Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Discussion and technical advice for 84-89 AW10 & AW11 MR2. 3A-LU, 4A-GE, 4A-GZE.

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mk1mr2
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Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by mk1mr2 »

Hi Chaps,

I have a mr2 mk1b (89), lower with koni shocks / springs, and want to beef up the stock rear anti roll bar. I have seen other threads on the forum which suggest I could do a straight swap with a mr2 mk2 turbo rev 1 anti roll bar.

I would like to know exactly what needs replacing as part of upgrading this bar - eg drop links, brackets etc....

Cheers
phil :?:
Lee H
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Lee H »

I did this last weekend. The turbo roll bar fits straight on with the standard mk1 front anti roll bar brackets and 18mm bushes.

Not sure with regards to drop links though as my car has rosejointed adjustable ones on which will have been adjusted when the suspension was lowered. However I didn't alter the length of them when I swapped the roll bar over.
Steve Horrocks
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Steve Horrocks »

You will have to open up the holes in the bush bracket to suit the larger sized bolts.
The hole centre's are slightly out as well, but you can put first bolt in first then squeeze bracket in slightly and second bolt will pop in.
476bhp & 415ft lb @ 1.9bar Magic by Ryan!
Gone, but never forgotten
Now with a mk1.5 & a NHB EP3
Lee H
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Lee H »

Ah yes, I forgot we opened the bolt holes out :oops:
mk1mr2
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by mk1mr2 »

Thanks chap for the quick info :thumleft:

Who can supply the bushes & the part number. And did you have to make changes to the bushes to fit the front ARB brackets?

Thanks
mk1mr2
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by mk1mr2 »

Lee H wrote:I did this last weekend. The turbo roll bar fits straight on
with the standard mk1 front anti roll bar brackets and 18mm bushes.


OK, so I will use Mk1b front anti roll bar brackets, but wondered if new Mk1b front bushes or Mk2 front bushes could be used without modification or do I have to go with powerflex ones?

I found universal powerflex ones ( PF99-305 32mm 18mm 22mm 30mm ) but will these fit without modifications?

Thanks again :thumleft:
Phil
Steve Horrocks
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Steve Horrocks »

Iirc, we used the stock sw20 rubbers
476bhp & 415ft lb @ 1.9bar Magic by Ryan!
Gone, but never forgotten
Now with a mk1.5 & a NHB EP3
Lee H
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Lee H »

Steve Horrocks wrote:Iirc, we used the stock sw20 rubbers


We used the stock front AW11 bushes. The only SW20 ones I had were the poly ones that came with the bar and wouldn't fit. :thumleft:
Steve Horrocks
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Steve Horrocks »

Ahh, knew it was gonna be wrong! lol
476bhp & 415ft lb @ 1.9bar Magic by Ryan!
Gone, but never forgotten
Now with a mk1.5 & a NHB EP3
Tiamat
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Tiamat »

Can you not use the original SW20 brackets that come with the ARB?
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jnoiles
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by jnoiles »

Lee H wrote:Not sure with regards to drop links though as my car has rosejointed adjustable ones on which will have been adjusted when the suspension was lowered.


Lee,

Do you have a link for the adjustable drop links? Or did you order the ones from twosrus in the states?

thanks
Jason
Steve Horrocks
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by Steve Horrocks »

Not sure if he knows where they were from. They were on the car when he bought it.
476bhp & 415ft lb @ 1.9bar Magic by Ryan!
Gone, but never forgotten
Now with a mk1.5 & a NHB EP3
PW@Woodsport
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by PW@Woodsport »

Tiamat wrote:Can you not use the original SW20 brackets that come with the ARB?


The Mk2 brackets are square dog legs and won't fit the Mk1 chassis, so Mk1 front brackets work.

By far the best option is to use the "no bullsh1t" mounts made by Adamh over on TB, we invented the Mk2 turbo ARB mod on the Mk1 but Adams mounts just finish it off prefectly. You weld one half of the casing to the chassis and the other half bolts to that, properly over engineered works of art.

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jnoiles
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by jnoiles »

Steve Horrocks wrote:Not sure if he knows where they were from. They were on the car when he bought it.


Bummer. Does anyone know of a UK source for adjustable drop links?
PW@Woodsport
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by PW@Woodsport »

I make my own to suit whatever length we need, it's very simple.
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jnoiles
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by jnoiles »

PW@Woodsport wrote:I make my own to suit whatever length we need, it's very simple.


Perhaps with a fully equipped workshop at my disposal. I have a single garage separate to my house with no power, socket set and a couple of spanners :)

I'm thinking in terms of something like this: http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/product_ ... cts_id=105

The reason I'm looking for adjustability is that I want to experiment with some different ride heights.

If anyone has a UK source for such a thing I'd be interested to hear.

thanks
Jason
cartledge_uk
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by cartledge_uk »

jnoiles wrote:
PW@Woodsport wrote:I make my own to suit whatever length we need, it's very simple.


Perhaps with a fully equipped workshop at my disposal. I have a single garage separate to my house with no power, socket set and a couple of spanners :)

I'm thinking in terms of something like this: http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/product_ ... cts_id=105

The reason I'm looking for adjustability is that I want to experiment with some different ride heights.

If anyone has a UK source for such a thing I'd be interested to hear.

thanks
Jason


The problem with those are that the ends are not sealed so for road use road grime can work its way in and cause premature failure.

Buy some cheap ones off ebay.

Cut out the middle, thread the ends of the bits you cut. get a steel tube a tap a thread in, pack it with grease and voila, adjustable drop links. (the threads will have to be opposite to work, ie right and left hand threads)
Last edited by cartledge_uk on Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
PW@Woodsport
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by PW@Woodsport »

jnoiles wrote:
PW@Woodsport wrote:I make my own to suit whatever length we need, it's very simple.


Perhaps with a fully equipped workshop at my disposal. I have a single garage separate to my house with no power, socket set and a couple of spanners :)

I'm thinking in terms of something like this: http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/product_ ... cts_id=105

The reason I'm looking for adjustability is that I want to experiment with some different ride heights.

If anyone has a UK source for such a thing I'd be interested to hear.

thanks
Jason


You don't need a fully equipped workshop, as Tim says a simple tap and die set, some tube and a hacksaw is all you would need to make your own.
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LimeyMk1
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by LimeyMk1 »

Or

http://www.ball-joints.co.uk/
http://www.mcgillmotorsports.co.uk/inde ... t&catId=28

And some threaded rod with left hand thread ant one end and right hand thread at t'other. :thumleft:

BTW the Twosrus.COM droplinks have worked very well on my Mk1, they're a lot beefier than the UK ones and seem to have a better quality joint. Even so they benefit from being wrapped in someting to keep the muck out.
jnoiles
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Re: Question about upgrading Mk1b (89) anti roll bar with Mk2 turbo rev 1 (18mm)

Post by jnoiles »

Limeymk1 wrote:BTW the Twosrus.COM droplinks have worked very well on my Mk1, they're a lot beefier than the UK ones and seem to have a better quality joint. Even so they benefit from being wrapped in someting to keep the muck out.


I ordered the twosrus ones front and back. It seemed silly to hack about. The cost of materials at retail would be almost as much as just buying the twosrus ones.
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