Whiteline Anti-Roll Bars

[b600rob]

Hi folks,

Has anyone fitted thicker anti-roll bars whilst still using the standard shocks and springs? I want to reduce the body roll without making the ride really harsh - I cruise up and down the country fairly often, and the MR2 is uncomfortable enough already!

My theory is that the thicker bar will obviously reduce the body roll around corners, but theoretically the ride comfort should be nearly the same. Am I right? Anyone tried it? IIRC the Whiteline bars were just over £100 each end.

Many Spanks

Rob

[mr2mk1chick]

the origional bar was so small i doubt it did much in the first place, so my guess is the body roll will be down to tired springs or suspension. i would be tempted to go this route first. go for an adjustable setup so you can select a really soft setup that you require.

the bar will really help with high spped cornering etc eg on track, me-thinks, and not solve your problem.

[MartG]

There were several different sizes of rear ARB fitted to the Mk1 - the Mk1a has a weedy 8mm bar, while the Mk1b had 10, 12, 13, or 14mm as standard - not sure if they were changed for each model year or just pot-luck.

If you have one of the smaller ones, it may be worth swapping to a thicker std one ( try someone breaking a car on ebay ) before going for the 18mm Whiteline one.

[HT]

Any downside to fitting thicker anti-roll bars??

[MartG]

If you don't get the right balance between front and rear bars either extreme oversteer or extreme understeer

[HT]

If you don't get the right balance between front and rear bars either extreme oversteer or extreme understeer

Hmm - not good!

[cartledge_uk]

If you don't get the right balance between front and rear bars either extreme oversteer or extreme understeer

Hmm - not good!

lol


As my car has

[MartG]

If you don't get the right balance between front and rear bars either extreme oversteer or extreme understeer

Hmm - not good!

lol


As my car has

Looks like a Whiteline 18mm you've got in there, on its stiffest setting too

[MWallace]

ARBs do affect ride quality because they reduce a wheel's ability to react to a bump independently, so generally speaking, the trade-off for reduced body roll is a harsher ride.

My burgundy car has uprated ARBs front and rear: 23.5mm front, 17mm rear. It's also running fairly firm adjustable TRD dampers. I have to say the ride is a bit on the harsh side for everyday driving. Where it comes into its own is on the track, with neutral steering up to ludicrous cornering speeds followed by controllable oversteer (to a point; I have ended up facing in the wrong direction once or twice...).

My blue car, on the other hand, has a stock front ARB and no rear one at all. I don't know what shocks it has... it's firm but not as heavily damped as on the burgundy car. It has a more comfortable ride and handling is fine for spirited-but-sensible road driving, but understeer looms large if you get a bit carried away in tight corners.

Wal

[feral4mr2]

a lot of the boy's back home swear by the Whiteline sway bars. i'll probably get a couple sets when i get home for a play...

[Karl_T]

Hi folks,

Has anyone fitted thicker anti-roll bars whilst still using the standard shocks and springs? I want to reduce the body roll without making the ride really harsh - I cruise up and down the country fairly often, and the MR2 is uncomfortable enough already!

My theory is that the thicker bar will obviously reduce the body roll around corners, but theoretically the ride comfort should be nearly the same. Am I right? Anyone tried it? IIRC the Whiteline bars were just over £100 each end.

Many Spanks

Rob

I've done exactly what you're proposing and I'd recommend it to anyone. Obviously if your springs are shagged then they'll need replacing, but mine seemed OK, just measure the height from the entre of your wheel to the top of the arch and compare with a few other 2's. Have they sagged? I didn't want to uprate them or lower the car, so all I did was fit the whiteline adjustables front and rear. It's transformed it, roundabouts and junctions are so much better. Most noticeably the tail doesn't kick so much when you go quickly from going right to going left. As the car doesn't lean so much, when you swap directions it doesn't build up a fast un-roll as you change direction as it doen't have so far to go, unsettling the car. It just stays flat. And like you said I haven't noticed any significant drop in ride comfort. Well worth it.

I know a few people who've regretted going stiffer on the suspension.

Karl

[b600rob]

ah ha! Sounds like I might be on to a winner then I have a mk1b by the way, so it does already have a rear ARB, but it's a bit puny looking.

Presumably I won't need to have the geometry checked after fitting them either (I had that done not so long ago at great expense), so it might turn out to be quite a cheap mod.

Which size ARBs did you go for? Anyone know a cheap mail order place to get them from? Don't say Demon Tweeks - I've pledged never to go there or buy anything from them ever again.

Thank you all

Rob

[cartledge_uk]

some here

http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/product_ ... cts_id=140

but i found tweeks the cheapest

[MartG]

some here

http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/product_ ... cts_id=140

but i found tweeks the cheapest

Interesting - the ones on twosrus are 13/16" front and 1/2" rear, which converted to metric are 20.67mm front and 12.7mm rear. The front one is therefore heftier than standard ( 16mm IIRC ) but the rear one is actually smaller than some of the Mk1b standard sizes

For comparison the Whiteline ones are 20mm front and 18mm rear - I got mine from Fensport

[cartledge_uk]

some here

http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/product_ ... cts_id=140

but i found tweeks the cheapest

Interesting - the ones on twosrus are 13/16" front and 1/2" rear, which converted to metric are 20.67mm front and 12.7mm rear. The front one is therefore heftier than standard ( 16mm IIRC ) but the rear one is actually smaller than some of the Mk1b standard sizes

For comparison the Whiteline ones are 20mm front and 18mm rear - I got mine from Fensport

lol,

didnt notice that!

forgit fensport did them