Europa TCST

[BDA]

I still have my anti roll bar mounted in the stock position but the first Europa I had had a broken stud on one of the shocks. Fixing it would have required buying a new shock. That could be a reason.   

[TurboFource]

......Why is it a bad idea?

The stock location is vulnerable and hangs in the air flowing under the car.....

[tedtaylor]

hangs no lower than the fiberglass nose along front, and shock bottoms are still only level with the wheel rim (the tire sidewall provides the 4 or more inches necessary for clearance)  What road terrain are you expecting to drive over where interference might be an issue?

[TurboFource]

Seems these have been in contact with the ground more than once ....

I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland....some back roads aren't the best.

And I want to make it adjustable

[tedtaylor]

there is NO WAY those links were scraping the ground....it's impossible.   Unless both front wheels came off and you slid down the road on your rotors!!!

[jbcollier]

I agree with Ted that the stock anti-roll bar mounts work just fine, even great.  I've never had any issues, not even a scratch on the bottom of the studs.  BUT, though it's very close to the wheel, there are conceivable situations where the wheel would miss an obstruction and the lower mount would hit.  It's very unlikely but not impossible.  Still, no plans to alter mine.

Broken mounting studs?  My money is not on impact but over-tightening of mounting nut.

[GavinT]

A mate of mine knocked the stud off a damper during some exuberant driving through the Adelaide hills once. The wheel dropped off the edge of the bitumen road is how that happened - purely anecdotal, though.

Looks like an oxy/acetylene torch in that pic.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

I may be going against the grain but I like the idea of separating the roll function from the spring function.
Are there any really small/tight PU bushings available instead of the rubber ones?

[BDA]

This seems to be one of the more economical places for PU bushes (https://autobush.com/4/Lotus). The Elan and Europa use the same front end bushings.

[TurboFource]

I have never driven the car, that is the way they were when I took it apart…..

CW, any comments?

[Exlimey]

MOOG have a large range of rubber and poly bushings.

[TurboFource]

The stud was broken off one of the original shocks, a different one welded on and it must have been hit again because it is crooked (and longer which increased the probability of getting hit again)....

I am happy with moving this stuff up......

[cwtech]

The stud was broken off one of the original shocks, a different one welded on and it must have been hit again because it is crooked (and longer which increased the probability of getting hit again)....

On US Hwy 22, there was a railroad crossing which sat on a raised hump.  ....At 60 mph with someone on my azz, I wasn't always able to slow down before hitting the hump.  ....Two different times the stud got snagged on the raised hump.  ....Hence the welded stud.  ....I don't remember the link dragging on the pavement, but that is the only thing I can think of.

After those learning experiences I would pull onto the shoulder and creep over the hump before returning to the traffic lanes.

[pboedker]

hangs no lower than the fiberglass nose along front, and shock bottoms are still only level with the wheel rim (the tire sidewall provides the 4 or more inches necessary for clearance)  What road terrain are you expecting to drive over where interference might be an issue?

On my Special, the roll bar is the lowest part and hanging lower than both the fiberglass and the frame. Are you sure your roll bar mountings haven't been shortened by a previous owner? 

The damper studs are also prone to being hit by a 'well-placed' rock, curbs or the edge of the tarmac. Raising both the roll bar and attaching to the suspension arm at a higher point could eliminate that.

[TurboFource]

As Gavin and Peter mentioned, going off the edge of the road is problematic,
Some of the backroads are narrow and you need move to move over and make room to
pass each other…..

[Bainford]

On my Special, the roll bar is the lowest part and hanging lower than both the fiberglass and the frame.

On mine as well. I've struck the links hard on at least two occasions, including my first drive in the car when I hit a rock while turning around in a dirt parking lot (thought I broke it first time out). I'll definitely be raising my bar when I get to that part of the car.