Anti roll bar damper bushes

[Bud5000]

Hi all
I've replaced the bushes at the ends of my anti roll bar that attach to the bottom of the dampers. I've also changed the drop link bushes.
The damper bushes are being crushed on one side of the bush and are nolathane ones. The rubber ones I took off were doing the same.
It seems the ends of the anti roll bar are not at 90 degrees to the damper studs. It looks wrong to me but I believe I've done everything correctly.
Is this normal? Could it be the wrong anti roll bar?
68 Plus 2.
Cheers
Richard

[gjz30075]

I would expect them to be deformed at full droop. That's their job. Put the car back on the ground
and observe the bushes. They should be 'normal'.

[nmauduit]

you may want to assess the situation with the car on all four on a flat, horizontal floor (possibly loaded as ready for use)...

[Bud5000]

I've jacked it under the wheel hub and it didn't make much difference, but I'll throw the wheels back on and see what happens.

[rgh0]

Also check you have the right shock units for the Plus 2 and do not have the Elan ones. The angle of the stud for the roll bar is greater for the Plus 2 due to the greater angle of the shock due to the longer fonrt wishbones . At full droop you will have signficant distortion in the fore / aft direction due to the roll bar angle but it should be limited side to side



cheers
Rohan

[Bud5000]

The shocks are after market Protech which I believe have been purchased from SJ Sports cars. The car is imported from UK into NZ 2019.
Looking at SJS online parts under Plus 2 the shocks look to be correct.
I'll keep testing and trialling.
Does anyone know if the anti roll bar is off some other British vehicle?

[2cams70]

I’ve never before seen a car where the metal cup washers for the bushes make direct contact with the stabilizer bar itself. Normally the bar makes direct contact with the rubber and not the cup washers. It looks to be assembled wrongly (but it’s a Lotus).

[rgh0]

I’ve never before seen a car where the metal cup washers for the bushes make direct contact with the stabilizer bar itself. Normally the bar makes direct contact with the rubber and not the cup washers. It looks to be assembled wrongly (but it’s a Lotus).

Yes its a Lotus and the metal caps top and bottom of the bushes is the design that Lotus adopted

[l10tus]

In view of your issues, does anyone have a proper diagram, photo or drawing, that shows the correct assembly order for the standard rubber bushes and metal cup washers for the front anti rollbar / shock absorber setup?

Reason for asking, is it may help when replacing the said items, as none of my workshop manuals, or Buckland Bible, clearly show the position order of the buildup (at all !!)

In the lotus kit there are the following items, (but no instructions) :-

A) Full size nut.
B) Half- size nut
C) 2no. Rubber bushes
D) 2no. Dished cup washers
E) 1no. Dished cup washers with protruding flange.

Which washers go where - especially the flanged one!?????

Thanks in anticipation.

[oldelanman]

Workshop Manual describes assembly sequence ...

Workshop Manual section C page 11

Same bush kit is used on differential torque rods and assembly sequence is described better there.

Workshop Manual section R page 5

The cup washers with the large flanged hole fit either side of the roll bar (or diff 'ear') so the flanges engage with the hole to centralise the assembly.

[l10tus]

Thanks for the reply, but you are not on the right topic, this is the diff torque rod assembly you have cut and pasted, I'm talking about ANTI ROLLBAR TO BOTTOM OF SHOCK ABSORBERS (FRONT SUSPENSION). There is only one washer with a raised flange in the kit supplied. Where does it go?

Please re-read the original question topic.

[Bud5000]

Is this what you're after? The washer with the raised flange, should be two, is used to locate inside the ARB hole. I've done a crude drawing that hopefully explains it.

[l10tus]

Bud5000, yes you have done a smashing job of the sketch thanks,
My issue is as you correctly (I believe) show, that the 2 washers either side of the ARB with flanges, that locate into the ARB hole, are not supplied in the genuine lotus parts kits I have opened.
I have 2 un- flanged (large hole) washers and only 1 with the small hole and flange?

So, have I been sold short?????

Or is only one small hole washer required? And if that's the case is this single small holes washer placed above or below the ARB??

[Bud5000]

I think it should be 2 flanged ones, one each for either side of the ARB and one each non-flanged for the bush to damper and bush to lock nut.
The parts manual should show that.
My damper is after market (protech) so I have a washer between that and the top ARB bush. Factory damper may(?) have had an integrated washer. Other more knowledgeable members may be able to confirm.
However, I believe aftermarket it should be 4 washers total. This should keep the bushes nice and snug.

[bjw]

Here's a photo showing all original Lotus supplied parts:-

The top washer is integral to the damper and the inner washers have raised inner lips that sit inside the hole in the bar, The bottom washer is of a heavier gauge with a smaller hole such that it locates on the shoulder at the base of the the thread, acting as a stop limiting the compression of the bushes.

Cheers