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142 20mm Anti Roll Bar

mitch1971

mitch1971

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Location
Aberdeen, Scotland
R Sport recommended a 20mm front anti roll (sway) bar back in the day for the 142, does anyone nowadays sell such an animal? Closest I can find is 22mm. A 20mm is about 2.5 times stiffer than the 16mm bar and a 22mm is 3.5 times so a bit of difference the 2mm makes.
 
You could get an 18, 20 or 25mm front bar from Volvo Competition Service back in the day. The stock front bar is 15mm.

140CSFrontSwayBars.jpg
 
hiperfauto said:
You could get an 18, 20 or 25mm front bar from Volvo Competition Service back in the day. The stock front bar is 15mm.

140CSFrontSwayBars.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks, 18mm wasn’t an option in the R sport catalogue I have so great to know. I would rather go less than more for the ARB. Compared to 15mm; 18 is twice as stiff, 20 3.2 times, 22 4.6 times and 25 7.7 times. My 142 is a standard 90hp, I live in northern Scotland and mainly drive on twisty, undulating, bumpy A and B roads. I may try 22mm if I can’t source 20 or 18mm but not keen.
 
As an alternate path, since you live in what is for the time being the United Kingdom, you can probably get Amazon Cars to sell you a set of their 140 fast road springs. They no longer ship these to North America because of 'liability' issues - so they say. These are progressive (actually look more like dual rate) fronts and single rate rears which have a ride height about 20-25 mm less than original (depending on how heavy your car is). The higher spring rate will inherently reduce body roll due to compression of the suspension and they are not a brutal spring like the Lesjofors that I had on my 140 previously.

I currently have the IPD front and back sway anti roll bars and with the Amazon Cars springs (I must have been the last person in North America that they would ship to) I am looking to ditch the IPD rear bar and move back to an original sized bar on the front (waiting for COVID 19 to abate so I can troll the junkyards looking for a donor 140). An 18 mm bar (if it was still available) might have been a nice option with slightly shorter & stiffer springs.

The comment in the Volvo catalogue 'Although understeer is increased with the use of the bar, many drivers find it "interesting"' is rather "interesting" - as in interesting good or interesting bad?. Personally, I now find the approach of correcting for a bunch of front understeer because of a big front anti sway bar by adding rear understeer with a rear anti sway bar odd.
 
142 guy said:
As an alternate path, since you live in what is for the time being the United Kingdom, you can probably get Amazon Cars to sell you a set of their 140 fast road springs. They no longer ship these to North America because of 'liability' issues - so they say. These are progressive (actually look more like dual rate) fronts and single rate rears which have a ride height about 20-25 mm less than original (depending on how heavy your car is). The higher spring rate will inherently reduce body roll due to compression of the suspension and they are not a brutal spring like the Lesjofors that I had on my 140 previously.

I currently have the IPD front and back sway anti roll bars and with the Amazon Cars springs (I must have been the last person in North America that they would ship to) I am looking to ditch the IPD rear bar and move back to an original sized bar on the front (waiting for COVID 19 to abate so I can troll the junkyards looking for a donor 140). An 18 mm bar (if it was still available) might have been a nice option with slightly shorter & stiffer springs.

The comment in the Volvo catalogue 'Although understeer is increased with the use of the bar, many drivers find it "interesting"' is rather "interesting" - as in interesting good or interesting bad?. Personally, I now find the approach of correcting for a bunch of front understeer because of a big front anti sway bar by adding rear understeer with a rear anti sway bar odd.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yeah I was discussing with Rob and waiting for a quote but it didn't come so have gone elsewhere.

FYI, Volvo R Sport recommended 20mm ARB, front 15% uprated progressive spring or standard spring and standard spring in the back combined with gas shocks. I was just going to stick with that formula but with a 18 or 20mm bar. My car rides not too bad now and am not wanting anything harsh or low. The original spec suspension in as new condition isn't too bad in reality, I am wanting a wee upgrade.

