Poly anti roll bar bushes

[motul1974]

As part of my chassis refurb, I'll be doing all the bushes. Im keeping the main ones standard, but wondering about poly bushes for the anti-roll bars. Logic being that their probably stilled allowing the bar to work more independently.

Anyone any experience of them? Is the reality that I'll notice ZERO difference???

[phillpot]

motul1974 said:

Is the reality that I'll notice ZERO difference???

I suspect so.

[Classic Chim]

^^^^^ he’s right you know. I removed my rear anti roll bar and can barely tell the difference.
Saying that I drove a very sorted car ( Phazed ) recently and he has good working drop links and I instantly felt the rear end was more stable but only because he’s got good stuff on the car.
More so than the bushes I’d get strong drop links and work from there.

[motul1974]

Bought some Leven ones last year...ill be fitting those. Are they good enough to improve things??

[Classic Chim]

Should be.

[motul1974]

So what's Phased to to his car to make it as good as you say?

[Classic Chim]

Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose just well maintained with 18 in rear wheels and wide tyres, Gaz Mono shocks etc, I can’t remember what drop links he uses on the rear. If you look at the rear anti roll bar it’s not really man enough to stabilise the car much, it seems to just keep the two wheels more sort of connected to eachother.
I tend to do a lot of town or slowish driving so for me I feel it’s more compliant without the rear bar on. Less wheel spin when turning and pulling off from junctions, stuff like that.
Ask Phazed himself as he’s a Tvr guru
Oh he has 5.5 litres of pure N/A Power which might have something to do with why he’s got all the other bits well sorted including high grip tyres.
I’d hazard a risky guess and say mines better in the wet though

[ChimpOnGas]

I'm running poly ARB bushes, TBH I noticed a far bigger improvement from my Honda drop links.

Tyres are of course your only contact with the road so these will be your best investment, I'm running Uniroyal Rainsports at each end of the car with great results, I have Rainsport 2s up front an the newer tread pattern Rainsport 3s on the rear, both are fantastic.

I can also recommend a higher profile tyre and Ben Lang's excellent latest Bilstein kit for the Chimaera, this combo gives truly superb ride quality and lovely handling which in turn gives the driver more confidence to go faster, I've found for road work a more complaint ride definitely translates to significantly faster A to B progress.

Add my Brembo big brake conversion and I'm left with a very rapid cross country 45mpg 240hp V8 tool that could easily and safely take another 100hp.

My advice is do the things that make the biggest difference first, when the car finally has way more handling and brakes than it's current power output demands, then and only then should you start to consider adding those extra ponies

This is of course the complete opposite to how most people approach improving their TVR

[Classic Chim]

I echo that entirely.

Didn’t know you had poly Arb Dave.
Makes sense as the idea is to stiffen things so rubber will flex more so less effective.
If I do ever put the rear back on I will probably go poly : thumbup:

[phazed]

Mine has a combination of everything that will make it better, ( I hope!).

Gas Monos, 400/450 Eibach springs
Uprated, thicker ARBs front and rear
ARB s mounted on Pollybush mounts
Suspension Polybushed all round
Leven drop links to the front
Mondeo estate to the rear
Tubular wishbones to the front
R1R tyres
Subaru power steering rack

I think that covers it.

Edited by phazed on Wednesday 22 November 09:46

[motul1974]

....i bought a set of Rainsports this summer and a set of Ben Langs Bilsteins, which the suspension I'll fit during the chassis refurb. I definately agree about the tyres, although my old Toyo's where rather OLD!

[motul1974]

Hi Phazed, I did wonder about the anti roll bars. How difference do you think they made and how much thicker did you go? I can seem to find any difinative judgement of upgrading for a predominantly road car. I seem to remember Ben Lang suggesting not making the car too stiff.


I'm concentrating on making my chim the best possible road car - with the occasional track and maybe hill climb in mind.

[phazed]

The original anti-rollbars are 18 mm for the rear and 22 mm for the front.

TVR did do an optional upgraded anti roll bar for the grief for a short period of time and these are what I have, (came up in the small adds).

The upgraded anti-rollbars are 22mm rear and 25 mm front.

When I took part in a sprint last year, I removed the rear anti roll bar completely to see what the handing would be like as the course was a repeat of previous runs and it was easy to detect any difference.

On the limit, it really change the characteristics of the handling of the car. It was absolutely better with the anti-rollbar fitted!

Saying that, if you are just burbling around the country lanes, you could remove both and probably wouldn’t detect any difference at all! On the Sprint course, the rear is hanging out all the time and you need as much control keeping the car as flat as possible.
It must work because at Curborough club sprint, it is always one of the fastest cars around the course.

