HPG128K - Dutton Sierra Series 2 - rescued from an early grave?

[Adrian Southgate]

So the saga of the gearbox rear seal continues. When it had the rear crank seal done the garage also fitted a prop/tailshaft seal which promptly leaked just as badly as the one they took out.

When I had the horrible vibration issue it was coming from the prop not fitting into the gearbox. Thinking this might have damaged the bush inside the tailshaft and caused the leak I ordered a new one and another seal. Now if anyone tells you this is a DIY job DON'T believe a word of it. Getting the seal out is an easy one with a modified puller, getting down the side of the tailshaft past the bush is bloody impossible without the right tool. According to the haynes manual for the Ford Sierra its a ford dealer job...I now agree. As it was needed for work tomorrow the new seal went in without changing the bush, a right pain in the arse.

[Adrian Southgate]

After five weeks of being without my Sierra I miss it... I've been trying for two weeks to cobble together some working suspension legs for the front and failing, escort parts are too expensive and there are too many variations of spring rates, diameters and lengths, top cups, bottom steering joints so I decided enough is enough. Towel well and truly thrown. I went through all the different options for mk2 setups and decided that I just needed to replace the defective bits - main leg, top bearing and springs. Cue Dave Sims Automotive, an ebay seller I had done business with on parts for the Legerra last year. 141959584236 ordered in black with lower rate springs as it's a 'soft roader' not a rally car. These should keep the front end bouncing for a little while longer.

[Adrian Southgate]

I had a guided tour of the 'facility' (farm shed) The RS they are building is first class and using bits they sell throughout. Thats one expensive escort...

[Adrian Southgate]

The rose joints on the legerra I fitted last year have been replaced now with extended ones (M14 nut welded on) and covered with a rubber boot which is an arse to fit An M12 HT allen cap bolt would fit the rose joint with top hat spacers but after messing around with the legerra making taper washers etc I think drilling out to 14mm and using a M14 allen bolt would be better. I already have the rose joints that I took off the Legerra so just need boots and bolts and a good 14mm drill.

[Steve Kerswell]

In my other guise I have used motorsport tools often for long clutch cables etc. Seem OK but a tad expensive, as you say it's that RS word.

[Steve Kerswell]

I was going to suggest rose joints but don't (didn't)  understand the steering arm bit, you just cleared that up. Mk1 has small taper, metric to rack. Mk2 has large taper, metric to rack, so should be universal in the escort, Cortina range.

[Adrian Southgate]

Digging further, whats the difference between Mk1 and MK2 RS track rod ends? If the Mk2 track rod ends are metric with a large taper doesn't that make them the same as normal Mk2 track rod ends. 

I think it's going to be cheaper to use M14 rose joints and to drill the steering arms.

[Adrian Southgate]

That's exactly it these days isn't it, anything thats Mexico, RS or Cosworth compatible took a huge price hike. 

Found these motorsport-tools uk, north wales lads I went to see a few weeks back £14.95 each for a pattern part. Thats more than double the price of the standard metric ones but still the cheapest I could find. They also have genuine NOS ford ones for £38 each 

It looks like I'll have to get new brake lines too, those are pretty corroded and would have failed the next MOT anyway. The standard metric flexis are too long for a Sierra by about 40mm. 

[Steve Kerswell]

While it was fresh in my mind, I phoned my rally mate who uses a RS2000. You are correct in the green track rod end and it was for Mk1 RS2000. Hard to find now and expect to pay premium because it says RS on the box.

[Steve Kerswell]

I never got to the bottom of this, some say it was late Mk1 Mexico and the RS1600. But I never found the information reliable. Mk2 end taper is slightly bigger, trying to find the correct reamer was another blind alley I went down. Good luck with it. I have a good Mk1 rack here with Mk1 ends and steering arms, for your reference.

[Adrian Southgate]

Right, found two legs, rusty as old hell, lurking in one of the lockups. Put up a hell of a fight getting the calipers off, everything is solid, not even sure I want to bother trying to pop the pistons out of those little buggers later.

Anyway. Strut bodies are way better than the broken one so... They had odd length springs, one insert has a bent top, one insert is large and one is small ...

Once the brake pipes have been detached from the broken one and its pair I will see if I can swap the inserts, springs, spring caps and bump stops onto the salvaged strut casings, then fit my discs and calipers.with new flexi's. The old ones have been on less than a year and the rust preventative hasnt, they are solid and will probably require a blow torch to remove.

Back under the car I have another issue. I have a mk2 metric rack fitted and these legs seem to have a small taper steering arm. I know they made two different sizes of taper (imperial and metric) and two different rack threads (again imperial and metric). Which vehicle had the small taper rod end with metric rack threads and are these known as 'green' trackrod ends?