Anti-rollbars on a Disco

[thebiglad]

Just posting this for general information.

I have two Disco, a Tdi 200 without ARB's and a TDi300 auto with ARB's.

When I compare the handling and ride of the two vehicles I find the 300 has a side to side choppiness that I don't like. I believe this is down to the ARB's.

Today I removed the rear ARB and test-drove it. The choppiness is reduced giving an overall smoother ride, whilst retaining stability through a series of corners.

My plan will be to take off the front one tomorrow if I can and examine what results from that.

Cheers
Dave

[agerty]

took mine off pretty soon after i got my disco and the handling was much better, especially round corners

[thebiglad]

Have now taken off the front one as well.

All the choppiness has gone and the general ride quality is improved.

I have noticed a slight increase in roll when cornering but too be honest it feels more natural that way than the rather false flatness I was getting previously.

I have yet to do any higher speed cornering eg. 60mph plus, but up to now, taking the ARB's off seems a complete success.

Cheers
Dave

[TEMPL4R]

I wouldn't remove one from an air suspension set up if you are only a road user, too much body roll. If you go off road a lot, then it would help.

Note, it is an MOT fail if one was fitted at manufacture. You must remove all evidence one was fitted, no brackets, marks where things were fitted, stuff like that. I think all Disco 2s had ARBs, so you can't get out of that one.

Chris

[thebiglad]

I wouldn't remove one from an air suspension set up if you are only a road user, too much body roll. If you go off road a lot, then it would help.

Note, it is an MOT fail if one was fitted at manufacture. You must remove all evidence one was fitted, no brackets, marks where things were fitted, stuff like that. I think all Disco 2s had ARBs, so you can't get out of that one.

Chris


No air suspension, as far as I know, on a Tdi 300.

[TEMPL4R]

Going by the thread title BL, Disco 2 does.

The rest is information so people don't fall foul of the test. if anyone does take stuff off, don't get rid of it. Keep it just in case.

Chris

[craig lambert]

Ive just recently gone from a 200tdi to a 300 and which now that ive just changed the rear trailing arm bushes i think its a far better ride than even when my 200 was on new suspension ,and i used to hate all that body roll to a point where i thaught it was dangerous.So im a little surprised youve taken a saftey feature off?.I would only consider taking them off if i'd fitted high lift suspension and used it just for off roading.

all the best craig

[thebiglad]

Ive just recently gone from a 200tdi to a 300 and which now that ive just changed the rear trailing arm bushes i think its a far better ride than even when my 200 was on new suspension ,and i used to hate all that body roll to a point where i thaught it was dangerous.So im a little surprised youve taken a saftey feature off?.I would only consider taking them off if i'd fitted high lift suspension and used it just for off roading.

all the best craig

Hi Craig, I can understand why you might think that, but to be honest the only Disco I've ever owned that rolled a lot, was the first one I got in 1990 and she WAS a roller.

The wife's Tdi 200 '93 and my '98 Tdi 300 hardly roll at all, even after the ARB removal.

It should be remembered that when LR started putting ARB's on 4x4's it was in the wake of a sustained media campagn and "the Elk test" rubbish.

It's just another example of a company response to a potential litigation threat by 'lashing something on - if 4x4's are driven as they were designed to be driven, there is no instability to manage out.

It's not hard to understand why they drive differently to an ordinary car, look at the relative height of a Disco and a Mondeo, imagine the relative seat heights - what does that do to the centre of gravity and the turning moment?

If the suspension is not allowed to absorb some of this turning moment then what you end up with is a vehicle that is stable, stable, stable - FLIP !!!

Whereas with suspension that is allowing body roll, the driver has a much grerater sense of the loads being imposed on it and can drive accordingly.

And anyway, it's more comfortable :rolleyes::D:p

Cheers
Dave

[TEMPL4R]

It's unsprung weight. Lorrys and buses only started to fit ARBs when they fitted air suspension.

Take them off a car with independanrt suspension and you get a lot of fun then. Good dampers help though.

