Capri 4 or 5 linking

Post by **Coops** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:01 pm

Has any one done this on a capri?
if so any info advice or pictures please,
as now looking at doing the rear of mine as i think the leaf springs are not enjoying the new engine mods

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:34 pm

This is outside my direct knowlage but isn't the back end of a capri basically the same as a mark 1or 2 escort but a couple of inches wider? if so alot of development work was done on a four link plus watts linkage for rallying and it would seem an excelent starting point for the capri? Also there is the rear ends of the GP 5 capri race cars of the late 70s early 80s. my old favorite chasis engineering has various four and five link set ups in it for road/race and drag use with how to set up anti squat geomitry and anti tramp. Has the capri got a roll cage in it?
Mike

Post by **Coops** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:38 pm

yup similar to an escort,
yup shes got a 6 point cage in mate

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Thu May 24, 2007 1:21 am

Obviously not a Capri....but generally speaking, my welding in a beam, then the 4-link wasnt that difficult.

Not sure how the Escort kits compare though. Just spend a lot of time measuring it up first, and where the wheels etc sit before you do it.

I would also reccomend sticking with either rubber or ploy bushed kits.

My rose jointed one is clunky and annoying.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:41 am

Hi Tony
with a cage in it gives you the ability to beaf up the shock mounts for coil overs by tieing the mounts into the roll cage. As Stevie says make at least one end with poly bushes or rubber, if you use rose joints both ends it will rattle your teeth out. If you base the four link mounts onto the body so they feed the loads into the leaf spring mounts it would be a good start, probably as Stevie has done using a beam across the car to mount the brackets for the links on. Not sure of thre space arround the rear arch on a capri but you may need to make a lower mounting for the bottom link on both sides in front of where the leaf spring would mount.
Mike

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:28 pm

Are we talking about a full turreted rear end here or just a better way to locate the rear axle???

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:51 pm

Sorry I may be interprating more than intended by Tony saying the leaf springs wern't coping, I assumed his priority was to get rid of the leaf springs and locate via a 4/5 link set up and coilovers... this implies to me the shock towers will need reinforcing and the loads taking into the roll cage and chassis.
As I said in my first post on this the Capri is not a car I have vast knowlage of but I do think I understand the detail of suspension and chassis design pretty well.
Mike

Post by **Coops** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:42 pm

ian.stewart wrote:Are we talking about a full turreted rear end here or just a better way to locate the rear axle???

either mate,
reason why im asking is before i cut the rear end about and think WTF did i do this for.

I want to plant the power down a bit better, and dont think the leaf spring set up on the capri is that good, unless some one knows a better way?

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:34 pm

Im pretty sure that some of the MK1 Escort racers I seen in Malta used a 4- link...or ladder bar with leaf springs.

Post by **katanaman** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:55 pm

No idea if its any good to you or not T but I can measure the angles and dimensions from my car for you at the weekend? Might give you an idea of what your dealing with.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu May 24, 2007 6:40 pm

Tony
one of the reasons I asked about the similarity to the escort is the mk1 and early mk2 escorts used a 4 link plus watts linkage with fully floating leaf springs The front leaf spring mounts were cut out and boxes made of 2" square section tube were mounted in to tie into the chassis where the rear legs of the roll cage came down and tie into the chassis at the original mount was. similar boxes were made and welded in at the rear shackle mount. the new leaf springs had the mounting eyes removed and teflon pads were made for the ends of the spring to slide in the boxes. the mounts for the 4 link plus watts link were then mounted onto a combination of the boxes and extensions off the roll cage and a cross member that went across above where the prop shaft came into the space below the boot. Very little of the standard shell was changed. Personally I think it would be easier to use coil overs tied into the roll cage as you would have to alter less of the existing body/chassis.
I think with carfull design and mesuring you could probably do it all using the standard leaf spring mounts some 2x1" 2mm wall tubing to make up a mounting sub frame and a beef up and tie in of the shock towers. you may need to make a couple of holes in the bulkhead between the boot and car to tie in the top of the subframe into your cage but non of it should be impossable to reverse at a later date and you would n't have to cut out the rear of the car.
Mike

Post by **Coops** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:41 pm

pictures of any of the above would be good,

Ian what you got on the tina?
leaf springs? if so what you got on there to make her hook up the way she does mate?

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Fri May 25, 2007 7:18 am

sorry Tony I don't have pictures, a mate had the set up on his Mk2 escort club ralley car when I was club rallying 20 yrs ago. I could sketch the set up from memory and post it to you.
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Fri May 25, 2007 7:40 am

surely the point of 4 or 5-linking is to bin the crap leaf springs and fit coilovers?

This is what I want to do with my MG when I get time (meh, prob in about three yrs!):

http://www.vord.net/cars/mgb_mods/updates.html

a very good home made jobby, for sweet FA readies as well. i emailed the guy before xmas, but he no longer responds. He reckoned the lot cost him about 300 to do inc. the coilovers.

ihatesissycars · Post by **ihatesissycars** » Fri May 25, 2007 9:42 am

A 4 link kit with panhard rod would do the job. The panhard rod isn't as good as a watts linkage and makes the axle move up and down in an arc ahowever there not alot of travel on a crapi plus if you mounit onto the axle as low as poss then you minimise this effect.

You might find you have probelms though fitting a panhard rod or watts linkage because of the fuel tank, its very close to the axle!

Good excuse to fit a fuel cell in the boot i suppse but more work and expense.

My intentions in this department is to simply fit some anti tramp bars and keep the anti roll bar too if poss. This should limit axle hop and maintain decent traction.

Also, adjustable dampers, my avo ones made a huge amount of difference over the 2.8 bilsteins i tried using.

If you do go for the linkages then the best way i could think of fitting it was to keep the leaf springs in place. Provided your car is straight and the geomtry is correct then fit the boxes and linkages with the axle in place on the leafs so you know the axle is in the correct place.

The damper turrets will need reinforcing but this is simple enough.

A bar between them and then two small ones triangualting between the turret tops and section of body between the turrest dhould suffice.

You could then connect the linkage boxes and turrets by way of bars or similar and then into the roll cage for max strength and whils't you're on a roll tie the cage intot he front struts for a super stiff shell!

Ps, i don't have traction probs? I've never been on a 1/4 stripp but I can launch my car hard from a standing start with zero wheels spin and immediate forward motion anytime i want.