350i antiroll bar
Discussion
I was wondering what the antiroll bar on a 1988 350i was off. I need to repalce the bushes on mine I had been told that it is MKII Granada, however, my local Ford dealer assured me that Granadas and Cortinas have flattened ends on the bar with bushes clamped either side. Mine has the end of the bar machined down and the bush, that fits in a socket on the drop link, slides over the end, of the bar, and is retained by a washer and a split pin. Can anyone help?
As it's not the antiroll bar but the drop link bushes thst you need, check out www.superflex.com (or is it .co.uk)
I just bought a new set of polyurethane bushes from them: total about £17 if I recall, but that didn't include the bar-to-chassis mountings, which ARE standard Granada.
Ian
I just bought a new set of polyurethane bushes from them: total about £17 if I recall, but that didn't include the bar-to-chassis mountings, which ARE standard Granada.
Ian
The anti roll bar is a standard Ford part. It's Cortina. Two types were fitted, heavy duty for towing etc. is what you need. Easy to tell the difference the diameters are very different. They both use the same brackets as well but the bushes are different.
As mentioned by Ian superflex are very good for bushes, or introduce a middleman and pay triple the price for them at a dealer.
As mentioned by Ian superflex are very good for bushes, or introduce a middleman and pay triple the price for them at a dealer.
It don't look like any Cortina Roll bar I have seen! I stripped several Cortinas for their wish bones and while the ARB looks similar, it is not the same. For a start the location has changed.
There are actually several types. The original Tasmins had the roll bar located behind the front wheel. This was later moved to the front of the wheel where it improved several things like bump steer and stuff. A 350i and a later Tasmin should have the front ARBar system BTW. Some of the SEACS then had rose jointed drop links fitted.
If you are fitting new bushes, bolt through the brackets with two bolts and don't rely on the clip. It can bend and pop out and there are many cars that have ARBs that are nor connected. I fitted a plate behind the bracket as well. Details in the bible.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
There are actually several types. The original Tasmins had the roll bar located behind the front wheel. This was later moved to the front of the wheel where it improved several things like bump steer and stuff. A 350i and a later Tasmin should have the front ARBar system BTW. Some of the SEACS then had rose jointed drop links fitted.
If you are fitting new bushes, bolt through the brackets with two bolts and don't rely on the clip. It can bend and pop out and there are many cars that have ARBs that are nor connected. I fitted a plate behind the bracket as well. Details in the bible.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Thanks for the info guys, I phoned Super Flex to order a set of ARB bushes, but they were out of stock of the eye bush the ones that have totally disintigrated on mine. Turns out the reason for lack of stock is my local TVR dealer has just bought a load of bushes from them. So I guess its off to the local dealer Saturday morning as the weather forcast looks reasonable for the weekend and i have just had one weekend with car up on jack stands.
shpub said: It don't look like any Cortina Roll bar I have seen! I stripped several Cortinas for their wish bones and while the ARB looks similar, it is not the same. For a start the location has changed.
There are actually several types. The original Tasmins had the roll bar located behind the front wheel. This was later moved to the front of the wheel where it improved several things like bump steer and stuff. A 350i and a later Tasmin should have the front ARBar system BTW. Some of the SEACS then had rose jointed drop links fitted.
If you are fitting new bushes, bolt through the brackets with two bolts and don't rely on the clip. It can bend and pop out and there are many cars that have ARBs that are nor connected. I fitted a plate behind the bracket as well. Details in the bible.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
You sure the ARB was behind the axle line Steve? I thought it was just the tie rods that were changed to be in front on the later cars (and as Ford's original design).
Ian
I managed to find one reference (in my limited resources)to the ARB being behind the axle.
I had chassis number 36 and my ARB was definitely in front, with the tie-rods still behind, so the factory must have been changing almost every week! I'd say this implies that not many cars must remain with the rear-mounted ARB, though. I've looked at the chassis photos and struggle to see (a) where the hell the bar went: surely the engine and/or the sump is in the way?! and (b) what hellishly devious method did they use to attach the ARB to the wishbones? Did they put the 'bones on the wrong sides or somethng? I can't recall quite how my Tasmin had it; I think the ARB must have passed over the top of the wishbone to get to the tie-rods at the back....
Ian
I had chassis number 36 and my ARB was definitely in front, with the tie-rods still behind, so the factory must have been changing almost every week! I'd say this implies that not many cars must remain with the rear-mounted ARB, though. I've looked at the chassis photos and struggle to see (a) where the hell the bar went: surely the engine and/or the sump is in the way?! and (b) what hellishly devious method did they use to attach the ARB to the wishbones? Did they put the 'bones on the wrong sides or somethng? I can't recall quite how my Tasmin had it; I think the ARB must have passed over the top of the wishbone to get to the tie-rods at the back....
Ian
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