Engine and Transmission Tech

tips, technology, tools and techniques related to vehicle driveline components

Go to Thread: Previous•Next
Go to: Forum List•Message List•New Topic•Log In


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4577 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Ford Atlas Axles
Posted by: Moderator
Date: November 07, 2011 12:10PM

Are you guys familiar with Ford "Atlas" axles? Apparently they've served well on lots and lots of Escort and Capri rally cars, and in England there's good support. My impression is that they're compact, light and inexpensive. Are they narrow enough to bolt right into some of our installations? Can they be found in North America? All sorts of performance parts and upgrades are available: various limited slip diffs, full floating hubs, disc brakes, any gear ratio you could ask for..., etc.

I started reading with these two links:
[www.fostek.co.uk]
[www.fostek.co.uk]

So what can you guys tell me about Atlas axles? Are they something we should all know about?


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2465 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Ford Atlas Axles
Posted by: mgb260
Date: November 07, 2011 01:35PM

Looks like a modified English Ford Capri axle. The full floating kit is interesting but,some are replacing the stock Capri Atlas axle with Volvo(Dana 30 rears) which have only 7.125" ring gear. With a full floating axle a lot of stress is taken off the separate hub,plus the limited slip will help split the load on the axles. You can do those mods to any marginal rear axles. The Atlas is popular with the Escort racers so must be stronger than that axle. I have no direct experience with this axle,just research.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2011 06:50PM by mgb260.


302GT
Larry Shimp

(241 posts)

Registered:
11/17/2007 01:13PM

Main British Car:
1968 MGB GT Ford 302 crate engine

authors avatar
Re: Ford Atlas Axles
Posted by: 302GT
Date: November 09, 2011 01:34PM

I wonder what the torque handling capability is of these axles?

Also, it looks like they will be very expensive if set up with all of the modifications.
Get Your BritishV8 T-shirt by clicking here


Bill Young
Bill Young
Kansas City, MO
(1337 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:23AM

Main British Car:
'73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep

authors avatar
Re: Ford Atlas Axles
Posted by: Bill Young
Date: November 09, 2011 04:24PM

Curtis, doesn't look like anything they imported over here. Interesting design, looks like an aluminum center casting. I can't see where it would offer any advantage over several of the import axles such as the early RX7 or even a Ford 8". A new Ford housing with a Currie aluminum carrier good for up to 600hp should be of a comparable weight to the Atlas unit and very competitive to the weight of the stock MG axle assembly. Both are expensive to set up from scratch as a full floating race axle, but the 8" with a narrowed stock housing can be relatively inexpensive even with the aluminum carrier.


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4577 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Ford Atlas Axles
Posted by: Moderator
Date: November 13, 2011 03:10PM

http://www.britishracecar.com/WalterDavies-Ford-EscortRS1600/WalterDavies-Ford-EscortRS1600-DC.jpg

I think the Atlas center section was iron as standard equipment, but I've seen ads for new replacement cast aluminum center sections and also complete aluminum axle housings. I haven't really studied this yet... My thought is the Atlas axle might be a good alternative for V8 conversions being done in England where American axles (including 8" and 8.8 Ford) aren't so cheap and plentiful as here. After all this time, putting together an authoritative apples-to-apples comparison of axle weights (and other dimensions) remains a priority item for my to-do list.


Go to: Forum List•Message List•New User Registration•Log In
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.