Chris

[Devon-Rover]

Having gone from a laden 90 with a Roof rack, and then a Series with excedingly soft springs. Both of which Rolled like a dingy in a severe swell, Having ARB's on the disco is a god send, much more better.

It's only driving something that really does define body roll in a corner that one can appreciate ARB's.

[thebiglad]

Having gone from a laden 90 with a Roof rack, and then a Series with excedingly soft springs. Both of which Rolled like a dingy in a severe swell, Having ARB's on the disco is a god send, much more better.

It's only driving something that really does define body roll in a corner that one can appreciate ARB's.


Right, I posted a piece of information and experience that I share with people for their interest and hopefully to be helpful.

I DO NOT need to be told how to define whether a vehicle rolls or not, thank you very much !!!!! I know this already such that I am able to discerne and define what I believe to be appropriate vehicle handling characteristics.

If you had bothered to read my first post carefully you would have seen that the issue I was attempting (successfully) to resolve was that of OVER-FIRM suspension with the ARB's in place.

I don't have overly-soft springs to which you allude and am, therefore, perfectly happy with the results.

My understanding of the correct use of forums is one of mutual respect, politeness & a willingness to help your fellow man.

I do not see them as an avenue to score cheap points of someone who is just sharing information, the only motivation being one of being helpful.

Thank you

Dave

[TEMPL4R]

I don't read it as having a dig at you Dave, he says that his truck had soft springs and rolled, a fairly narrow track doesn't help either, so a fair comment to make. ARBs do help is some situations.

As we have discussed in the thread, lorrys, buses and solid axle vehicles haven't always had them fitted. If the springs are strong enough to resist the rolling motion, then you are absolutely correct, you don't need a stiffer set up or you slide around corners more.

Chris

[Devon-Rover]

Well if mine had over firm suspension then the wouldn't a first step be a set of slightly softer springs? :confused: Then as such leaving the ARB's in place.

[thebiglad]

Well if mine had over firm suspension then the wouldn't a first step be a set of slightly softer springs? :confused: Then as such leaving the ARB's in place.


Hi there, as far as I can tell, what happens with these arb's is that, as a result of them being quite thick section, they have the effect of stiffening the existing springs - so by taking them off, it is as if you have replaced the springs with softer ones, but without the need to purchase new items.

My wife has been driving the vehicle in question while I was away and she says now it's just like driving her 200 !!!

So I think that's good then :rolleyes::eek::D:confused:

Cheers all

Dave

[JulesV8]

Sounds good, I'm all for improving the ride of any car but, thebiglad, in the case where the car rolls over, I wonder what the insurance assessor would say when they found the car to be missing its ARB...

I guess its one of those where to cover yourself, your insurance comp would have to be alerted.

Still this is all good to know. I was looking at my own ARB on my 96 disco thinking it was looking a bit tired and needed replacing however, as it is a little rusty, I guess its giving a little more flex and a little more of a comfy ride! Moral of the story...dont replace everything which is rusty!

[thebiglad]

Sounds good, I'm all for improving the ride of any car but, thebiglad, in the case where the car rolls over, I wonder what the insurance assessor would say when they found the car to be missing its ARB...

I guess its one of those where to cover yourself, your insurance comp would have to be alerted.

Still this is all good to know. I was looking at my own ARB on my 96 disco thinking it was looking a bit tired and needed replacing however, as it is a little rusty, I guess its giving a little more flex and a little more of a comfy ride! Moral of the story...dont replace everything which is rusty!

Hi Jules, hows it hanging. Just got back from the south and logged on to see your comment.

I think you are right in that if the vehicle is rolled and the insurance assesser spots something non-standard, that gives the company an ideal escape from payment.

I'm not too worried about rolling Daisy3 as I drive like a snail.

Incidently, when I got near home this afternoon, I came around a corner to find an Audi A4 gently spinning - on it's roof !!!!.

So it would seem that if you are determined enough you can roll just about anything :D

[JulesV8]

I'm good thanks thebiglad. Currently enjoying cheaper motoring thanks to the LPG conversion I have finally had fitted - its all very very enjoyable and I think I heading for around 200 miles from 55litres of gas which is amazing me to say the least.