Hi

I've been weighing up whether or not I should get the Z car rear suspension for my spyder. there is one or two things that are stopping me at the moment the first one is I haven't got the car back on the road yet. (I'm close just assembly needed) so I haven't experienced how bad the original suspension is. the second one is I do not have any anti roll bars fitted. I do intend on using the car on a few track days and I generally do an annual trip to the Nurburgring. I really don't want an expensive guardrail bill so I think my first step is to get some anti-roll bars fabricated does anyone have the accurate measurements and spec needed that might save me from making mockups any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
ray

just reading some old posts (Probably should have read some previous posts before making a new one ) am I right in thinking you can still get them from Jim Walker? if so are they the best ones you can get? and do you think I really need them?

I'd say it's a definite for me regarding anti roll bars but it's down to how you drive really. If you do track days like you said and you're spirited on the road I'd go for it.
I had mine done by Alan gow but I've not heard from him in a long time but could dig out the number from somewhere. I've probably posted here or on the team gtm site somewhere though.

Hi Ray,

You have a PM.

I'm seriously considering some ARBs but I'm put off by the amount of stripping down of the front end that would be required to get the bent bar into place. I'm considering alternatives like using a straight torsion tube with splined and threaded ends to take a cranked end arm for the lever arm. That could simply be passed through the holes and the lever arms added after. I've seen a few similar things, a bit like this but the end levers would be shaped:


I was talking to Dave Gallop at Track Developments and he can probably make one for me but I haven't got around to taking the measurements/doing a drawing to get a quote.

If anyone does have a scale/dimensioned drawing of the normal version it would make life easy for me

That a nice little kit you have pictured there.

Neil

Dave, nice idea, that could be done easily in situ. My dads ultima has a similar setup.

The company that made my driveshafts could easily make the shaft for you, however I'm not entirely sure if they can do internal splines for the end pieces, but its worth a try if you want to call them and ask.. http://www.norbro.co.uk/ I dealt with Craig - 07872 580515 remind him about doing my driveshafts, I think he did bits for my dads ultima too.

They were not expensive, might want a quick "back of a fag packet" drawing off you

Failing that just cut a hole in the side of your cowl like you would for option A anyway, slide a plain tube in and bolt the ARB mounts to the tub then weld the ends on in situ. Either way its do able without ripping the whole front end off.

Ray I recently disconnected the rear anti roll bar on my libra to see if it would improve the feeling of the rear of the car so far due to the bumpy roads I drive on I think it feels less skittish but if you are doing some track work I would go for front and rear bars
Ian

Thank you everyone for your replys. I have been informed that Jim Walker is already making a set, so I think I will jump on the band wagon. Although I do like the look of the set which sanzomat posted would save me from taking the radiator bucket off again although I do probably need the yoga practice to get to them bottom bolts.

P.S Dave I haven't forgot your headlights I'm actually cutting up what's left of the clam tomorrow.

Didn't want to press you - I know how busy some peoples lives are, not least mine! No rush. I've plenty of other things to keep me occupied.

I have sourced some projector beams that might fit though.

Just remembered that aussie post about grp samples for testing - would your offcuts be any good to them?

Just remembered that aussie post about grp samples for testing - would your offcuts be any good to them?[/quote]

You've got it in one this is why I'm cutting the the clam up. I'm just glad it's getting used for something other than the bin. I just seem to be very good at the moment with making promises and not having the time to finish them. So hopefully I will get some of them jobs done this weekend.

Re erecting this thread as it seems the most appropriate place to put this.

I've been toying with ARB's for my Spyder for a while and I've now taken the plunge and gone for homemade. In my earlier post in this thread I pasted a pic of a set I'd seen with a straight torsion bar and splined lever arms. I couldn't find anything quite right for sale in the UK. I'd had a few conversations with Dave Gallop at Track Developments and came close to having him make me some but eventually decided to make my own. Dave had suggested that rathert han use splined ends it would be simpler to use some hex bar turned down to the id of the torsion tube and get some arms laser cut with a hex hole to weld on. I was in B&Q just after Christmas and they had some big spanners marked down as clearance from £11 to just £1 and that got me thinking they might work as lever arms! I found that 22mm hex bar is easy to get so bought a few 22mm spanners at £1 each. I got some 22mm hex and a friend turned part of it down to the id of the torsion tubes I'd decided on (7/8" od, 2mm wall CDS tube for the front 3/4" od 2mm wall for the rear). For the fronts I welded the ring end of a 22mm combination spanner to the hex, drilled a couple of 10mm holes, staggered, in the tube end and plug welded the turned down hex to the tube. I used special rods for dissimilar metal that seem to have worked well, in spite of my lack of skill. The other end would be plug welded once the tube had been passed through the car. I sourced some bushes/brackets from a firm called Richmond Classics who make them for classic MGBs but I thought the brackets could be adapted.
In the location of the mounting points to the tub the brake hard lines, and in particular the brackets at the transition from hard to flexi, had been mounted too high and would clash with the ARB mounts so the next job was to relocate these. This needs some caution as they tend to clash with the wishbone mountings bracket inside the box section and drilling new holes is hard with the inner wings in place.
I found that the brackets work best with the top bent over to mount on top of the tub section so one hole drilled down and one horizontal. These were actually quite easy to get to to drill but getting the nuts on the inside of the box section wasn't so easy.
With the brackets mounted I passed the bar with one lever arm fixed through from one wheel arch, marked the position for the other end, withdrew it again and cut it to length. Drilled a couple of holes ready for the plug welds (bearing in mind the angles the lever arms can sit so both can be welded downwards).
Then re- inserted the tube, protected everything exposed to weld spatter, inserted the second lever arm fitting and plug welded to the tube. When doing the other end I'd checked how far along the tube the heat gets and luckily not enough to damage the polybush when done in-situ.
Drop rods made from female M10 rose joints and threaded rod, cut to length and locking nutted into place. I had a bag of 50mm M10 bolts so I've used these for now but I think 40's would be better so I'll change them over before long.
Took her out for a spin today and it feels much better already. Much less body roll. Turn in feels sharper. Feels much more planted. Maybe a touch of understeer when really pushing it into a roundabout but the rear bar (next project!) should tune that out.
Here are a few pics:

Aaah that's where my 22mm ring spanner went
John

Looking good I have been tempted to make my own bar from some tube for my coupe. I really need to get back onto this.

Neil

you've certainly put a spanner in the works there!!!