Part 3: Back Axle & Suspension - What makes Baby Blue?

[@colin7919]

That is one of the most informative videos ive watched. No bullshit, Thanks Frank.

[@keeperlit.leterrip7722]

My first car was a baby blue mk2 escort circa 1984. It was the basic 1100cc model. Always dreamed of owning one set up like yours.

[@Markycarandbikestuff]

Awesome video Frank, been into cars all my days and never understood what a floating axle is, very well explained. Greetings from Scotland.

[@padraigg9508]

One of the most interesting videos I have watched. So well explained even I can understand it. Absolutely great content. Thanks Frank!

[@peterbalac1915]

😂😂mMe too , honesty is the best policy enjoyed the video 🤙

[@mrpaulmichael7078]

Brilliant video, the set up is similar to my escort but now I understand what does what much better. Thank You and keep up the good work

[@SchafjuanS]

Magnificent works done and thank you for sharing this ..all the best to you Sir Frank Kelly

[@KLRmurdercycle]

Awesome suspension explanation 👌

[@roberttaylor6075]

Was thinking on doing this to my road car but my freind who maintains a millington car like yours told me it would not make a good road car. I also got a cosworth yb for it and again he said it 's to much engine for a mk2 road car. So now we are onto a zetec which he said is a much better set up. Loveing yours and your daughters channal keep them coming all the best.

[@scoobyking555cm]

Great idea to do this series Frank, stopping me from going nuts. Hope you and your family are all safe and well 👍👍👍👍👍👍🏁

[@johnturbo7714]

Great description, nice idea checking the watts linkage for correct axle up and down movement. Drag Race guys, they do an awful lot of work regarding 4 link position and adjustment, there might be something to help in theory even with a Rally set that may be of some use especially where traction is required. I only just found your videos and rallying exploits fantastic, I was a great fan of Simon McKinley and his rallying so after his accident I hadn’t seen anyone that got my attention the same way until last week.......... I’m super excited after finding your exploits and for the technical stuff about you and how your car has and is developing.. fantastic and good luck for your future Rally exploits and thanks a bunch for sharing. 👍😎

[@FrankKellyRallying]

Simon was a god RIP. We’ve done a lot of work since this video on 4 link setup and you are correct about the drag guys. Unfortunately to get the benefits in traction that they do the car becomes pretty much useless at going around corners at speed. We’ve made small angle changes but benefits are minimal. The nature of the beast John.

[@simonorr594]

Thanks for putting these great videos - much appreciated while i am stuck in the US waiting for my Irish Passport so I can actually leave the country!

[@bjornchristiansson2827]

Oh yes very well built car ! I did rallying back in 80-90 did build my own car so like what you done ! All parts play key to how the car handles. I did race the Opel Ascona 400 and Manta 400. But heck Ford is so raw and the smaller body is a benefit in rallying tight roads. Best regards from Sweden 🇸🇪 Bjorn

[@alw968]

i used to deliver to grp4 in galway, it some operation, nice to see that type of engineering in this country, great video by the way

[@vinniemoog2110]

Beejeesus, I 😍 these videos, it's so informative, easy to understand why each modification is done and to be done, top man 💪🏻 💪🏻 💪🏻

[@melvyncox3361]

Brilliant Frank.Love the technical stuff.Certainly got it right in my view😎💪👍!

[@sensiblemark1974]

An expensive lot of tech but awsome outcome of performance and fun and smiles for the fans 👌🏻

[@limjamrace]

So very nicely explained.Ultimate rear axle locating .So far away from my Mk 1 Cortina modified build for Hillclimb and Sprints.

[@TheRebelOne.]

Superb presentation. You dumb it down and share all your secrets...😎.

[@madpadi]

Dunno how I missed this 1 As ever Frank Great vid ☘️

[@GRAHAMAUS]

9:25 Yes!! Softer = better. So many novices think harder = better, tighten everything up and wonder why they're not competitive.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

As a long time road racer I had the rear of my car with 3 link. 2 lower ones and one from the centre of the diff to the chassis. My advice and it worked was to put the nose of the diff down a few degrees and also play with bring the top link lower on the chassis. Plus then a simple panhard with a couple of inches of up and down for roll centre. Watts link can be a pain in that respect. With the bolt on the housing that is your centre. V8 Supercars with live axle had the centre mount on the chassis and adjustment externally to raise or lower roll centre in pit stops. Less unsprung weight as well. Different model live axle Falcons had as much as an 1 1/2' difference on the diff hat They also had a complex shim adjustment to camber and toe the live axle. Nascar and US road racers simply bend the diff for their requirements, up to about 3 deg. Most use ball splines on the outer end. And soft as possible will always be the go. Better power down, far better ride control and less things break.

[@FrankKellyRallying]

Yes I’ve seen the V8 super car setup. They adjust the roll centre depending on fuel level as well I believe, via a crank wrench through the back doors. The watts on the car idea looks good but I worry it would struggle with 8” of rally travel. I’ve run the diff down to a maximum of 3 degrees and various increments in-between. Any further and the prop necks out 🙈. Currently running a new idea but not tested yet. It’s all good fun 👍

[@crashm1]

@@FrankKellyRallying Can you run a torque arm and birdcages to isolate the axle from the suspension movement or are you limited to the original rear suspension design?

