Wrong ARB Drop links?
Discussion
EggsBenedict said:
yup, they are front ones....
Thought so. Thanks fro the quick response.Bugger. I waited a week as Steve was away and want to put the car on the road for an MOT on Saturday. Unfortunately the old links both sheared when I took them off so I can't even use them.
Actually, thinking about it, it doesn't need the ARB for an MOT does it?
Wonder how it drives without it? I suppose I'm about to find out.
roseytvr said:
Im in Burton on Trent with some new rears from Steve that I havent fitted yet and my old ones in good knick if you want to borrow either whilst you get sorted
That's very kind of you Ian but as it shouldn't affect it too much I'll run it temporarily without if I need to.I really appreciate your offer though.
Pupp said:
Take the rear ARB off and forget it. In real world driving it does bugger all apart from screw up the 'feel' of the car
I ran mine without a rear ARB for a while and to be quite honest I didn't notice the difference. You might notice if you are hooning round, but for every day driving I think it makes very little difference.Its only 4 bolts to undo to completly remove it.
Quinny said:
I used to sprint my old 4.3 Griff, and it never had a rear ARB...... I retro fitted one, and added a second to my times at pretty much every circuit
This is why i will not be bothering to clean, paint and refit mine.I also have a brand new pair or the rear drop links.
For sale to the highest bidder... ie what i paid less a pint.
phillpot said:
Funny old world....
Here's all you guys saying leave the anti-roll bar off makes no difference then you get another thread where someones replaced there drop links and reckon the handlings improved drastically !!
What do they call it, plaecebo effect ?
So, inform us. Which have you done?Here's all you guys saying leave the anti-roll bar off makes no difference then you get another thread where someones replaced there drop links and reckon the handlings improved drastically !!
What do they call it, plaecebo effect ?
Oh, nothing... righto
No it's called over simplification
Early Griffs didn't have a rear ARB but the 500s did. The 500 suspension is very different from that of the precats which is why the rear ARB was introduced. A lot of people complianed about the ride/stiffness of the pre cats including the journos at the time which is why the 500 got a revised spec. Shocks, spring rates and ARB thickness have all been changed over the years. A lot of precats have been retrofitted with a rear ARB.
Add to this the fact that the original drop links spend more time crunching rubber bushes than applying any corrective force and it is not surprising that removing them can make an improvement. It can remove the loss of traction caused by the suspension linking and the anti roll but as this wasn't working correctly in the first place. No big loss. Hence the "dump it" camp. However, this is usually accompanied with stiffer/adjustable shocks and springs which are helping control the body roll, and effectively replaced the ARB. The downside is that the ride can be a lot harder. So people think that is a good thing, others don't. Equally getting the ARB to work correctly can work wonders as well.
So getting the drop links working right has a big effect as the ARB start working correctly and in fact I know a lot of people who have been able to soften the ride settings after fitting my drop links because they no longer have to rely on the springs/shocks providing all the ARB correction.
The key point is that adding/removing the ARB is like adding 200lbs to a spring rate or stiffening the shocks by several tweeks. It is a major change and it may work or not depending on what the rest of the setup is. On a standard car, I wouldn't recommend removing the ARB unless the shocks and springs have been stiffened to compensate. Add to this, the different rate bars that have been used and there is another variation.
One other factor is also the wheel and tyre profile as the suspension was designed to work with 15/16inch wheels. Going to 17 or 18 or 19 has a major effect on the suspension as the complience that the tyre normally offers is dramatically reduced. So again that has to be factored in.
To sum up.... it is not as black and white as it can be made out. Hence the different opinions.
If the car was fitted with a rear ARB, I would keep it unless the suspension has been upgraded to replace it.
If the car is fitted with my drop links, there will be a very noticeable improvement in the handling because the ARBs are working smoothly.
At least you didn't ask what oil do I put in the Rover V8? That will cause religious ferment!
Early Griffs didn't have a rear ARB but the 500s did. The 500 suspension is very different from that of the precats which is why the rear ARB was introduced. A lot of people complianed about the ride/stiffness of the pre cats including the journos at the time which is why the 500 got a revised spec. Shocks, spring rates and ARB thickness have all been changed over the years. A lot of precats have been retrofitted with a rear ARB.
