Anti Roll Bar - Justifiable?

[stephenpolhill]

Hi. I'm sure as some of you will notice, I do like trying out certain mods on my car however want most to be removable to get the car back to originality without much doing.
As I use my car on twisty country roads daily, I would like to try out an anti roll bar as these look easier to fit that tele dampers and seem to have a decent effect.
My question is has anyone fit one of these (where?; i've looked at Bull Motif's), are they worth it firstly?
Also are they relatively easy to fit?
If enough of a difference is noticed (I don't race the car, just daily enjoyable driving) I would fit one but would like to know others' experiences.
S

[chrisryder]

DO IT!

best thing i ever did! bought it on a friday afternoon allowing myself the weekend to fit it. i started on the friday evening, and had finished before i went to bed that night!

just two holes to drill at the front of the chassis legs (legs must be strong!). shop around, all the suppliers sell the same kit, seemingly at different prices!

i cannot give it enough praise, seriously! improved my handling no end! can go round corners faster, with more confidence, less roll, less understeer...

someone will come along and tell you it's a waste of time though (and i bet you they haven't tried one...)

[chrisryder]

here's a pic of the fittings

[frame][/frame]

[chrisryder]

isn't too obvious when fitted either:
[frame][/frame]

unless you go and paint it red like me!

[Matt Tomkins]

does it affect your insurance at all, chris?
if i were to fit one, it's be in a couple of months (i'm pretty skint at the mo!), and once the insurance is paid.

[chrisryder]

i can't remember. i think i told them about the 'bar when i told them about a few other things when i renewed, so there were too many variables!

[Matt Tomkins]

okay, thanks
i'll enquire once i've got the money to do it and the car's been insured for a little while - they might be a little fairer then!
do you mind me asking what yours costs you to insure with the mods it has got - minilights etc?
how many years' no claims have you got?
mine's going to be around £570 for 1500 miles with no no-claims, and agreed value £3250

[Alec]

Hello Chrism,

you say "less understeer.", that is contrary to the normal effect of adding an anti roll bar at the front. (or installing stiffer springs).

Alec

[bmcecosse]

Fraid so! A front anti-roll bar INCREASES understeer - it's a big waste of time and money on a Minor ! If you fit front AND rear bars - that's a different story. Best mod is to drain the dampers and refill with SAE 40 oil - now that DOES make a difference and costs very little. Next up is to add some negative camber to the front wheels - HUGE decrease in understeer and again costs almost nothing and is very well worth doing. Be sure to retrack the wheels !

[chrisryder]

it is contrary to the normal affect yes, but from my own experience it does reduce the understeer! i think if the bar was any thicker it would make it understeer more, but as it is, it has a good balance.

my insurance when i was 18, with the minilites, large exhaust, bigger carb, and stereo was £426 for 3000miles, 3rd party F&T, £2200 agreed.

currently (when i renewed when i was 20) it's £420 3rd party F&T, unlimited mileage.

when my renewal is up, now i'm 21, it should be cheaper still. i'll be looking at going up to fully comp. i've been driving for 4 years (and 1 day!) and never had a claim.

[stephenpolhill]

Suppose it wont hurt to try the oil thing. What is the easiest way of draining it? I can't find it

[MarkyB]

Check this thread;
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... ll#p328147

[stephenpolhill]

My own thread as well. DoH!!!

[bmcecosse]

I did wonder........

[mrmorrisminor]

Both my brother and I have an anti-roll bar on our saloons and have noticed a huge improvement in cornering, so much so when I got in one without it one day it felt like diving a big old bouncy pram down the road! However when I fitted one to the traveller I barely noticed a difference.

Both our saloons also have an extra leaf fitted to the rear springs which also helps to stiffen things a bit. The only side affect we have noticed (I've had mine for 4 years or so) is that the front tyres wear faster on the outside edge, especially on the passenger side... we put this down to going round roundabouts a lot faster

[bmcecosse]

Aaah - well, you balanced the additional stiffness at the front with additional stiffness at the rear from the extra leaf in the spring!

[mrmorrisminor]

yes indeed. I've had an extra leaf in my springs for the last 12 years.... adding the roll bar balanced things up I suppose..

[chrisryder]

ah, i have 7 leafs on the back too. they've been on there as long as i've had the car! maybe that's why i get such a good improvement from the antiroll bar!

[bmcecosse]

Indeed - if they are the Traveller springs and not just the v early saloon springs. Makes sense!

[mrmorrisminor]

My brother's has the traveller springs, with mine I took one of the longer leaves out of an old pair of springs, dismantled mine and made bigger clips to hold it all together. A couple of hours work but was free as we had all the bits laying around....which as I was a student was ideal... worked so well it's stayed like it ever since