Ford escort help PLEASE!

[russeleoin]

Okay okay, I know , not the ford forum! what sort of dimwit owns a ford anyway yadda yadda yadda!. This might not be the right place but I am not having much luck anywhere else so I am hoping the bikers can help.

I have a 96 escort 18efi. It is my winter car, for those icy miserable days that I am not keen to ride in, I usually tax it for 6 months of the year and for the remainder it sits in the drive. It passed its MOT in April with a clean bill of health. However, it has been developing a hum, that sounds a lot like a wheel bearing. I have lots of tools, but pressing a bearing out is beyond my ability so off the the breaker where I found an accident damaged escort. I took the bearing carrier off and fitted it to my car, No difference! I then noticed that I was getting very uneven wear on the front tyres. the outside edge is feathered and 1000 miles and I would have to replace them. I have the old carrier back and still the same. While under the car I saw that the wishbones were very worn so I have replaced one today and still I have no improvement. The camber is all wrong. There is serious understeer and once into a corner the steering will continue to turn in until it reaches the stop!. The right had front has a positive camber if +-4degrees. the left hand( and bad wheel) has a negative of about +-3degrees. I cant see how to change the camber and I really dont have the money to spend on sending the car into the garage.

Any idea's or suggestions gratefully received.

thanks, Russ
____________________
I love classic merc's but bikes take up less space.
Current ride is a Yamaha YB 100 and I love it! Oooow and now a running GPZ400R!
Next stop, Direct Access hopefully by the end of summer.

[Dazbo666]

My O/H had a similar problem with a Fiesta a few years ago...
I was just about to mention wishbones... maybe check the bushes and connections etc.
A worn steering rack can sometimes result in excessive play, and/or misalignment too. dunno about Escorts, but this was a fairly major job on the Fiesta (labour costs would have been more than the new rack)
____________________
1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF