[Tazzz]

Non res race might be a winner so. It'll be with a sports cat, I don't want to be going through the hassle of changing that around every year.

I'll eventually get around to fitting all these bits I'm buying ha.

 

[Tazzz]

So, still waiting for the radiator to arrive. It should hopefully be here tomorrow, which makes it six weeks since I ordered, a few more than the three Pro Alloy initially said it'd take.

While I've been waiting, I noticed on Sunday that my exhaust is blowing a bit. The previous owner had it off at some point as there's a cut above the rear axle, so it could just be that clamp has loosened or that, I need to get under it once it stays dry for longer than five minutes to have a look.
Naturally I did the sensible thing when you have a standard exhaust that's blowing; I ordered a Milltek non res race system and downpipe with sports cat.

Ordered that on Monday afternoon from Demontweeks.. It arrived earlier today. That's very impressive.
Haven't unwrapped it yet as I don't want to until I'm fitting it to the car to minimise fingerprints.

 

[Tazzz]

So..
Went out to have a look at the blowy exhaust on my lunch break, figuring something just came loose, maybe.
Not so much.

I need the car for the office tomorrow and the blowy exhaust was annoying. Luckily, that Milltek exhaust arrived yesterday.
Off with the old, the bolts onto the downpipe were not coming off with a ratchet and I couldn't get the impact gun up there. Wobble extension to the rescue.

On with the new. The Focus RS hangers were a bit of effort to get on, being much stiffer and bigger. Couldn't get the hanger bar on the backbox the whole way through, just almost through so shouldn't go anywhere.

I'll need to have another look at it over the weekend as it doesn't quite sit straight, so just need to adjust it a bit to sort that.
Haven't fitted the downpipe yet as this was a rush job and that looks like much more hassle.

It does sound nice though, even with the stock downpipe.

 

[Tazzz]

Pro Alloy radiator FINALLY arrived today.
Need to book the time to get all this fitted now.

 

[Tazzz]

Question for the more knowledgeable folk on here;
My rear beam bushings have been clunky the last while, I have a week booked off to fit everything I purchased recently coming up so thought I'll tackle these while I'm at it.
Choices are Powerflex and Superpro for the bushings, what would be the consensus on here?
Also, are they tricky to fit? I was looking at a vid Sparkplug Steve did from a few years back, would the lads tracking it be adjusting the rear beam, or will I need to do that myself, before I get it tracked?

 

[Darran]

I went with Powerflex and followed this video and drilled them out:

A few pics here .

The bushes did take some drilling out, the only tricky bit was reassembly, rear beam bracket was a tight squeeze past the catback.

I made a few measurements and marked the rear beam brackets and chassis beforehand so beam could be put back in same position.

 

[Tazzz]

I went with Powerflex.

How do you find them? Superpro are seemingly a bit softer, but also more expensive from what I've googled.

I'll probably go with drilling them out, waste of money buying the tool for it for all it'll be used.

 

[Marv_st]

How do you find them? Superpro are seemingly a bit softer, but also more expensive from what I've googled.

I'll probably go with drilling them out, waste of money buying the tool for it for all it'll be used.

I've fitted polys to many mk6 and mk7 rear beams. Ever since my mind has been blown, this is how i do it, spray penetrating fluid round the bushes and bolts, go make a cup of tea, unbolt the beam on the bushing end and lower. Club hammer, one or 2 big hits on each bush... they're out.

I didn't believe it myself until I saw it done with my own eyes. Even on original bushes from 2003!
Everytime I tell that story, I get a barrage of excuses fired at me. Just... give it a good go.

 

[Darran]

How do you find them? Superpro are seemingly a bit softer, but also more expensive from what I've googled.

I'll probably go with drilling them out, waste of money buying the tool for it for all it'll be used.

I'd like to think I can feel subtle changes to my car but I didn't feel any difference but I know @alex98uk did, iirc he noticed rear was firmer, maybe that's because I have Eibach Pro-Kit springs and he's on coilovers.