I'm just ordering springs through Brookhouse Volvo the main UK classic Volvo distributor and Simon gives me a bit of a discount.
 
mitch1971 said:
Thanks. Yeah I was discussing with Rob and waiting for a quote but it didn't come so have gone elsewhere.

FYI, Volvo R Sport recommended 20mm ARB, front 15% uprated progressive spring or standard spring and standard spring in the back combined with gas shocks. I was just going to stick with that formula but with a 18 or 20mm bar. My car rides not too bad now and am not wanting anything harsh or low. The original spec suspension in as new condition isn't too bad in reality, I am wanting a wee upgrade.

I'm just ordering springs through Brookhouse Volvo the main UK classic Volvo distributor and Simon gives me a bit of a discount.
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Amazon could sometimes be slow in responding. A couple of pokes with emails or a telephone call seems to wake them up. However, if you have ordered something from Brookhouse, then the point is moot.
 
Yeah I’m sure if I chased him I could have got the quote and to be fair I normally just ring up and buy small orders and they are great to deal with. This was a big order for me so I wanted to see the costs up front, I didn’t bother chasing them and just went and ordered from Brookhouse.

Brookhouse Volvo will do progressive springs as well made in the U.K. Brookhouse are the main U.K. classic Volvo parts supplier in the U.K. They have an online shop but can normally source more if looking for something particular.

Also a Springs manufacturer will be able to make you a set by copying a set you have or to a specification. It’s about ?50/spring in the U.K. If I can’t source a roll bar I might go see my local spring company who are only 1mile away and ask them to make me one or two.
 
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I would try the 22mm.

I upgraded to the 20mm on my previous 142 with only other modifications
* Koni Classic shocks (can higly recommend!)
* 240 Virgo wheels with 195/60R15 tires.

It was a nice improvement and the understeer I would say was not that noticeable.

It might be so that the 50 years of tire technology improvements since this was designed helps avoiding a little of the induced understeer?

Next upgrade might othervise be some slightly uprated rear springs.
 
JE Jr said:
I would try the 22mm.

I upgraded to the 20mm on my previous 142 with only other modifications
* Koni Classic shocks (can higly recommend!)
* 240 Virgo wheels with 195/60R15 tires.

It was a nice improvement and the understeer I would say was not that noticeable.

It might be so that the 50 years of tire technology improvements since this was designed helps avoiding a little of the induced understeer?

Next upgrade might othervise be some slightly uprated rear springs.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Do you know of any online sellers of the Konis?
 
JE Jr said:
It might be so that the 50 years of tire technology improvements since this was designed helps avoiding a little of the induced understeer?
Click to expand...

I would think this alone would make a world of difference. I haven't owned a 140 since the mid 80's, however just putting 240T 15" alloys & lower profile tires made a vast improvement to the handling.
 
lookforjoe said:
I would think this alone would make a world of difference. I haven't owned a 140 since the mid 80's, however just putting 240T 15" alloys & lower profile tires made a vast improvement to the handling.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I have new 165 80 15 tyres on as I want to keep original look. To be fair it drives fine around here for a 5o year old car. Just looking into some upgrades without going away from that stock look.
 
mitch1971 said:
Thanks. I have new 165 80 15 tyres on as I want to keep original look. To be fair it drives fine around here for a 5o year old car. Just looking into some upgrades without going away from that stock look.
Click to expand...

Understood. Some pics of the car would be a nice addition to the thread :D

As an aside - I lived in Scotland for some years as a kid - but down in the Firth of Forth region - Kirkcaldy.
 
lookforjoe said:
Understood. Some pics of the car would be a nice addition to the thread :D

As an aside - I lived in Scotland for some years as a kid - but down in the Firth of Forth region - Kirkcaldy.
Click to expand...

To post pics do you still need to host them somewhere on the net? I stopped doing that when photobucket stopped previously.

I'm Australian, lived here for 18 years now. Really enjoy it.
 
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