Front upper/lower suspension arms

[RT 1006 137]

Does anyone know if the front upper and lower arms are interchangeable between facelift and pre facelift? The facelift part numbers both begin with 74BB which suggests they're not interchangeable but any info gratefully received.

[dgo 80]

I believe they're all the same MK3/4/5

[sheffieldcortinacentre 751]

Like wise all the same far as i know swaped loads over the years & don't recall a problem.

[FKLGLS 44]

Can I fit mk5 tie rods to a mk3 pfl as I want to fit a mk5 anti roll bar ?

 

[dgo 80]

Yes tht's the usual swap

[FKLGLS 44]

Thanks bud.

[markymarkthree 178]

You can still use the PFL MK3 ones, as long as they have the holes in for the ARB link bolts.

Edited December 20, 2017 by markymarkthree

[RT 1006 137]

For some reason I've always thought the Mk4/5 and face lift Mk3 front suspension assembly was all the same with the difference being between Mk3 FL and PFL. Just been looking through my Mk4 Ford workshop manual and found this -

 

Although the basic suspension design for the Taunus'76/Cortina '77 model is similar the the previous Taunus/Cortina variants, several significant improvements have been introduced which affect both interchangeability of parts and service procedures. The changes are designed by revising suspension geometry to decrease steering effort. The components affected by these improvements are as follows:

 

Front Suspension Frame Revised new engine mounting brackets, and relocated lower arm bolt holes to achieve negative front wheel camber at kerb conditions.

 

Steering gear Longer track rod ends to suit revised negative camber geometry.

 

Tie bars. Increased diameter tie bar to lower arm bolt holes to achieve sufficient clearance to suit revised negative camber geometry.

 

So in answer to my own question it appears that Mk3/4/5 top and bottom arms are all interchangeable, It's the suspension frames that aren't interchangeable because of the differences due to the Mk3 having positive camber and the Mk4/5 having negative camber.

 

I wonder why the lower arm part number starts with 74BB? This suggests that PFL ones may still be slightly different.

 

Thanks anyway for the replies above.

[markymarkthree 178]

There are subtle differences between the 71BB & 74BB arms that on their own you wouldn't notice but when you put them together you can spot them. Also early one has FOMOCO stamped into it later one has FORD.

 

74BB on top

[RichardJ 59]

The lip around the bottom looks slightly different, but apart from that I can't see much different in the photo.

I wonder why they went through the time and effort to revise it - the 74BB probably cost a few pennies less to make.

[markymarkthree 178]

The lip around the bottom looks slightly different, but apart from that I can't see much different in the photo.

I wonder why they went through the time and effort to revise it - the 74BB probably cost a few pennies less to make.

 

​Think that was it.

I recon if they saved 25p on each arm that could be a total of 2 million £ come the end of the Cortina, give or take a bob or two. :juggle:

[Danish 294]

The lip around the bottom looks slightly different, but apart from that I can't see much different in the photo.

I wonder why they went through the time and effort to revise it - the 74BB probably cost a few pennies less to make.

I read somewhere that the presses only had a certain life span - so they'd have to make a new press every 250,000 items or whatever, so it was relatively cheap to make changes at the right time.

[wolfrace 116]

Just as a heads up..

 

looking at the upper arms in pics or next to each other you won’t notice but on the FL they are actually a greater distance between the bushes, I should imagine the tube on the crossmember is longer too to accommodate and (as I have noticed)  the bolt holding the on the upper arm on is longer on a FL too, it’s around a 1cm difference so no way the upper arms from a FL are going on the pfl clip or vice versa, unless you can use washers to make up the difference on a PFL subframe. Not sure that’d be advisable though..

 

Now the reason i resurrected this thread because I’ve just wasted time and effort restoring the subframe FL upper arms to go on my PFL clip, assuming as you would, they are the same. It never occurred to me to check as the consensus is they are the same.

[wolfrace 116]

Looking today the bolt isn't longer but the spacing on the arms is (at least the two pairs I have) can anyone confirm this?

.  

[martog 148]

I'm having a problem with the front frame on mine which I have swapped for one I had blasted and power coated more than 6 years ago! ( I work fast me).

New frame has -1 inch front springs and last night I finished off tightening the pivot bolts up with the cars weight on it's wheels and the steering track rods set approx straight ahead.

Not driven the car on the road yet as I have done the work at a friends unit with an MOT garage next door. Went in for tracking today and the guy said he tracked it up best he could but there is too much camber on one side (N/S).

Am I correct by saying I can only adjust the wheelbase by adjusting the tie bar at the front? I can't see how the camber can be adjusted if it's set by the manufacturers.

Any help, tips or advise would be appreciated. I'll post some pics up tomorrow.