 

[Tazzz]

I've fitted polys to many mk6 and mk7 rear beams. Ever since my mind has been blown, this is how i do it, spray penetrating fluid round the bushes and bolts, go make a cup of tea, unbolt the beam on the bushing end and lower. Club hammer, one or 2 big hits on each bush... they're out.

I didn't believe it myself until I saw it done with my own eyes. Even on original bushes from 2003!
Everytime I tell that story, I get a barrage of excuses fired at me. Just... give it a good go.

Brute force and blind ignorance, generally a good combo

I'd like to think I can feel subtle changes to my car but I didn't feel any difference but I know @alex98uk did, iirc he noticed rear was firmer, maybe that's because I have Eibach Pro-Kit springs and he's on coilovers.

Did you go for the purple ones or the black ones? I'd guess the purple ones are a decent middle ground between the originals and stupidly hard bushes.

 

[Darran]

Club hammer, one or 2 big hits on each bush... they're out.

Service manual confirms hammer persuasion is preferred method:

Wish I'd have known that before doing mine.

Did you go for the purple ones or the black ones? I'd guess the purple ones are a decent middle ground between the originals and stupidly hard bushes.

Purple.

The large bolts which go through the bushes are not reusable, so you could buy two of those, finis # 1513401. These are tightened up finger tight while the rear beam is supported, once the beam has weight of car on it bolts are tightened to 80Nm then 120 degrees.

 

[Tazzz]

Much appreciated chaps.

Purple bushings ordered, with an impulse buy of some Eibach lowering springs. May dig out the spring compressors.

 

[Darran]

Much appreciated chaps.

with an impulse buy of some Eibach lowering springs.

Did you go Pro-Kit?

 

[Tazzz]

Did you go Pro-Kit?

Yessir, they seemed a decent price so figured I may as well add one more thing to do on the week off

 

[Darran]

Yessir, they seemed a decent price so figured I may as well add one more thing to do on the week off

When I changed to 15" & 16" wheels my tyres are slightly smaller diametre so arch gap is a tad bigger, I thought about trying Eibach Redlines but can't remember reading any positive comments re. these.

 

[Simdash]

When I changed to 15" & 16" wheels my tyres are slightly smaller diametre so arch gap is a tad bigger, I thought about trying Eibach Redlines but can't remember reading any positive comments re. these.

Funny you say this, only ever heard good things about these redline (rebranded Eibach) springs. I know they did 2 versions, the later version being lower on the back than the front to flatten the ride height out. Ran these springs for a bout and year and really couldn't fault them

 

[Darran]

Funny you say this, only ever heard good things about these redline (rebranded Eibach) springs. I know they did 2 versions, the later version being lower on the back than the front to flatten the ride height out. Ran these springs for a bout and year and really couldn't fault them

I remember seeing your Redlines up for sale on here, did you go from stock to Redlines and what did you change to?

 

[Simdash]

I remember seeing your Redlines up for sale on here, did you go from stock to Redlines and what did you change to?

I went from the Mountune springs to the redlines. The Mountune springs had been on when I got the car and I'd drived it for 30k miles. I took the rear seats out and it jacked the rear ride height up even more so I went with a set of ST XTA coilovers to adjust the rears down a bit more. I did a track session at Ford Fair this year and they felt solid going round, albeit bumpy on the roads but this is with the rebound set to the max

 

[Darran]

I went from the Mountune springs to the redlines. The Mountune springs had been on when I got the car and I'd drived it for 30k miles. I took the rear seats out and it jacked the rear ride height up even more so I went with a set of ST XTA coilovers to adjust the rears down a bit more. I did a track session at Ford Fair this year and they felt solid going round, albeit bumpy on the roads but this is with the rebound set to the max

What were the pros and cons comparing mountune springs and the redlines?

Apologies tazzz for spamming your project thread

 

[Simdash]

What were the pros and cons comparing mountune springs and the redlines?

Apologies tazzz for spamming your project thread

Honestly, main reason for the redlines was to reduce the arch gap a smidge to make it sit nicer
I made so many handling mods between the two that I can't really give a good pros and cons. The best mods for the handling were the rear strut brace and ARB, made it feel so planted