mk4savage

Hi Rob. Great to see you here again. It's very quiet these days on here and I've not been around much the last few years. Same as you, had personal reasons and lost interest and enthusiasm especially the last few years we've had with all that's gone on in the world but I'd noticed you weren't around. You've helped me out with info and parts on more than one occasion, The screen rubber is still doing great after nearly 10 years There's some knowledgeable people on here who I'm always very grateful to for help and advice and I've always associated two people with this forum for great Cortina knowledge and that's Craig and yourself. I'm sure you've been missed by many and as has been said the place is not the same without you. It'd be great if you were back for good and I think it wood be good to get the Forum back to something like it used to be. All the best

Nice one. Are they genuine Girling ones re conditioned or a pattern part ? I've seen some pattern part ones and wondered what they'd be like.

I'm going to go the ebay route too, I can't be bothered sending mine off to be honest.

I don't think a tenner is too bad for one of those. After all, you can't get a new one anywhere. I wouldn't have wanted to pay 20 though. Glad you found one

I think they're all Girling M16 calipers aren't they ? I'm pretty sure they're all the same. I looked at buying some recently and the seller was listing them for Escort/Capri/Cortina etc. I may need some myself in the near future.

Hi Hans. Yes, it's very quiet on here these days. Shame really as it is a great Forum. I prefer Forums as the old threads can be resurrected and the search function is far better than the one you get on Facebook. I can't believe the original thread here was started nearly 12 years ago. Shocking

Blimey, that price is a bit "Salty" shall we say

Great job I always remember this car on Robs profile many years ago. Glad to see it's still about.

Old thread resurrected. I noticed all the photo's had disappeared a while back so I've been working on it over the last couple of days to replace them. It's great you can edit such old posts. I've done my best to replace them as it's hard to remember which photo went where. I've made a few changes and added a few bits here and there. Should be able to make sense of it. One thing though, it's alarming how much time has passed since I started this Thread

They seem ok so far. I got them from Burton Power. Not a bad copy of the originals shape wise. They obviously look like repro hoses but seem good quality, made in Britain too The wall of the rubber seems slightly thicker than the motorcraft ones. I always carry a spare pair in the boot. I didn't fit those as I bought them from an auto jumble some years back and I'm not sure how old they are, they look ok and they should do for temporary if I need to replace one out on the road.

Finished article. Just need to get the rest of the jobs done then take it for a test. Should be ok though.

Thanks mate I used to do that when I worked in a Garage back in 1992 until 1995. Any part I changed that came with a new bolt I'd either keep the new one and re use the old one or vise versa. Same as you I used to put them in bags then when I'd filled one take it home. I've still got some of it left to this day in the shed and sometimes I have a rummage through if I'm scratting around for something which is most times I'm ever doing something I think one of the next jobs on the Cortina which I noticed today is new anti roll bar link bushes. I'm not looking forward to those

I've been working on the MK4 today. Managed to change both lower ball joints. The original ones were a lot worse than I thought, totally had it. I should have changed these years ago. Everything went ok I think but I underestimated how tough those rivets are to get out especially working uphill so to speak. I drilled out from the centre of the rivet, first with a pilot then stepping up a size each time, only drilling in around 6mm or so, enough depth to clear the head into the rivet. Tried using a punch and hammer to knock them out but they just wouldn't go. The first one I knocked the heads completely off and they still wouldn't go. I then fetched out the air hammer I bought a few years ago from Screwfix but never really used it. There's a handy pointed chisel in there and that shifted the buggers, eventually. The second one I did I left the heads on, just drilled in and used the air chisel. I'd have struggled without that. The plate on the top that I saved serves no purpose with the new ball joint. It secures the rubber gaiter over the joint on the Ford one whereas the QH one has the rubber already fitted with a clip. I fitted it back on anyway as it was there originally, it doesn't hurt anything and acts as a washer for the new bolts. It looks ok. Certainly are very different, the genuine one has an extra plate on the bottom that extends out towards the wheel and obviously the quality of the new one is never going to be as good as the Ford ball joint. Apologies for the photos, I'm struggling a bit to get them in any sort of order, I'm not much cop with these mobile phone things 🤣 Last one is the air chisel that got me out the crap 💪 I need to order some new nuts for the tie bar to ball joint, they're a bit worn out but they'll do for now. I will be doing the top ones next but It'll be a few weeks away yet. Hopefully they won't be as bad as I'll be working downhill..

Some great mods on this Martog I remember this car from years ago when you first posted pictures of it when it was white. I think it's a Ghia originally is it ? It's probably this thread but I've not gone that far back yet. I don't usually go for modified MK4's, I tend to like standard ones in my old(er) age but I like what you've done. I think the RS wheels are a good choice. I had some Capri ones on my old MK4 I had in the 90's and I always liked the look of them although they were a tad wide they sometimes clipped the front wings when turning. I had a 2 inch drop on that car. I sold that car to my mate who fitted some modern 5 spoke 16 or 17 inch things on it off an Escort but I never liked the look, just didn't look right at all. Not sure if the Capri laser ones have the same offset as the Escort ones. The clocks look good too and make a nice change from the usual Granada ones you see fitted sometimes. Great job, would love to see it one day.

