Anti roll bar S3 (Turbo)1984

[PhilW]

Hi

Have failed an MOT on front anti roll bar bushes. Have taken a look and seems almost impossible to remove the nuts at either end with the lower suspension arm in position. It look like the whole assembly on either side needs to be dismantled. The lower arm need to be disconnected from the chassis and the hub assembly, being carfull to compress the spring first.

Can anyone tell me if I am right or there is an easy way to do this that I can not see. Many thanks.

[andydclements]

You can leave the lower arms in place and simply remove the ARB mounts from the arms and from the front of the chassis, that's a lot easier than removing the lower arms of the suspension.

When removing the ARB mounts from the chassis, try to leave one bolt in place, that way it retains the plate with the nuts in the correct position, rather than having to hold that there as you try to start a bolt when assembling.

[PhilW]

Andy

Mine is the older trunnion front suspension. You can not get at the nuts on the end of the ARB which are inside the u channel lower arm. There is a hole in the lower arm side which i assumed was for a socket but it is too small for a socket.

Am i miss understanding something?

Thanks for any more help you can give me.

[andydclements]

I've done mine on the A reg trunnion one, and I certainly didn't remove the lower legs.

The end of the ARB has a step in its diameter. It allows one large washer to go on the smaller size and stop at the step, the foam/ PU buffer then goes on, this goes onto the lower arm and then the next foam/ PU buffer goes on and then a washer and nut. You should be able to access that nut from the rear of the lower arm.

This image shows part of the set-up you (and I ) have, see bottom of that page. The S3 trunnion ARB system is not too dissimilar to the bottom of the S1/ S2 Vauxhall/ Opel system

http://www.wedgeneering.co.uk/Lotus%20Esprit%20p4.htm

[PhilW]

Great Andy. Thanks. Will tackle this in the next day or so. Phil

[MalcolmS]

Andy,

I'm about to replace the ARB bushes connecting to the lower arm. Current ones seem to have completely perished and disappeared. I just want to clarify a few points from your description above:

1/ I assume you remove the front wheels to get access but nothing more... not brakes etc?

2/ Next remove the ARB mounts from the front of the chassis, that will allow me to move the ARB so that the nut at the end lines up with the hole in the rear of the Lower Link so I can get access. (This nut looks completely rusted)

3/ Put on the new bushes and then fix the ends of ARB into lower links.

4/ Finally, my concern is that once I do this the ARB will no longer aline with the mounts at the front of chassis so do i then lower the car onto say a pile of books so that he spring compresses and i can get the ARB into the fixings at the front?

Phil,

How did you get on with this job? Any other tips?

Cheers,

Malcolm

[andydclements]

Hi Malcolm

1) Correct

2) Yes, but ideally don't completely remove, leave one bolt in partially, the plates are a pig to get back in and hold whilst trying to get the bolts back in. I'd recommend leaving the top one in partially, that way the ARB can drop down away from it.

3) Yes. it may take a little bit of force to push the ARB through enough, depends on the bushes you are using.

4) you'll be able to manipulate it, I'd suggest not doing those end nuts up tight, just enough to hold. That will allow the ARB to move on the bushes a bit. You can use a trolley / scissor jack if necessary to push the ARB back upwards to the clamps. I didn't have any issues with that though.

[MalcolmS]

Brilliant. Thanks Andy.

Sounds doable so I'll give SJ a call tomorrow and order the bits.

Cheers,

Malcolm