diffs

[Brian (up north) Morris]

hello can anyone reccomend a good sight where i can read up on ford difs ....i keep hearing this one is better for this and this one for that.....to be honest i dont know anything about them. and how do you id your diff.

thank`s chaps 

[James Doulton]

Yes, the weight is factored in. The extra weight makes very little difference to the top speed but it has a big effect on acceleration.

In the case of a Brian's Melos at 99mph, the wind resistance is 92% of the total resistance and the rolling resistance is only 8%. If you add 200Kg to the weight, to bring the Melos closer to the Escort weight, then the top speed drops by just 1mph but the 0-60 time goes up by 2 seconds.

[Steve Kerswell]

Then you have Mk1 and mk2 Cortinas. All used the same axle there about. All the lads I knew wanted the 3.7 axle, it was considered the best for rally work in the hilly terrain we lived in.

[James Doulton]

Ah ha, Cortinas. I don't have any data for them. I expect that they were wider than Escort axles. It seems that even Escorts had a variety of widths. I read that many of the Escort boys want wider axles from Capris etc because then they don't need spacers when they fit wider wheels.

[Paul Sheridan]

What are my figures from your spreadsheet James?      BHP- 160,    5sp 2.8 type 9,    3.89 diff,    205 55 16 tyres ...... fat bloke driving   :-)))   

[James Doulton]

I sent you a PM, Paul.

[Steve Kerswell]

I was talking diffs and where to find them more then axle width. Stock car guys grabbed most of the van ratio's and wrecked them !

[Steve Kerswell]

I can notice a difference when a passenger is in the car, check the handbrake is not "rubbing" etc. Even two slim young things like Dave Adams and I made a difference and not just performance, handling got interesting as well. I think you build your car to a spec. then have to alter it to suit whatever gets thrown at you. Change a diff? maybe an hour if it comes apart OK :-))

[Adrian Southgate]

I think with cars as light as ours, even the Sierra and Legerra, are going to react differently when you add another 75-100kg of ballast. On the odd occasion when I gave a colleague a lift into work I noticed the back end changed quite a bit but then he is exactly 100kg because we weighed him. Acceleration certainly dropped off a bit.

[James Doulton]

I would like to get back down to 100kg, I'm currently 108. Poor Legerra, without the chassis strengthening too!

[Dave Adams]

What folks tend to forget is that a passenger adds more than 10% to your car's weight.....that is bound to make a noticeable difference.....!

[Brian (up north) Morris]

fascinating reading gents. i have another question about my axle. i put some locking wheel nuts on the dutton when i got her. and the front ones are 7/16 but the back ones are 1/2. why it that....thanks. also my engine is a mk2 cortina is that different from a mk2 escort....? 

[Steve Kerswell]

1600 crossflow was put in all sorts, basically the same engine, except when you start on GT, Mexico etc. The sump differs, the inlet differs, the exhaust manifold differs. But, the engine is basically the same. Despite some who dream that they have a special block, head etc.