ARB snapped

[sundance002]

High guys, took the car out yesterday for a drive, after she had warmed up I started to peddle on and noticed a slight vibration coming through the steering wheel, thought nothing of it at first and peddled on, then I heard a clank when I went over a bump, I pulled over and lifted the front clam, after inspection I saw the Arb had snapped on the drivers side where the arm connects to the suspension, and after further inspection you can see that the arb is very thin on the top and bottom of this connection and tbh the design looks crap and cheap . has anyone else fitted a better type? and do you have to drop all the suspension to replace with a new one? . I have tried welding but it didn't last, will try again and weld as a temp solution. Any ideas would be great, or is it just a case of replacing with the same crap arb.
Thanks in advance
Sundance

[Rob_W]

TADTS Craig, would be nice to have something better and it wouldn't be too much effort to improve.

[Chapppers]

The ghost of Lee Noble fighting against fitment of ARBs

[bigsmiffy]

Hi Craig hope you are well, Common problem on the M400, first job I ever did on the car think the new bar end are about £45 from Noble, std design is rubbish straight bit of tube which bends with the bar ends welded on, get the new one welded in situ as its a nighmare to feed back through with the coolent & power steering hoses in place.

Regards

Tom from Barnet

[TuxMan]

Bad news Craig but try it without it fitted , supposed to help front turn in . Tux

[Bill NobleUS206]

Sorry to hear about your ARB problem sundance. Good thing it didn't happen in a high speed turn.

I know the feeling. Just a few years ago the ARB snapped in first car: my grandfather's 1950 Mercury (a heavy tank that looks like an inverted bath tub). It snapped while making a left turn in a signaled intersection. Luckily the streets were dry in Phoenix, Arizona that day , and I wasn't pushing the car to its very limited limits. With spongy springs, that old car leaned strongly to the right . No mishap, but I'd rather not experience that feeling again. Hopefully the Noble wouldn't react as strongly.

While you consider your options, there are a couple of shops in the US that make upgraded replacements. If you're interested a and don't already know about it, check into Tech Dimensions. Their's is adjustable, and bar is splined to make installation/removal easier. Their website quotes a price with installation, but they might work with you.

http://www.technical-dimensions.com/noble.html

I think that TurboHoses makes a replacement, and Troy (nobletech) might also offer one. Enough about US options. You probably have good local options in the UK.

Good luck. Will be interested to hear what you decide.

[sundance002]

Rob_W said:

TADTS Craig, would be nice to have something better and it wouldn't be too much effort to improve.

Think that's a good idea, even if it's just the arm that connects only needs a couple of mm extra and it wouldn't snap,
Must be fairly easy to machine? and maybe as a simple fix thread another bar through the existing tube to stop it bending?

[sundance002]

bigsmiffy said:

Hi Craig hope you are well, Common problem on the M400, first job I ever did on the car think the new bar end are about £45 from Noble, std design is rubbish straight bit of tube which bends with the bar ends welded on, get the new one welded in situ as its a nighmare to feed back through with the coolent & power steering hoses in place.

Regards

Tom from Barnet

Hi Tom, Alls well thanks just anything mechanical seems to have a problem. Hope things are good with yourself.
Thanks for the heads up, I was looking at what was involved and thinking that is not a simple job, but great I can replace the just the arms and that is even by my standards fairly simple.

How's the Noble? have you finished the mods you were doing when we last spoke?

[sundance002]

TuxMan said:

Bad news Craig but try it without it fitted , supposed to help front turn in . Tux

Thought about that, but I am so happy with the balance of the car after Jetstream set her up, and I like a little understeer.
was thinking of having a little stiffer

[sundance002]

Bill NobleUS206 said:

Sorry to hear about your ARB problem sundance. Good thing it didn't happen in a high speed turn.

I know the feeling. Just a few years ago the ARB snapped in first car: my grandfather's 1950 Mercury (a heavy tank that looks like an inverted bath tub). It snapped while making a left turn in a signaled intersection. Luckily the streets were dry in Phoenix, Arizona that day , and I wasn't pushing the car to its very limited limits. With spongy springs, that old car leaned strongly to the right . No mishap, but I'd rather not experience that feeling again. Hopefully the Noble wouldn't react as strongly.

While you consider your options, there are a couple of shops in the US that make upgraded replacements. If you're interested a and don't already know about it, check into Tech Dimensions. Their's is adjustable, and bar is splined to make installation/removal easier. Their website quotes a price with installation, but they might work with you.

http://www.technical-dimensions.com/noble.html

I think that TurboHoses makes a replacement, and Troy (nobletech) might also offer one. Enough about US options. You probably have good local options in the UK.

Good luck. Will be interested to hear what you decide.

Hi Bill, Thankfully the Noble is so user friendly she didn't do anything dramatic just a bad vibration through the steering, think it happened last time out on track as on the exit of one corner you had to take the kerb at speed think it snapped at the end of session. This was first time out after the track day.

Having now just looked at the US option, that looks just the the thing I'm looking for. have to check cost incl shipping?

Maybe there is a similar option here in the UK?

[Bill NobleUS206]

sundance002 said:

Hi Bill, Thankfully the Noble is so user friendly she didn't do anything dramatic just a bad vibration through the steering...

Agreed sundance!! Have to love the Noble for being so balanced and forgiving. The only drama to date has been self imposed, and haven't gotten into a predicament yet street or track that adjustments of wheel and pedals didn't immediately correct. What you say about how it reacted may confirm TuxMan's comment.

Will be very interested to hear what you find out from Technical Dimensions. I also would be inclined to install myself if I were to go with their equipment. I'm along distance from their shop and am a die hard DYI. Working on the Noble is at least half the fun.

TuxMan said:

.....try it without it fitted , supposed to help front turn in . Tux

Simon, I've read about how Lee Noble designed the Noble originally w/o ARB. Was it added to the M400 against his wishes?

[TuxMan]

Hi Bill , yep he added it after pressure after the press said it should have one , Craig send me the broken bits and a good one will have a look to see if I can get a better design made . Simon

[sundance002]

TuxMan said:

Hi Bill , yep he added it after pressure after the press said it should have one , Craig send me the broken bits and a good one will have a look to see if I can get a better design made . Simon

Hi Si, will take off next wk and send it to you, email your address please.
Thanks mate

[bigsmiffy]

sundance002 said:

Hi Tom, Alls well thanks just anything mechanical seems to have a problem. Hope things are good with yourself.
Thanks for the heads up, I was looking at what was involved and thinking that is not a simple job, but great I can replace the just the arms and that is even by my standards fairly simple.

How's the Noble? have you finished the mods you were doing when we last spoke?

Hi Craig, still got a garage full of unused bits, reluctant to start heavy modding now everyone seems to run into more trouble then its worth & ends up doing things 2 or 3 times you, Tux whats going on with the Noble money pits?

Regards

Tom

[TuxMan]

Hi Tom , engine coming out tonite , delivering back on wednesday hopefully nothing to serious !!!. Tux

[Rob_W]

TuxMan said:

Hi Bill , yep he added it after pressure after the press said it should have one , Craig send me the broken bits and a good one will have a look to see if I can get a better design made . Simon

I think it should be easy enough; maybe slice off the ends with the lever arms, weld in some stubs with a square section end and make some new lever arms to fit/clamp over the square section if you see what I mean. I think this might be easier than the splined options on the US site?