Fitting Ep Anti Roll Bar

[graeme_laslett]

Hi Again

 

I am really not sure why I try and do things on the Elise, they are never as simple as it seems..... Anyway

 

The new stiffer antil roll bar arrived yesterday complete with Nylatron bushes, so I thought I would take a look under the car before the weekend when I planned to fit it. Now Elise Parts Website says this will take about 1 hour to fit!!

 

First question is how do you remove the two bolts holding the ARB mounts? The top bolt, OK, I can just about get a hex key on that one if the key was an inch longer, but the bottom one is obstucted by the lower wishbone. Do I have to take the lower wishbone out? Bear in mind, this should take an hour to fit!!!

 

If I do manage to get the ARB mounts off, how do the nylatron bushes then attach to the car? EP instructions say they are fixed via the lower wishbone rearmost bolt. So, I am again guessing the lower wishbone is coming out, but the hole for the mount is nowhere near the wishbone bolt. Is this a job for the Bosch and drill another hole in the chassis?

 

Trying to do this on a 1999, S1, and any help / suggestions before I head sheepishly to the local garage due to my incompetence will be greatfull received

 

Thanks in advance

 

G

[Martin R]

If you take the damper off can you move the wishbone out of the way ?

 

I presume you have seen this ?

 

http://www.eliseparts.com/pdf/anti_roll_ba...nstructions.pdf

 

If you do remove the damper only retighten at ride height to prevent pre loading the bushes HTH

[Carlos]

I fitted a ARB recently to my TT, and it was a pig.

 

Maybe a stupid Q, if i've missed something, but Im assuming your on about the REAR ARB??

 

...Either way, invest in some copper slip before beginning the job!!

[graeme_laslett]

Carlos,

 

This is the front ARB... Don't think the elise has a rear one (but don't count on my knowledge)

 

Martin,

 

Thanks - Yep have the "instuctions", they sounded so simple so I thought I would give it ago. No mention of removing dampers / wishbones.

 

Had a good look with a torch and I can now see how the nylatron bushes attach to the lower wishbone, so will start dismantling this weekend - luckily it's a bank holiday so that gives me another day to try and put it all back together again!!

 

Cheers

 

G

[Martin R]

I dont think you have to remove the wishbone. Its just a longer bolt to replace the old one from what i can see from the instructions.

 

Edit, im sure the torque for a wishbone bolt is 45Nm as opposed to the 35Nm in the instructions. This also has to be done at ride height to prevent pre load of the wishbone bushes in an OE bush.

 

Another edit, its 35 LB/FT in their instructions. Ive gone metric

[graeme_laslett]

Thanks Martin

 

Had another look, with a really bright torch, and if I remove the damper I can see how the wishbone will move out of the way so I can get to the bottom hex nut, and you're right, the bushes attach through the lower wishbone with the bolt supplied.

 

When you say torque the wishbone bolt at ride height, does that mean drop the car down on it's wheels and then tighten?

 

The biggest issue that I have just noticed is that my wheel wrench is in the boot of my other car........ that be the car that I sold last week....... What time does Halfords close?????

 

 

G

[Martin R]

This explains how to do it. You can do it with the road wheel on but its not easy.

You will have to trawl through it to find the bits you want.

 

http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Change_a_damper_and_spring

 

It basically involves measuring the height of the wishbone and tightening it up at the same height. As the bushes do not rotate in the wishbone if you dont do this it twists them up if you tighten at any other height.

[graeme_laslett]

Thanks for the pointers Martin.

 

The ARB is now fitted. EP instructions were right, it takes about an hour to fit..... they just don't mention the day and a half to take off the old one - well, the bolts hadn't been undone in 12 years and is some cases it was hard to distingush between bolt and rust.

 

Not taken it out for a test yet as it is lashing it down at the moment, but if it drys up later I'll take her out later.

 

G