THIS REFERS TO MAKEING A FOCUS AWD AND KEEPING THE TRANSVERSE MOUNTED TRANNY
I think its about time we start pooling our resources and really start getting into the AWD Focus discussion.
I've been doing alittle research...
Here's what I know...
You can use the MTX75 out of a Jaguar but you have to switch the guts into a Focus friendly housing, the Jag rear end is too wide unless you want to do some fab work.
You may be able to use some of the Mondeo parts, but I'm having a little difficulty in finding much info on these.
Theres a possibility we may be able to use parts off of the old AWD Tempo's, if I can find one I'm gonna get some measurements and scope out everything REAL good.
Getrag is currently testing an AWD system for the next gen Focus... I wonder if it will be backwards compatable.
I'm starting this thread so I can get enough info to start collecting parts for a "Summer Build"
If you post in here try to keep everything on topic... i will delete posts if they go a stray.
I want to be able to go see the tranny, take a good look and see where and how it mounts and how the rear shaft runs.... so I need something closer than GA.
BUT,,, if the Kugal kit is setup for a standard sized solid axle then you can get an IRS out of a Cobra and it should bolt right in to it... since Ford designed it to bolt into a solid axle Mustang body...... pretty good idea huh???
the other thing i was tossing around considering i havent seen a trans in person is that the pictures/diagrams make it seem as though the front PTO box for the driveshaft to the rear seams to pop in place of the passenger axle, and then the passenger axle is just shorter and pops into the PTO (like a DSM).....so you might not even NEED a trans....
Ford already had the idea......in 2001 Ford Racing built a prototype car called the "tooner focus".....they used the parts from the escape but locked the rear diffs so it was full time AWD. Ricardo from F2 currently has the original kit removed from the tooner focus after it did its run in SEMA in 2001.
I beleive Ricardo was in the midst of re-producing the kit. I had at one time talked to him about it as he was thinking of selling the kit.....It has a custom front subframe, escape modified rear subframe, and escape trans and rear diff.
Look into parts for Merkur XR4Ti or the Scorpio, very similar dimensions to Focus and they are independent rear suspension with a 7.5" rear end...basically an indepedent Mustang rear end.
Just thought I'd throw it out there...dunno much else...
^^^The owners are clients of mine, I thought that I could get some deals. Not really; and they had limited focus parts and you just order the parts at the counter, not allowed to go out back to the yard.
Right now I'm leaning more towards the solid axle... just because of ease of installation.
I know some have said it may not handle that great but the RS8 pulled over 1 G on the skid pad with the same rear end... and they didnt have the front wheels pulling like I will.
Well of course it will post big numbers on the skid pad, akin to using a huge RSB to combat body roll. The skid pad is a pretty static model of the cars traction. That doesn't mean it will actually handle well in say, a auto-x environment. Cool none-the-less. I'd bet that thing rotates like a mofo.
Well if I do use a solid axle it couldnt handle any worse than a Mustang... actually I think it would handle better than a Mustang... lighter front end plus the front wheels pulling it around might be a pretty descent combonation.
Besides... I dont autocross, I like big open road tracks!!!
The WRC transmission is computer controlled to bias the power to the wheel that it predicts will have the best grip on the road between a combination of a GPS system and a forward-scanning doppler radar which controlled three active differentials; front, center and rear. On top of which, it is designed for the engine to be tilted roughly 25 degrees towards the back from its stock position...which would result in even more "one-off" parts.
Good luck hooking that up to a production Zetec...
No doubt it would be the best choice for an AWD setup...but the cost and time required would probably meet or exceed the price of a used WRC car from M-Sport.
i totally see where your coming from, but the way i see it is that if i can tackle it, and it is simple....i have a source to mass produce the parts i fab to make availabe to whoever else wants to do the swap....
but the real easiest way is with a jag trans and a kugel rear end kit.
I plan on using the wheels I have now, the mid 80's Mustangs ran a 4 x 108 bolt pattern so if I use a rear end out of one of those I can keep my Euro wheels.
I need to find one of the Jag AWD tranny's somewhere close enough that I can look at it before buying it... so I can see how it mounts.
Wow had no idea they were that advanced, i guess wheel speed sensors aerent good enough huh. Well maybe they have used subframe and rear suspension set-up that can work? Im getting braced for some more punches. [joke]
I plan on using the wheels I have now, the mid 80's Mustangs ran a 4 x 108 bolt pattern so if I use a rear end out of one of those I can keep my Euro wheels.
I need to find one of the Jag AWD tranny's somewhere close enough that I can look at it before buying it... so I can see how it mounts.
I plan on using the wheels I have now, the mid 80's Mustangs ran a 4 x 108 bolt pattern so if I use a rear end out of one of those I can keep my Euro wheels.
You will have to have the center bore increased on the Euro wheels or the shaft center reduced (as I did) to be able to fit 4 x 108 Euro wheels on 4 x108 Mustang axle shafts.
^ im trying to find one too......I'm also trying to talk to local dealers to determine if the driveshaft for the rear wheels mounts directy into the casing itself or if there is a "PTO" box that mounts to where the passenger axle inputs on the tranny if it were a FWD instead (dont know if im explaining this in a way you can understand).......trying to find an exploded veiw of a parts reference or something......the trans might not even be needed, just the PTO might (if thats how it works).
if i do it, im going to swap in the jaguar hubs for 5 lug and the bigger brakes. it will be a whole different car. I would like to keep 4 wheel independant suspension for optimal handling in any situation. I think i may have to build my own subframe or at least use an escape subframe as a a starting point.
If we had a local dealer I would just go look under one of their Jags... the worst they could do is tell me to get up off of the ground LOL
Tomorrow I have to go to my favorite Ford Dealer (these guys are VERY Mod freindly) and I'm going to get my buddy in the part dept to try to pull up one of the trannies on their system... at least its worth a try.
The answer you seek lies within the question you asked.
Bvtt_Whiper: You know you can multiquote posts right, that way you don't have like, I dunno, a whole bunch of crap posts one after another, after another, after another, after another.......
Also, ease off the caps lock, no need to yell. I'm pretty sure John knows what he is doing
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