, 2002 Posted September 23, 2002 Fast Westie, Thanks for the reassurance on the axle type. I was starting to think I'd really goofed. Cheers, Howard Quote
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