fitting an anti roll bar

[sprint95m]

I can confirm that removing an ARB makes a very noticeable difference!

Before I fitted new Superflex bushes to it, as an experiment I removed the ARB drop links and tried driving the car (2500S) out of interest.
(By the way, it had CW supplied uprated springs, KYB inserts, roller tops and so on.)



In other words, I would fit an ARB....

[tony]

Some years ago, when I fitted all the S bits to my TC the difference with the ARB was (still is) quite noticable. Corners a lot flatter than it did previously.
Tony.

[David Withers]

Some years ago, when I fitted all the S bits to my TC the difference with the ARB was (still is) quite noticable. Corners a lot flatter than it did previously.
Tony.

Same here. I fitted an ARB to my ex-2500PI back in the 1980s, with adjustable Koni dampers fitted to the rear at the same time. The handling was improved by quite a margin without reducing the comfort to any noticeable degree. I found it best to have the Konis set fairly soft, though harder drivers than myself might have set them firmer.

[Steve G]

I fitted new uprated springs, new shocks and and antiroll bar on my car just after I bought it. I had gone from a 6 year old Honda Civic with brillant handling (this was in about 1995!) to the triumph which rolled alarmingly in comparison.
I think Triumph fitted the front bar on the S version to help regain some roll control after raising the suspension slightly and fitting softer springs.

If your car hasn't had new shock absorbers, those and some stiffer springs will make a huge difference. Just a set of good quality shocks will take away a lot of the dramatic lean over when cornering. It will still happen but not as quickly.

I bought all of the parts from Chris Witor and thought I might as well get suspension arms ready to fit the anti roll bar while I was doing it.

[Jonathan Lewis]

I think Triumph fitted the front bar on the S version to help regain some roll control after raising the suspension slightly and fitting softer springs.

Apparently, the engineers wanted to standardise the front ARB for the Mk2 in 1969, but the cost-counters had their wicked way... Even so, they had to put them on Estates and Police cars to curb roll with the stiffer rear springs - not sure what the thinking was on the 2500S saloon, but suspect that it was simply to allow the fitment of softer front springs to get a better ride.

I do wonder whether the same happened with the original Mk1 back in 1963 as some of the illustrations in the WSM clearly show a different design of drag strut with a lug adjacent to the forked end, possibly for an ARB mounting; also, I'm pretty sure that in one of the magazine write-ups at the time of launch, there was a certain effort to emphasise that an ARB was unnecessary due to the characteristics of the suspension set-up, which someone of a cynical outlook might have viewed as someone from the factory working hard to justify its omission...

That said, I agree entirely as to the benefit of good quality dampers. Even in standard form, with decent tyres fitted I've always felt levels of grip under cornering to be pretty impressive for a car of this size, weight and age.

Regards,

[Mike Stevens]

I too have fitted an ARB to both the PIs I've had and the 2000. Without changing anything else, the handling was certainly improved. With new dampers/lowered springs etc that should only make it better still!

Cheers,
Mike.

[murcod]

I've got front and rear bars (front added on from an S), poly bushes everywhere, new higher rates springs, new konis all around and 15" rims with 205/55R15 Yokohama S Drives. It's literally like taking a vehicle that's 40 years old and dragging it into the current decade for handling- there is a huge difference. Each item has made a noticeable improvement in handling. (Of course the ride isn't as "cushy" as it was stock, but it feels 1000x safer when out on public roads.)

For the front anti roll bar make sure you invest in the "updated" end links which have a proper ball joint - I think they're a TR6 item? Rimmers sell them and they're a vast improvement on the stock end links. Of course, fit poly bushes everywhere on the bar too. http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-152143AUR

[James]

You could also potentially make the links out of rod ends easily enough

[red2000chris]

think i will replace dampers and bushes and springs if they need it and try it for a while.

cheers