Anti-roll Bar Test Fit

The 109 had to go on the ramps for the rear spring bushes to be replaced. They’re now done, and the clanking has stopped. The bad news is that the springs are pretty tired – they’ve lost some of their camber, and the bushes were not as tight in the spring eyes as they should be. The springs still have a little life in them, so it’s not a high priority job. Still, I can’t be disappointed – the springs have served 12 years and covered over 100,000 miles, so they’ve done well.

At the same time as the springs were coming off for bush replacement, it made sense to have a test fit of the anti-roll bar to see if it would fit in the planned location. I had all the anti-roll bar parts grit blasted and red oxide sprayed, prior to painting them black at home. The spring bottom plates are just like those on 88s and the front of 109s, using standard damper bushes, retaining washers and split pins to locate the vertical links. The tops of the links engage on the bar using right hand threaded steering rod ends (these will be replaced with new). It’s all in very good order, which is a good result for £50.

It won’t fit in the same position as on a 109 ambulance because of the rear fuel tank, but we found that by setting the vertical links in front of the axle, instead of behind, we were able to mount the bar immediately ahead of the tank and behind the bump stops. This position avoids contact with all other components, including the exhaust. I just need to locate or fabricate the brackets that attach to the chassis rail, to which the bush clamps bolt. They’re really just a piece of 2mm sheet steel bent on each side to wrap around the sides of the chassis rail, with two nuts welded to the top of the horizontal surface for the clamp bolts. The bracket is then bolted through the sides to the chassis. The spring bottom plates have been fitted, so the anti-roll bar can be added as soon as I have the chassis brackets.