Edited by phazed on Wednesday 22 November 10:24

[Sardonicus]

phazed said:

Mine has a combination of everything that will make it better, ( I hope!).

Gas Monos, 400/450 springs
Uprated, thicker ARBs front and rear
ARB s mounted on Pollybush mounts
Suspension Polybushed all round
Leven drop links to the front
Mondeo estate to the rear
Tubular wishbones to the front
R1R tyres
Subaru power steering rack

I think that covers it.

I have the same damper combo as Peter but he has Eibach springs my car is transformed over the new but old stock generation 1 Bilsteins and stock springs fitted previously absolutely no comparison you can take absolute liberties and the car is completely composed and more importantly predictable, I also have the OE TVR standard metalastic suspension bushes but all in fine fettle, Peter gave me some useful damping settings etc that suit me fine sure the car is firmer and ill admit was a bit skeptical going with those spring rates but I have no regrets and they are staying

Edited by Sardonicus on Wednesday 22 November 09:43

[motul1974]

Interesting....i can't remember the spring tates on the Tuscon s set up I've got, just know their lower than 450/400, but higher than the standard originals.
I thought chim roll bars 22mm front and 19mm at the back from the factory though.

[phazed]

I think you are correct about the anti-rollbar sizes and therefore I have changed it on my post for reference.

[motul1974]

Great. I think I'll give the poly ones a go as their not too dear. I was just curious as to any views on them and I'll stick with the std bars for now. Gives me time to get a feel for my new suspension.....when I finally get are to it all!

[ChimpOnGas]

Sardonicus said:

phazed said:

Mine has a combination of everything that will make it better, ( I hope!).

Gas Monos, 400/450 springs
Uprated, thicker ARBs front and rear
ARB s mounted on Pollybush mounts
Suspension Polybushed all round
Leven drop links to the front
Mondeo estate to the rear
Tubular wishbones to the front
R1R tyres
Subaru power steering rack

I think that covers it.

I have the same damper combo as Peter but he has Eibach springs my car is transformed over the new but old stock generation 1 Bilsteins and stock springs fitted previously absolutely no comparison you can take absolute liberties and the car is completely composed and more importantly predictable, I also have the OE TVR standard metalastic suspension bushes but all in fine fettle, Peter gave me some useful damping settings etc that suit me fine sure the car is firmer and ill admit was a bit skeptical going with those spring rates but I have no regrets and they are staying

Edited by Sardonicus on Wednesday 22 November 09:43

Clearly both excellent setups on two cars that have considerably more power than my genuine 240hp 'Ol Gas Bag'..... However... last weekend I had an absolute riot in Wales Land with the boys, I held off the four wheel drive Porsche 911 belonging to my mate with ease in torrential 'Cat's & Dog's' conditions.

A seriously fun weekend despite the conditions, as is the way with my mates I was in by far cheapest car but I let them all have a go, they are all dedicated petrol heads that have a list of genuine super cars to their name, but they all jumped out of 'Ol Gas Bag' with a huge grin offering much praise.

One new mate who joined us races Radicals and has owned a number of very high end Italian super cars, he jumped in 'Ol Gasbag' ratlled through the box at idle, found the clutch bite point, properly and surprisingly aggressively explored the brakes and steering before giving the car a proper spanking like any semi-pro race car driver will.

Stepping out after a full hour behind the wheel he made the following comments....

• I absolutely love the gearbox..THAT'S PROPER!

• F*ck, I didn't realise TVRs handled

• It rides so well, and I love your choice of big sidewall tyres

• It's old an skool totally connected analogue experience

• This thing could easily take another 100 horsepower

• The brakes really are are excellent

• What a great all round package

• How much did you say you paid for it

• I feel very at home in this car

Within 10 minutes he was hanging the tail out and dialing in the perfect amount of opposite lock correction, I'm in the passenger seat thinking "in just 10 minutes he's driving my TVR better than I can, what a talent!!!"

The way this guy responded to his first TVR experience was very rewarding for me, he has access to whatever he chooses, he races Radicals at a very high level and has owned cars I could only dream of, and he clearly could easily buy whatever he wants. But the thing is he genuinely loved my TVR... and with a passion you just cant fake.

If you set these cars up properly they are an absolute riot at any price, but for what I paid for mine (and in the words my Radical race car driving mate) ... "How much...That's Nuts!!!"

I just need that extra 100 horse power

[motul1974]

....that sounds like a great validation of your car!

[ChimpOnGas]

motul1974 said:

....that sounds like a great validation of your car!

Letting even a good mate drive your car requires trust, its both scary and rewarding in equal measures.

For me it's my benchmark, if the driver is talented you can learn a lot just watching from the passenger seat.... and their feedback can easily become your next design brief.