struts with disks

[Aly Johnson]

Hello folks,
What front struts would be an easy fit to the 105e or easier option.
I hear people mention capri etc? is that classic capri or modern capri?
Ive been offered a set of mk2 cortina stryts and a set of mk1 cortina gt struts, would any of these fit with small amount of conversion, or better still just bolt on.
I need to put front disk brakes on my 105e, while lowering ride height, but obviously i could cut springs at frt.
Ive asked this question before about frt brake/suspension mods but i didnt make it clear what i meant.
Thanks AJ.

[paddi]

Hi Aly – I’ve got Mk2 Cortina struts on my Anglia Pick-up. I didn’t fit them but I believe that they are a bolt on replacement but you many need to modify the bottom steering arms or use the Anglia ones…

[Ken B]

Cast Anglia steering arms do not fit on Cortina struts. Cortina ones will need to be modified really as they will give very poor lock to lock in standard form.

The struts are not quite bolt on either. They dont fit the Anglia top mounts without spacers I think. The other problem you may have, the springs are larger diameter than an anglia they may rub on the inner wing. Be interested to see your set up Paddi, who fitted it? You will also need to source the correct length TCA too. Re drilling the x member is not reccomended as it alters the steering geometry.

[Aly Johnson]

Ken, what struts would you suggest then if not mk2 cortina?

[paddi]

Hi Ken – John at KMJ in Exeter fitted mine when he built the Pick-up! I just supplied him with the MK2 struts and he did the necessary – it certainly seems to work OK though i’ve got a warped disk so it wobbles like hell when I brake – I have just got new disks and pads to fit so should be OK again soon!

[Ken B]

Mk2 Cort struts are really the ones to use, but normally most have them converted to use the small coil springs and shortened. ie milton etc. I know people have used them “as is” but usually they use Mk2 tCA’s as well as they are the right length. but…. they need a collar making where the Anglia ARB goes in as the different size to the Cortina ARB. The steering arms need shortening. Again Milton sells ready made ones for this now. As for the big spring, you have to see how it clears the inner wing, once you’ve mounted it.
As for lowering…apparently there are several lengths of Cortina legs depending which model they came off. But you really need to be careful if you have a bog standard model pair, because if you just cut the spring you could end up with the strut bottoming out which isn’t good. This was recently covered over on 105speed.
Another point to consider every strut Ford used, is a different spindle to body angle to the Anglia ones. So your wheel will either stick a long way out or you will end up with bad positive camber. Whilst this can be partly corrected as previously mentioned with a Mk2 cortina TCA, it may not get rid of it all, and offset top mounts may be required. Which is why I was curious to see exactly how Paddi’s has been done.

Before anyone mentions Classic legs, yes they do fit on, but you will still have all the problems encountered above; that being with the long cast steering arms the large springs, and wheels sticking outside the arch.

[Ken B]

If you look at the front of my van in pic below that uses classic struts, but they are pulled right in with adjustable TCA’s, offset top mounts and 2 1/4″ springs to clear inner wing. I also still needed to mod the lower front edge of wing to clear wheels too.

[Aly Johnson]

Thanks for your input there Ken, Looks like theres no option without some mods but at least now i know what to start off with. Cheers.

[Ken B]

I think to do it neatly there will be mods of some sort required with whatever strut you use simply to get the geometry right.
A friend of mine used 2.8 injection struts. After removing the inards he grafted/welded the anglia steering arms onto the bottom using the original Anglia struts as a guide to positioning. He then cut off the original spring pans and lowered them but only by the right amount so the spring didn’t drop out on full drop. The only bits I cant remember is how he attached the TCA or which ones he used. It all seemed to work well in the end, but he is a fabricator welder by trade, but still took him ages to get it all exactly right. Cheap yes, but took a long time and possibly wasn’t the easiest route either.

[paddi]

I’ll be changing the discs on mine soon and will take some pics of how they were done…

[Ken B]

Nice one Paddi. I took some pics of a car at the weekend that had Escrot stuff on it, and some of mine to compare. I’ll post them up later too.

[Author]

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