Fiesta WT Zetec 2011 drum to disc swap

DDevine · 14-07-2020, 10:33 AM

Hi,

I have a 2011 WT TDCi and I thought it would be a fun project to do a rear drum to disc swap. I know there's definitely a Wilwood kit that should fit, but I like the idea of swapping the whole rear beam, brakes and the last section of brake line and handbrake cable from a 2015 ST.

Does anybody know if this would work? I think they're compatible because the base chassis is the same right?

DDevine · 29-07-2020, 06:22 PM

Although the 2015 beam will certainly bolt on from what I could tell, the problem is that the PCD of the Fiesta 2015 ST is 4 x 108. I have 4 x 100 wheels and I want to keep the stock alloys.

But I do have another option - I could change the front-end to have 4 x 108 hubs too and possibly trade my wheels for others... The issue is that I can find good reference pictures or anything to be able to work out which parts I need to chase up. I think (German made?) WS 2009 - 2011 is probably a good candidate, but I wouldn't be surprised if newer models will work too, but I don't know where to find the information I need other than heading out to the wreckers taking pictures and measuring as best I can... Unless anybody here has some helpful information.

DDevine · 24-08-2020, 02:09 PM

I've made this work by the way.

Parts you need:
- Fiesta WS front hubs (just buy the whole hub assembly) to get 4 x 108 on the front.
- A set of 4 x 108 wheels (I again chose WS wheels, though newer Fiesta ST 17" wheels were an attractive option that I had available)
- I used a Fiesta ST 2015 rear beam assembly (with hand brake cables).

What doesn't work well:
(though I have barely driven it yet).
- The WS hub assemblies don't have the rotor shield thing. It looks like you might be able to transplant a shield if you really wanted to (minor modification needed).
- The rear brake hose bracket (where it goes from hard-line to softline) is not compatible with the 2015 ST fitting so I've had to zip tie it into the bracket rather than using the spring-shim/clip thing.

Special tools:
- You should pick up a ball joint splitter before you start. If you can disconnect the tie rod joint without it, great... My passenger joint almost didn't come apart even with a ball joint splitter. Keep it in the packet and you can return it if you don't end up needing it.
- The size of the hub bolt (on the end of the CV shaft) is 32mm and you will need a deep socket for this.
- Two extra stands for holding rear beam at the correct height for installation. I didn't have them but it would have really helped a lot.
- A trolley jack and an impact wrench make the work considerably quicker and easier.

I won't sugar coat it - it was a lot of work and probably not worth it. If you can source the parts easily and cheaply then go ahead, but the pay off is quite small.

I also tried to use a Superchips Bluefin to do an ECU flash - this does not work with a Fiesta WT because the ECU in these Thai models must be different to the WF0 VIN models. I'll have to go get a real tune instead - there other tunes with better torque curves anyway.

**Luke Plaizier** · 25-08-2020, 01:12 PM

Nice one. I love stories like this. Did you take any pics along the way? Since AFF has limited pic storage, I tend to copy my pics to Google Photos to a folder I know is publicly shared, and use the URL from that to post here using the images icon above (visible only when you are writing the post).

I've been mulling the idea of swapping early WF0 VIN WS PCD108 front uprights on a WQ Fiesta, since I like the way those struts can adjust for camber using cammed bolts rather than the top of the strut tower, and the caliper mount spacing allows for locally sourced brake upgrade options - SparesBox seem to have them for example - whereas anything to fit a WQ front knuckle needs to come from the UK. I poke around from time to time looking for a WS being wrecked locally (Newcastle) on the cheap, but most of those at the moment I can find are wreckers in Sydney.

Any pics you might have had of a disassembled front or rear would have been of interest to me comparing WQ setups. But if you're like me, you probably got all focused on the job at hand....

Lukeyson

DDevine · 29-09-2020, 09:48 PM

I do have some pictures, but honestly they're not very interesting.

Here's a link to the album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Wj54xdAKZSp91rPv7
There's comments on the photos.

I found it frustrating how little information was out there on the exact dimensions of parts. I think for other brands like Honda you can get diagrams with dimensions for just about everything (don't quote me on that, but I have seen a lot more info). But I did look at some WQ parts and I think they would fit. I believe the rear brake pads I use are XR4/WQ pads (the Calipers are the Lucas ones, the Fiesta ST's have two different brands of rear calipers apparently).
The easiest way if you have the space to do so would be to get a whole parts car. I definitely don't have the space for that though.

WS parts are hard to get - and a lot of the ones from the UK are rusted to hell. I trolled through Google and found a place in Victoria for the front knuckles/hubs. I spent at least two weeks looking for WS wheels and found a guy who had some in average condition in Melbourne (the FB Marketplace seller really came through for me though!).