Anti Roll Bar

Hello there,

Can anyone please tell me what a lifted Jimny is like to drive without it's front anti roll bar? Martin, I see yours is long gone!

Mine is lifted 3 inches with KAP springs and Pro-comp shockers but I know the front articulation is severely limited with it on.

Also, do you have any tips about removing it without splitting the rubber on the ball joints as it will have to go back on for MOT's and obviously the rubbers can't be split. I have used a ball joint splitter to stop it spinning on bits on my SJ before but tend to damage the rubber. Perhaps I just need to be more careful!

Rob

Mine is so long gone that it was not there whe I bought it. Therefore I cannot tell you what difference it made. Certainly going around roundabouts/bends feels a bit like driving a 2CV but it holds the road well if the driver can stand the lean!

Again, as I didn't take it off its hard to judge how to take it off. My splitter seems kinder on rubbers than yours as I have never split a rubber.

Martin

What does you MOT man say about it not being there? Or do you have an understanding?

Kirkynut

Hi,

If you look where the ball joint goes through the bracket of the axle, you should see two flats,find out what size spanner you need, I bent one years ago and got one off Darren, theres two sizes for some reason. Anyway after you've found what size spanner you need for the back in between the bracket and the rubber, grind it thinner as much as you need too, that way you dont damage the rubber. If you've got dear spanners get a set from the pound shop and grind one of them down.

hope that helps

Andy

I left mine on with my old car, but i ended up with too much articulation for it and bent it in to a right mess, had to remove it in the middle of a lane, it was unusable after that. Without it is not a nice drive, feels like your going to scrape the doorhandles on the road going round a roundabout. Does give far far greater articulation with it though, I use mine for driving to work and back every day, 25 mile round trip - I'll be keeping mine on this time.

Gary

Hi there,

Cheers for the replies, I might just leave mine on now.

I know I'll get better articulation without it and I have a trip to the Lakes planned for March/April and articulation could be useful there for the rock crawling you end up doing on some of the lanes, however, it must be a good 400 miles on the motorway / A roads there and it is my every day car.

My insurance company are happy to insure me without the anti roll bar, however, if I rolled the thing on a motorway trying to avoid something in the carriageway it could be disasterous and not just for me.

I don't drive more than 60 mph in my Jimny and I am the most sensible person in the world, but accidents happen and driving a jelly on the motorway does not appeal to me.

Modifying a vehicle for off road use is great and you can get it to do so much more off road when doing so, however, there has to be a line drawn according to the vehicle's usage and I think I'm drawing my line at leaving the anti roll bar on.

It would be good if there was a quick release mechanism available, then I could undo it for lanes and connect it back up for the road!

Kirky

Yep, thats something that wants making, a QR mechanism for the ARB. I'd buy one definatley. Think I'll get the CAD out and see if i can dream something up...


Gary

Make sure you let me know if you do get some made up then!!!

Will do, got to make the rocklobster box, mounts, props etc first though !

Gary

ive taken mine off and didnt feel any different , then it was motd and passed no probs , if you get a flat 12mm spanner open end and put it inbetween the rubber boot and the joint you will see 2 flats then get a socket on the bolt , be carful it doesnt round off they can be stiff little buggers.

Hello there,

Andyw mentions this also, I'll perhaps have a go at taking it off then and see how it drives. Then I'll at least be able to make a decision that is a bit more informed on my particular vehicle. Thanks to you both for letting us know about this as it appears the flats are not well known about.

Kirkynut

Jamesey and Andy W you are both right!!!

I have had a fresh look at it now I have had some time and I can see the flat you were talking about. I really should have looked properly in the first place!!!

It is 14mm on mine, so I didn't need to grind the spanner down as it was far larger than the rubber and therefore did not come into contact with it at all, being much larger. I imagine the smaller ones that Jamesey mentions will need a bit more care though as the spanner will be a similar size to the rubber and could therefore catch on it and grinding the spanner down would help to not damage it.

I have driven it without the anti-roll bar now and although it does lean a little more, I would not say it is too much and it is easily acceptable.

Thanks for all your help you lot.

Kirky