Phaeton Series 3 Anti Roll bar removal?

[Steve and Matt Pegrum]

It seems completely unnecessary and the mounting points stop the front from tipping up properly

I'm also interested in castor adjustment

So, has anyone done the removal of the Escort Mk 2 thing?

I can see you can get a thing called a compression strut for Escorts that replaces it and faces backwards - might not fit a phaeton chassis...

Otherwise it's custom lower wishbones I guess......

If anyone has done this I'd be most interested.....

Thanks

[Roy Kemp]

Did you say "bugger" as many times as Nick did during the Binky bump-steer setting? Ha ha!

Keep up the good work, lad. Watching with interest.

[Dave Adams]

the triumph rack mounts do allow some movement.......especially if the factory has drilled the mounting holes to close together.....

[Steve and Matt Pegrum]

Thanks for the helpful comments.

Progress update...

We decided to put a crank in the front wishbone arm

Heres the idea, approx measure on full droop when the gap between the steering track rod and wishbone arm is the smallest

All welded up. Decided that with 3mm thick tube and lots of weld, strength on the small angle should be sufficient 

All back together... again!

New and improved clearance on full droop and full right lock

Clearance between wheel and new wishbone on full right lock 

We took the opportunity to dial in an extra half degree of caster and now have 5 degrees. We also measured the camber and reakon we have 2 1/2 degrees, which may be too much but is easily adjusted by screwing in the threaded ball joint. Also a small issue with tightening up the ball joint nut as it is too large to turn when fully in, but then spins round when the taper is not together, would have been nice to have an allen headed thread.

Right hand suspension is almost complete too, just need to fab up the cranked wishbone arm (remembering to do it the other way up this time!)

Should all be completed soon! 

[Steve and Matt Pegrum]

No more welding and grinding!

Yesterday we finished fabricating the second wishbone and also strengthened the cranked joint in both of them by slotting the join and inserting an additional 3mm plate and welded up.

Both sides fully assembled

Started trying to get the whole set up "straight and proper" last night. We have 5 3/4 degrees of caster of the left hand side and 5 on the right. Both have room for adjustment so we'll get them both hopefully at 6 degrees. The left side has negative 1 degree camber but the right has negative 4 (easily adjusted back to negative 1 by screwing in the ball joint in couple of rotations). We'll likely have to adjust the tracking to be correct as well. A bit of "jiggery pokery"  on each adjustment until we are happy.

Hopefully get the car out for a test run this week so will let you all know how it feels.

[Steve Kerswell]

Good work, hope it all goes well. I have taken notes for reference :-)

[Steve and Matt Pegrum]

Latest tweaks how now got us to 5.75deg caster and 1.75deg camber both sides.

Tracking could do with a proper look at but I reckone we now need a test drive - so the front needs to go on and I hope we dont get any nast surprises with wheel arch clearance! 

[James Doulton]

Good luck with the test drive.

[Adrian Southgate]

Full HD video report please 

[Roy Kemp]

Looking forward to next update - reckon you could produce some bottom wishbone kits if it all goes as well as hoped?

[Steve Kerswell]

Steve and Matt: just found this posted on another site: not my idea but outside the "box" thinking :-)

[Steve and Matt Pegrum]

Thanks, Similar principle....

[Steve and Matt Pegrum]

So apols for the delay in reporting. Matt has gone back to Uni and I have been in Belfast......

Anyway working from memory, a quick trip a couple of circuits round the cul-de-sac by me and and reports from Matt it does look like increased caster and PAS are a good combo. I would describe the car (around the little roundabout with a none too good surface) as feeling 'soft'. But that's with the variable power PAS on full because Matt STILL has not replaced the control knob..... Another way of describing that might be 'modern' ooh err.

Matt reported better 'feel' but we need a fuller test really

A little bit of paranoia about the quality of welding has also ensued after the failure on one of our adjustable upper wishbones that has been there for well over a year - may result in various bits being removed and redone