I would just STRONLY recommend to get the suspension sorted out. The engine is (to)strong plenty, you need to be able to apply it, or all the hard work was for nothing....
And that would be a real shame IMHO
And that would be a real shame IMHO
Mk1 Focus RS powered Puma, now going RWD, JWRC
- Thread starter moondustka
- Start date
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moondustka
Active member
How do you mean Sinisa?
IIRC you said earlier that handilng of your car wasn't great...?
moondustka
Active member
Oh yes, you are correct, by that I mean it needs setting up. I don't think the escort cosworth wheels helped either.
I have as it stands:
Gaz adjustable coilovers all round, 300 lb springs for the front and 225 (I think) for the rear.
Polybushed rear beam
Polybushed lower arms & anti-roll bar.
I now also have adjustable drop links (I've made them shorter than standard).
In addition, changed wheels to 15s and a larger profile tyre.
So I'm going to see how this goes when it's back on the road.
Future plans are to build adjustable lower arms with rose joints and camber/castor adjustable top mounts. I'll then want to get the car corner weighted and the rear wheels will probably get shims to change the geometry slightly.
It's just not as predictable as I'd like when I last drove it. It could even be something simple like the dampening is too hard all round and it's making it hard for the suspension to work properly.
Welcome any suggestions though!
I have as it stands:
Gaz adjustable coilovers all round, 300 lb springs for the front and 225 (I think) for the rear.
Polybushed rear beam
Polybushed lower arms & anti-roll bar.
I now also have adjustable drop links (I've made them shorter than standard).
In addition, changed wheels to 15s and a larger profile tyre.
So I'm going to see how this goes when it's back on the road.
Future plans are to build adjustable lower arms with rose joints and camber/castor adjustable top mounts. I'll then want to get the car corner weighted and the rear wheels will probably get shims to change the geometry slightly.
It's just not as predictable as I'd like when I last drove it. It could even be something simple like the dampening is too hard all round and it's making it hard for the suspension to work properly.
Welcome any suggestions though!
IMHO people go for to stiff suspension without need. I am a rally fan(atic) and those are the cars we drive (more or less, certainly more similar than F1 or LeMans cars). How their suspension looks like? The only situation when car is almost on the floor is on tarmac rally, but on smooth tarmac like Spain. If you saw cars set up for Ireland, they were halfway to gravel setup. My favourite is Finland as it is (IMHO) closest to the real world. The cars get to 200 kph, they have to withstand potholes (and jumps as well, but that is now beside point), have to be stable as high speeds and braking, predictable in behaviour (you wouldn want to do Ouninpojha stage with car you don't trust).
Having said all of that I would retain some suspension travel, wouldn't go to low. And when you go up a bit, you can go softer with suspension and then your car is following bumps instead of bouncing of them.
And now, after being so smart I have to tell you that puma is rear end happy and it is inherent characteristic to it with completely standard suspension. It is something I also don't like very much; when the suspension is already highly loaded, if I add some steering to it, the rear end wil step out. I fight with it to an extent with tyre pressure discovering that (running 195/50 R15 Goodyear efficient grip performance which might be part of problem) 2.3 bars steadies rear end a bit, but still hasn't made it fully stable.
I was toying with idea of installing rear anti-roll bar and still am, TBH...
Having said all of that I would retain some suspension travel, wouldn't go to low. And when you go up a bit, you can go softer with suspension and then your car is following bumps instead of bouncing of them.
And now, after being so smart I have to tell you that puma is rear end happy and it is inherent characteristic to it with completely standard suspension. It is something I also don't like very much; when the suspension is already highly loaded, if I add some steering to it, the rear end wil step out. I fight with it to an extent with tyre pressure discovering that (running 195/50 R15 Goodyear efficient grip performance which might be part of problem) 2.3 bars steadies rear end a bit, but still hasn't made it fully stable.
I was toying with idea of installing rear anti-roll bar and still am, TBH...
moondustka
Active member
Thanks for that, it is interesting. What I didn't necessarily believe is that the Puma was/is a rear end happy car. The Ka isn't really, which is what I owned before. That fact kind of makes me feel better about my Puma.
Will the rear anti-roll bar not stiffen the rear end and make it more likely to step out? I was thinking of triangulating the rear beam by welding tube between the centre of it and where the hub bolts to, but not sure about that.
