CaysE's RSVT

04/11/2024

I dunno who needs to hear this, but there are 7 weekends left to work on your car until Carlisle Ford Nationals / Focus Rising👀

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02/05/2024

A new addition to the Ford fleet: this 2016 Flex with EcoBoost and AWD, appearance package, tow package, White Platinum paint, and almost fully loaded. Apparently there was an option for a refrigerated 2nd row center console that this doesn't have and of course I now need. 😂 Hopefully this will be towing the RSVT to Carlisle one of these years! 💪

08/05/2023

A couple more from .captures on the Ford Nationals show field back in June!

06/28/2023

.captures snuck in a couple shots of the on the Ford Nationals showfield! As always with the killer photography - she manages to find just the right angle to show off some of the interior goodies here.

06/09/2023

The made it to Ford Nationals last weekend and took first in class for the second year in a row! It was a hot one this year so I didn't take many pics, but did spend a lot of time talking to tons of great people and having a blast. I did get this moody hotel parking lot shot, though!

05/04/2023

🤷😅 Welp.

04/27/2023

More genuine RS parts! These are the front control arms, which are reinforced internally with a layer of steel plate sandwiched between the two formed halves of the arm. They are otherwise physically the same as North American control arms, though interestingly, the non-RS European arms use smaller bolts to mount to the subframe. 🤷

04/25/2023

I mean, it's true. 🤷😍

03/25/2023

Really impressed with the cleanup and powdercoating results of the front RS steering knuckles! Rears will be done separately with a bunch of other parts, and all new assembly parts are on the way. 😙👌

Still need to get the axles sorted! 😬

03/13/2023

The mk1 Focus RS also has unique rear spindles - longer to account for the wider track width - although here we find again that the hubs are (almost) identical to the Ford Contour's. All that's needed is to remove the toothed ring gear for the Contour's ABS, and install the hub spacer and tone ring seen in these pictures on the OEM equipment.

It looks like somebody had a bit of fun painting one of the hubs and spacers here, and the studs are curiously partially removed (with one missing). No big deal anymore since they can be easily replaced! The ABS spacers and spindles will get a nice refresh.

Also of note - the four bolts that attach the spindle to the trailing arm are larger on the RS. Using the SVT's trailing arms should be fine just by enlarging the bolt holes a bit.

03/10/2023

It's time to tackle the 2023 project for - genuine RS steering knuckles and hubs have been acquired and await refurbishing! These are slightly longer than regular knuckles to make up some of the RS's wider track width, and they use larger bearings. Fun fact: Ford Contour hubs are identical, but the bearings have to be sourced overseas to keep the ABS working properly. Contour ABS has the tone ring on the axles, whereas the RS has them on the bearings. SKF BAH-0111 A are stamped on them, but SKF doesn't have them stateside.

There are two other issues to overcome in this conversion as well: axles and struts.

To keep the SVT's 6-speed trans, custom axles will be needed to fit the RS / Contour hubs in the longer knuckles. I'm on the hunt for RS axles measurements to compare to the SVT's, then will have them ordered to spec.

The struts on the RS have a larger diameter where they mount into the knuckles, so I'll have to source RS-compatible strut assemblies. KW / ST Suspensions has some parts that will fit - more news on that later!

03/09/2023

There are 12 weekends until Carlisle Ford Nationals - get those builds moving! 🔧