Add to this the fact that the original drop links spend more time crunching rubber bushes than applying any corrective force and it is not surprising that removing them can make an improvement. It can remove the loss of traction caused by the suspension linking and the anti roll but as this wasn't working correctly in the first place. No big loss. Hence the "dump it" camp. However, this is usually accompanied with stiffer/adjustable shocks and springs which are helping control the body roll, and effectively replaced the ARB. The downside is that the ride can be a lot harder. So people think that is a good thing, others don't. Equally getting the ARB to work correctly can work wonders as well.
So getting the drop links working right has a big effect as the ARB start working correctly and in fact I know a lot of people who have been able to soften the ride settings after fitting my drop links because they no longer have to rely on the springs/shocks providing all the ARB correction.
The key point is that adding/removing the ARB is like adding 200lbs to a spring rate or stiffening the shocks by several tweeks. It is a major change and it may work or not depending on what the rest of the setup is. On a standard car, I wouldn't recommend removing the ARB unless the shocks and springs have been stiffened to compensate. Add to this, the different rate bars that have been used and there is another variation.
One other factor is also the wheel and tyre profile as the suspension was designed to work with 15/16inch wheels. Going to 17 or 18 or 19 has a major effect on the suspension as the complience that the tyre normally offers is dramatically reduced. So again that has to be factored in.
To sum up.... it is not as black and white as it can be made out. Hence the different opinions.
If the car was fitted with a rear ARB, I would keep it unless the suspension has been upgraded to replace it.
If the car is fitted with my drop links, there will be a very noticeable improvement in the handling because the ARBs are working smoothly.
At least you didn't ask what oil do I put in the Rover V8? That will cause religious ferment!
Pupp said:
So, inform us. Which have you done?
Oh, nothing... righto
Mmmm, not exactly, until funds and time permit a full suspension overhaul I have repaired the splits in the arb mounting brackets on the lower wishbones and replaced the mounting rubbers that go either side with some found at an autojumble for a couple of pounds Oh, nothing... righto
Is that minor repair sufficient to allow me to comment on the subject ?
Well, the replacement correct rear links arrived today and hopefully I will fit them in the morning and the car is taxed so hopefully I shall be able to answer the questions/points raised by Steve very shortly since my car is on original springs, shocks and anti roll bar.
Oh, BTW Steve, I recovered the bag from the bin that the front links arrived in and it is marked up as Rear ARB links.
This isn't a ploy to sell the fronts as well is it?
Oh, BTW Steve, I recovered the bag from the bin that the front links arrived in and it is marked up as Rear ARB links.
This isn't a ploy to sell the fronts as well is it?
I fitted the Sh drop links front and rear and changed the anti roll bar bushes at the same time. My original rears were shot but the fronts not to bad, and fitting them has made a different when driving the car in a spirited (but lagal) way!
I agree with Steve that you can slacken the shocks off a few clicks when they are fitted.
In the notes Steve says fit and then drop the car down and re check, this is essential as on the fronts they move alot when wheels on the ground and I actually ended up changing the drop link position from where I had it orgininaly.
Are you changing the anti roll bar bushes as well? Have a good look at the rears as they take a hammering.
If changing the front bushes mine were a 17m socket to get the bush caps off and the drivers side takes some time as the rad hose goes across the bolt (or it did on mine).
Good luck and Im sure you will feel the difference.
I agree with Steve that you can slacken the shocks off a few clicks when they are fitted.
In the notes Steve says fit and then drop the car down and re check, this is essential as on the fronts they move alot when wheels on the ground and I actually ended up changing the drop link position from where I had it orgininaly.
Are you changing the anti roll bar bushes as well? Have a good look at the rears as they take a hammering.
If changing the front bushes mine were a 17m socket to get the bush caps off and the drivers side takes some time as the rad hose goes across the bolt (or it did on mine).
Good luck and Im sure you will feel the difference.
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