Will the rear anti-roll bar not stiffen the rear end and make it more likely to step out? I was thinking of triangulating the rear beam by welding tube between the centre of it and where the hub bolts to, but not sure about that.
moondustka
Active member
So, I put the front end back on axle stands again :lol: straight after I cleaned it.
I started to change some bolts for the newly plated ones. I also then got carried away and took bolts off several areas to get them plated. Hopefully they'll come back early next week, I'll get them back on the car and take dome pics. Then when it's on the ground, I'll put it on an axle stand ban :roll: :lol:
I started to change some bolts for the newly plated ones. I also then got carried away and took bolts off several areas to get them plated. Hopefully they'll come back early next week, I'll get them back on the car and take dome pics. Then when it's on the ground, I'll put it on an axle stand ban :roll: :lol:
YOG
Well-known member
If you wanted to fit an Anti-Roll bar, this is what someone did, sometime ago:
[image]4920[/image]
[image]4921[/image]
This was their description, when they were selling it:
"Fiesta RS Turbo anti-roll bar. Track Day / Fast Road Rear Axle for Fiesta Mk4/5, Ka or Puma.
This axle has been modified by having polyurethane bushes fitted, and a Fiesta RS Turbo anti-roll bar fitted (again using poly-bushes)
It will fit any Puma, Fiesta Mk4/5, Zetec-S, or Ka, provided that you use 'eye- mounted' rear shock absorbers.
It will radically transform the handling of your car.
All bushes on the axle are NEW and UNUSED! - Never got round to using this axle.
Please Note: will not fit vehicles with fork mount shocks."
I've given up on trying to make the pics bigger, as applying "full" doesn't seem to work now.
[image]4920[/image]
[image]4921[/image]
This was their description, when they were selling it:
"Fiesta RS Turbo anti-roll bar. Track Day / Fast Road Rear Axle for Fiesta Mk4/5, Ka or Puma.
This axle has been modified by having polyurethane bushes fitted, and a Fiesta RS Turbo anti-roll bar fitted (again using poly-bushes)
It will fit any Puma, Fiesta Mk4/5, Zetec-S, or Ka, provided that you use 'eye- mounted' rear shock absorbers.
It will radically transform the handling of your car.
All bushes on the axle are NEW and UNUSED! - Never got round to using this axle.
Please Note: will not fit vehicles with fork mount shocks."
I've given up on trying to make the pics bigger, as applying "full" doesn't seem to work now.
moondustka
Active member
Thanks for that, will bare it in mind 
Same thing is in existance here:
http://www.pumaspeed.com/product-Whiteline-Fiesta-ST150-Rear-Uprated-Anti-Roll-Bar-Kit_15611.jsp
and here
http://pumabuild.com/pumacat/product_info.php?products_id=2255
http://www.pumaspeed.com/product-Whiteline-Fiesta-ST150-Rear-Uprated-Anti-Roll-Bar-Kit_15611.jsp
and here
http://pumabuild.com/pumacat/product_info.php?products_id=2255
moondustka
Active member
That one sits underneath the rear beam and its clamped on isn't it? Is the mk6 fiesta rear beam the same/similar?
It is (very) similar. The way I understand it, it's possible to make it fit. Don't know how it behaves on a puma, though
ArtfulHussy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2013
- Messages
- 1,135
I'm not sure I could bear to get that car even remotely dirty if it were mine. I am totally in love with those alloys, really makes the car look proper and purposeful. What a cracker.
moondustka
Active member
Wild E. Coyote said:
That's good to know, thanks.
ArtfulHussy said:
Thanks. The alloys truly are for a purpose given their size and the tyres on them. Don't get me wrong, I like them, but if it was down to looks then I'd have stuck with the escort cosworth wheels.
I've got to get some use from this car after spending all this time on it, so as much as I don't want to get it dirty it's going to be inevitable!
moondustka
Active member
More stuff back from the electro platers
I know these screw/bolts come silver from Ford, but I prefer them this colour..
Some mounting bolts around the car:
Fresh bolts and you can see the newly routed oil breather.
Even got the mudflap bolt and clip that it screws into done.. excuse the dirty mudflap though!
Bonnet switch had broken, so I went to Ford to buy a new one and they wanted £45!!! So thought I would start to refurbish my original one.
Clips were all rusty but sent those to the electro platers too
And Oil breather hose, now routed to a safe place in case the engine decides to spit its dummy out (it shouldn't!)
I know these screw/bolts come silver from Ford, but I prefer them this colour..
Some mounting bolts around the car:
Fresh bolts and you can see the newly routed oil breather.