[@vintagevrs6992]

"It's probably one of my biggest problems, is ffffffuuu.....messing around with the car..." Love the detail

[@spiroskatsikas]

I always wondered what set up you have in your escort and I think it's great having a double spring set up

[@jameslatimer1432]

Looks amazing bud cheer's

[@markscully2342]

yep they were the pickup points for the heavier cars (I think GL Giha possibly RS200) antiroll bar went to a bracket on the top of the axel and around the back of the diff.

[@ranjitsian5481]

Good work 👍

[@aussietruckphotosandmodels8510]

Hi Frank Great series, very informative, with excellent content. I really apricate that you are sharing your accumulated knowledge with us. My son and I are building a Getz front wheel drive ( junior gravel rally ) We are about to start building the rear end, at the moment it has a beam axle with coils and shocks. Having had some experience with Watts linkage in the past on hot rods I was already contemplating building a 6 rod Watts rear end for it. There's nothing in the rule book that says we can't. Do you think there would be any advantage in a Watts system with toe in adjustment over a coil and shock or coil over system...

[@FrankKellyRallying]

Certainly would help. It would also help to run longer dampers to increase travel. A lot of fwd cars suffer with lack of rear end travel and kick up at the rear on the smallest of jumps and dips. Work out your finished ride height and try to get good travel in compression and rebound. My Mk2 has almost 8” of travel and she needs it all. Good luck 👍

[@aussietruckphotosandmodels8510]

@@FrankKellyRallying Thanks for the info Frank... Time to get the 9 inch grinder and cardboard out.. I'll have to go for longer 4 links to get the extra swing....On the plus side there is about 10 inches of available wheel well above the wheel at normal ride height

[@Juzzy520]

mate..... just superb indeed!!💪💪👍

[@keremustunkaya9650]

Hi Frank. This is Yagmur’s friend Kerem. Hope all is well with you. I was wondering why nobody is using independent rear suspension conversion ( like the one used in McRae’s mk2 ) on the high powered Escorts. Best regards.

[@FrankKellyRallying]

Hi Kerem Probably because the live axle works so well especially with traction. A few do run independent rear with electronic aids to reduce wheel spin.

[@keremustunkaya9650]

@@FrankKellyRallying Hi Frank. Thank you very much. And apparently those with the independent rear are not faster than the live axle cars. This case is probably specific to Escort because in theory with the further adjustability of the independent rear suspension they should be faster. All the best.

[@carlbedford7996]

Thanks frank im just in process of a build with sameset up axle I’ve asked so many people how to set it all up 🫣🫣🫣 all say different things just like you said 😂 only thing I’m struggling with is I don’t own ramp and try to get the car level what’s best part of the car to use to get correct level ??

[@FrankKellyRallying]

The bottom of the chassis rail close to the rear spring hangers is usually ok.

[@clivefowler1932]

Frank, how do you set the location of the axle, using the adjustment on the link bars could you have it too far forwards or backwards? Where is the ideal position? Regards clive

[@FrankKellyRallying]

I try to be directly below the shock turret. The shock will stand up straight at ride height. It’s not critical but I prefer it that way.

[@alangraham920]

Fantastic car would love to see baby blue up close as ive rallied a mk 2 as well briefly i hastened to ad

[@Ger_Mc]

There is a lot of axle bits hanging on the back. With regulations are you allowed to do anything with air flow under the car or do you find there is no point? With the modern wrcs and so on the underneath is nearly flat.

[@FrankKellyRallying]

It is something we could do. Sump guard area at the front is flat so we could look at extending as far as the axle maybe.

[@FrostyMikeGaming]

I have a question about a back axel on a truck and say if there was something wrong with the axel and say that person was touching the axel to see if there was something wrong can he get shock or burnt by it if the car was turn on with motor running? My friend has a Dodge truck and he's always crawling under it to see if it's damage and i'm just worry that he might get burnt or shock by it and really I don't know anything about car repair so I thought my friend would get hurt while the car was running.

[@theinspector1023]

Nice!

[@rickyhutchings2263]

Great video thanks for sharing ,do you run a 2piece prop ?

[@daviddemma7410]

nice vid

[@Valtra103]

very cool car

[@bodgitandleggitgarage]

love it mate

[@Juzzy520]

im watching on my tele and phone!!👍👍

[@darrenmcnamara5999]

What diameter is the crown wheel in those atlas axles?

[@Tilt02]

No ventilator for aircooling?

[@nonyourbuz5805]

tiny lookin little axle for what it does...driveshaft too...strange that 2 piece drive holds up...This would be my Dream Car...over any out there...

[@eklazhward4739]

...but why solid axle?

[@FrankKellyRallying]

I’ve thought many times about going independent but for some reason this just works?

[@eklazhward4739]

@@FrankKellyRallying ofc it must work, but independent should work better, just my opinion

[@Juzzy520]

fk me!!! how do you know you can drive that fast????👍👍👍

[@terryshields7931]

What a waste of time, anti tramp in the last two minutes only.