View Full Version : IRS question
Hi all,
I'm having a problem connecting the toe arm to the knuckle on my new roadster build. The opening on the toe arm appears to be 2.5 mm smaller than the bushing on the knuckle. All of the connections on the IRS have been tight but none like this and it's the same on both sides. All parts are new from FFR or Mike Forte. Has anyone come across this before?
Thank you,
Tony
Jim1855
04-02-2021, 07:29 PM
One hole had to be drilled out, 5/8" I believe. Thought it was in the instructions.
Not sure if this is your issue or not.
Jim
edwardb
04-02-2021, 08:03 PM
I assume you're describing the connection at the bottom of this picture. No drilling there. But not unusual to have to spread. 2.5 mm (or about 3/32" in my brain) shouldn't be excessive. The best way is with a piece of threaded rod, washers, and nuts. Described and pictured in this post: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?29536-Front-upper-control-arm-fit-issue&p=340335&viewfull=1#post340335.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Independent%20Rear%20Suspension/.highres/IMG_3493_zpsj2pi7hlz.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds (https://app.photobucket.com/u/edwardb123/a/0c2eb5e2-d9c0-4c2b-821b-3bea4a3e7934/p/352c2b83-350c-4380-b4a0-dba2b3f5deb6)
That is the connection I’m talking about. I’ve opened up the space some on the toe arm but I’m still unable to get it to fit. Even if I could the 2.5 mm difference will leave the toe arm connection flaring out. Is the toe arm a FFR manufactured part or a Ford part? I talked to Mike Forte and he said he’s never heard of anyone having this problem. The knuckle was purchased from him and is of course a Ford part. The only thing I can think is the toe arm was manufactured slightly off.
edwardb
04-02-2021, 09:27 PM
That is the connection I’m talking about. I’ve opened up the space some on the toe arm but I’m still unable to get it to fit. Even if I could the 2.5 mm difference will leave the toe arm connection flaring out. Is the toe arm a FFR manufactured part or a Ford part? I talked to Mike Forte and he said he’s never heard of anyone having this problem. The knuckle was purchased from him and is of course a Ford part. The only thing I can think is the toe arm was manufactured slightly off.
Toe arms, along with the rest of the IRS control arms, are produced in-house at Factory Five. If you're not comfortable, then contact Factory Five.
michael everson
04-03-2021, 05:08 AM
If you haven't stretched one of them yet, measure the inner surfaces and the bushing and see what the difference is. I have had some that were snug, but they all went in. Let us know the difference. There might be a change to the knuckle that FFR isn't aware of.
Mike
Toe arms, along with the rest of the IRS control arms, are produced in-house at Factory Five. If you're not comfortable, then contact Factory Five.
Thanks Paul. I emailed tech support and will wait to hear what they say. I'll take some pictures today and send them to FFR as well. By the way, your 25 anniversary build thread is my second build manual. I'm early on in my build and it has already been very helpful. I really appreciate the time and effort that went into making that thread.
Thanks again,
Tony
If you haven't stretched one of them yet, measure the inner surfaces and the bushing and see what the difference is. I have had some that were snug, but they all went in. Let us know the difference. There might be a change to the knuckle that FFR isn't aware of.
Mike
Thanks Mike. The measurement on the one I didn't open up was a little less than 2.5 mm or about 3/32 of an inch. The opened up one seems to be about the same. My fear is that if I open it up that much and manage to get the knuckle bushing on, that the bolt wont go through because of the angle of the holes due to the toe arm connection being slightly flared. I'm also hoping I havent beat up the one bushing too much already on the side that I opened up already.
edwardb
04-03-2021, 05:20 AM
Thanks Paul. I emailed tech support and will wait to hear what they say. I'll take some pictures today and send them to FFR as well. By the way, your 25 anniversary build thread is my second build manual. I'm early on in my build and it has already been very helpful. I really appreciate the time and effort that went into making that thread.
Thanks again,
Tony
You're welcome. I have fun doing those. The thread that keeps giving. It's actually a 20th Anniversary. So 5+ years ago.
I happen to have a couple toe arm ends here loose from a few years ago so just measured them. The opening is 1.71 inches. Curious how that compares to yours. If the same, maybe Ford made a change to the spindles?
You're welcome. I have fun doing those. The thread that keeps giving. It's actually a 20th Anniversary. So 5+ years ago.
I happen to have a couple toe arm ends here loose from a few years ago so just measured them. The opening is 1.71 inches. Curious how that compares to yours. If the same, maybe Ford made a change to the spindles?
Duh, I new it was the 20th and not 25th.....I just re-measured and the toe arm measured 1.71 and the spindle measured 1.78.
Guess I can't trust my structural engineer brother who was helping me and said the difference between the two was 2.5 mm, it's closer to 2 mm actually. :rolleyes:
michael everson
04-03-2021, 06:14 AM
thats a pretty significant difference.
Mike
CraigS
04-03-2021, 06:51 AM
That is 1MM of spread on each side. I wouldn't waste another minute on this. Spread them and install them.
That is 1MM of spread on each side. I wouldn't waste another minute on this. Spread them and install them.
I had to open up every connection point on both sides, upper and lower, of the IRS. So I'm not afraid to do it, it just seems like a big difference with the toe arm connection. I may take your advice later today and try opening up the side that I've already opened up, just a little more, to see if I can get it to go.
Thank you, and I thank everyone else for their advice.
Jim1855
04-03-2021, 06:21 PM
Sorry I didn't fully understand the problem. Now that I understand I had to do the same thing on mine. Spreading or collapsing the arms is fairly easy with a length of threaded rod, nuts and washers used to push or pull the flanges. Jim
Sorry I didn't fully understand the problem. Now that I understand I had to do the same thing on mine. Spreading or collapsing the arms is fairly easy with a length of threaded rod, nuts and washers used to push or pull the flanges. Jim
Thanks Jim,
I didn’t get a chance to try that today but hopefully tomorrow. It just seemed like it was a bit more to spread than I had to do on all the other IRS connections so it concerned me. I’ll give it a try though. Thanks again.
Tony