just bought some caterham anti roll bars off ebay with the intension of fitting them to my tiger avon. anyone tried welding/ heating to alter the bends in anti-roll bars, does it make them brittle or any other problems i might find if i do so.
Thanks in advance Paul

Changing the bends of the bar and altering the leverage points i imagine would change the intended properties of the bar.

I would cold bend them if I were you, otherwise the heat will alter the sprung characteristics.

Yes Gav it will alter the bars resistance, but doe's that matter?

Yes, it DOES matter! When you heat spring-tempered steel, it changes the alignment of the crystalline structure of the steel, most likely to mild steel. This is fine, but when you twist it (as intended while in use...) it will likely stay twisted. You can certainly do this, but you'll have to have a spring shop re-temper it afterwards. It's the same as softening a coil spring - it'll turn inot someting akin to a coiled paper clip...no spring action.

Sorry if I didnot explain very well, I wasnt refering to heating, but Gav's reply regarding lenth of arm to lenth of bar relationship.

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Originally posted by zetec7
Yes, it DOES matter! When you heat spring-tempered steel, it changes the alignment of the crystalline structure of the steel, most likely to mild steel. This is fine, but when you twist it (as intended while in use...) it will likely stay twisted. You can certainly do this, but you'll have to have a spring shop re-temper it afterwards. It's the same as softening a coil spring - it'll turn inot someting akin to a coiled paper clip...no spring action.

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