I think they use that thread on things like that to apply more torque. I seem to remember that the thread used on a flywheel to crank bolt could be the same thread as these bolts I've got supplied with the new ball joint. I have to say the bolts look good quality ones to me, not the cheap ones you normally see. I was quite surprised. Years ago I used to buy QH parts but I've not really seen all that many in recent years hence my question earlier about the ball joints and their quality. Companies change hands so often and the quality ends up a bit naff but they continue to use a well established brand name so you think you're still buying top quality stuff and of course we all know where most stuff is manufactured these days. That's why when I replaced my discs some years back I opted for EBC ones as they claimed they are made in England. This was after a conversation with a bloke at a brake supplier shop fairly local to me and he said after I asked about brands and quality that the discs he could get me would be made in china like most are these days. I decided to do a bit of searching on line and found the EBC ones instead. eBay got the sale They've been ok so far.

I noticed the new bolts in the pack. I don't remember those with a new ball joint when I did one years ago but maybe I'm mistaken. Probably a cheap skate joint I bought from a chap I used to know who had a small car spares shop. I only seem to remember the M8 ones that replace the rivets. I did notice the fine thread and remembering the original ones are a course thread. As far as I know the bolts are good but I could do with new nyloc nuts. They've been off and on more times than I care to remember swapping springs Would they be M12 thread do you know ? I'm guessing they will be M12 x 1.75 or 1.50. Thanks for the heads up on those Seems like that could be the case.

Me too As I said earlier, I'm feeling fairly confident. I've changed plenty of ball joints on motors over the years but these are a pain due to the rivets and I want to save that plate that goes on the top. Years ago I wouldn't have bothered about it but I'm older and a bit more careful. I'll try and remember a few photos and report back, hopefully with good news 🤞

That's a very kind offer and it's very much appreciated 👍 sadly though I'm in the Midlands so a fair distance from you which is a shame as that tool would make lighter work of those springs. For this time I'm going to leave the springs and shocks in place. I may regret it but we'll see 😄 I think I'll be ok, I'm feeling fairly confident. Thank you again for the offer of the loan of the tool, it's very kind of you

Small update but no pictures at the moment. Fitted the housing at the weekend before last weekend. I used the spacer in the end after trying to decide which route to take. I used Loctite 577 on the thread in the end but using the spacer I think the gasket sealant would have been fine also. I fitted the housing with a new gasket and a light bead of sealant either side of it and left it to cure for a week. Filled it up with water the weekend just gone and tested for leaks. None so far and I've run it up to temperature a couple of times to be sure. Seems all good. I've not actually driven the car yet so I'll need to give it a proper test but I think it'll be fine. I'm fairly confident. I decided to replace the rad hoses as they were the original ones. I know Craig won't approve but I bought them from Burton power 😂 To be honest they were the only ones I could find for a V6 Cortina MK4 but they weren't cheap as you'd expect. They fitted nicely though so I'm not complaining. I'll get a couple of photos at the weekend 👍

Will do. Ball joints arrived today so hopefully will get on it this Saturday. I've also blown some more money on tools today just in case I get into trouble. I got a right angled air drill, die grinder and cut off tool. The cut off tool looks useful as it has a 3 inch cutting disc rather than the 4.5 inch angle grinder disc. Also seems a nicer angle to work with. I'll try drilling first 👍 I like to be prepared 😂

Good idea 👍 I saw something similar on YouTube, an American guy showed 3 ways to remove a rivet on a ball joint. Not a Cortina obviously but the principal is the same. He sliced a cross in the flat part as you say using an air cut off tool then chiseled the rest of. Some great suggestions here guys. Thank you to everyone. I'll hopefully have a look at the weekend if the new joints arrive in time. I'm definitely going to attack it from underneath unlike the last time I did one and took the easy option, or do I thought ! I'll keep you posted. Cheers

Yes, it bolts where the shock absorber mounts and pulls the bottom wish bone upwards compressing the spring. Great idea, far better than spring compressors but they've got me out of trouble a few times. I don't like using them though, has to be said.

Y Yes, that's probably the best way. Only thing is I'm not a fan of those springs. I've done a few with the hook type spring compressors and got away with it. I know there's a proper tool to compress them but sadly I've not got access to one. It would be a good opportunity to replace the bushes too. Anyone know where to get these from and possibly the bolts too ? I think I'll have a bash at them on the car and see how I go. As long as I can get it high enough I should be ok

I have got a belt sander, only an electric one, black and decker thing. I've had it a while and not really used it. I'll give that a try 👍 Hadn't really thought of using one of those. I know what you mean, angle grinders are too bulky. I was thinking about a die grinder, possibly the right angled one but again I'd have to buy one but I was thinking about getting one anyway. I've got some hefty axle stands and also some huge heavy weight ramps I could use as a stand with some timber. The ramps are big enough to drive a 7.5 tonne truck onto I reckon, they weigh about 30 kg a piece maybe a bit more 😄 Thanks for the tips 👍