Even got the mudflap bolt and clip that it screws into done.. excuse the dirty mudflap though!
Bonnet switch had broken, so I went to Ford to buy a new one and they wanted £45!!! So thought I would start to refurbish my original one.
Clips were all rusty but sent those to the electro platers too
And Oil breather hose, now routed to a safe place in case the engine decides to spit its dummy out (it shouldn't!)
Brian'
Member
Quality! Your work is TOP notch! :-D
moondustka
Active member
Thanks guys. Couple of weeks 'til insurance starts and MOT :grin:
moondustka
Active member
Small update..
Managed to get the car out yesterday while it was dry and so far so good, at least in the sense that there's no leaks.
Engine is running ok, some slight blue smoke it would appear on light throttle, I'm hoping this is down to mapping as it smells fuelly too. I know the ignition timing is out as this engine has different camshafts to my last one, fuel regulator is now different, capacity is slightly different etc.
So I've not had my ABS working for nearly 5 years now since I put the rear disc conversion on. I thought I had a problem with the tone rings and distance to the sensor or the new rear loom and 2 sensors that I'd bought. I didn't manage to fix it before I got the car in the garage and took the 1.7 engine out to do the conversion the first time around. I think I remember adjusting the sensors closer to the tone rings, but I was also lightening the wiring loom to remove all the 1.7 stuff. In doing so I must have taken out one of the fuses and not replaced it. It was only this time around I'd noticed that a fuse was missing in my auxiliary box, I had the 30 amp one there for the pump and not the 3A for the module! :roll:
Anyway, not paying attention I remembered last night that I didn't remember seeing the lights on when I took the car out. Went to check this morning and sure enough, was greeted with this a few seconds after turning the ignition on:
Must have done it's test, didn't get much faster than 15 mph though (not public road!), but I think it tests at 12? (Someone might confirm?!)
I'm really chuffed as I thought it was going to be a difficult problem to solve! How stupid of me, should have checked this first! Now I need to decide how to put in a switch for it because I think I'll want to be able to turn the TC off sometimes, Santa Pod etc. I know others have done this - was wondering how any of you have done it?
Windscreen wash light should be easy to sort :lol: as well as the bonnet pin, just need to small stalk that goes in the top.
The last of the electrical issues are the fact that I have a smart charge alternator and the heated windscreen wont work, nor do I think the battery light works because of this. I think this is all part of the same issue, I've just never actually spent any time on it.
More to come soon
Managed to get the car out yesterday while it was dry and so far so good, at least in the sense that there's no leaks.
Engine is running ok, some slight blue smoke it would appear on light throttle, I'm hoping this is down to mapping as it smells fuelly too. I know the ignition timing is out as this engine has different camshafts to my last one, fuel regulator is now different, capacity is slightly different etc.
So I've not had my ABS working for nearly 5 years now since I put the rear disc conversion on. I thought I had a problem with the tone rings and distance to the sensor or the new rear loom and 2 sensors that I'd bought. I didn't manage to fix it before I got the car in the garage and took the 1.7 engine out to do the conversion the first time around. I think I remember adjusting the sensors closer to the tone rings, but I was also lightening the wiring loom to remove all the 1.7 stuff. In doing so I must have taken out one of the fuses and not replaced it. It was only this time around I'd noticed that a fuse was missing in my auxiliary box, I had the 30 amp one there for the pump and not the 3A for the module! :roll:
Anyway, not paying attention I remembered last night that I didn't remember seeing the lights on when I took the car out. Went to check this morning and sure enough, was greeted with this a few seconds after turning the ignition on:
Must have done it's test, didn't get much faster than 15 mph though (not public road!), but I think it tests at 12? (Someone might confirm?!)
I'm really chuffed as I thought it was going to be a difficult problem to solve! How stupid of me, should have checked this first! Now I need to decide how to put in a switch for it because I think I'll want to be able to turn the TC off sometimes, Santa Pod etc. I know others have done this - was wondering how any of you have done it?
Windscreen wash light should be easy to sort :lol: as well as the bonnet pin, just need to small stalk that goes in the top.
The last of the electrical issues are the fact that I have a smart charge alternator and the heated windscreen wont work, nor do I think the battery light works because of this. I think this is all part of the same issue, I've just never actually spent any time on it.
More to come soon
The ABS self test occurs at exactly 20 kph (12.something mph) so yes, it has tested it self and put out the error.
Well done!
Well done!
