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[ronin]

I think for the first time I don't have a pressing issue with the car.  Knock on wood, she seems to be in good running condition.  My question, as the subject line indicates, is about an anti-roll bar.  First, was this an option for the TR3s?  I don't believe I have one.  Was a rear bar ever an option?  For those who have installed a front bar, was it a noticeable improvement?

Thanks,

Eric

[charley fitch]

According to the TRA Restoration Guidelines the Front anti-roll bar and Torsion bars (I am guessing that this is the name they are using for a rear anti-roll bar) were available as accessories both from factory and after market sources.

I put a front anti-roll bar (Addco) on my TR3 and believe that it did help some with the performance of the car.  I did not put one on the rear as under VTR autocross guidelines it puts one into the class above stock.  But one can have a front anti-roll bar and still be classified as stock. 

I interpret this as that the rear anti-roll bar would help a lot more than the front one would.  However, I would guess that one should not use a rear anti-roll bar without having one on the front as well.  I am not sure why you are looking into this question, is it for autocrossing or just touring comfort?  You have likely noticed that today most all cars come with front and rear sway bars.  And you have likely seen soccer mom's with a load of kids taking curves as fast or faster than we can in our Triumphs, especially the TR3.
I have a factory front anti-roll bar on a TR4 and it is undersized compared to the ones that are available on the open market.  As a result I believe that it does very little.  I suspect that the original factory TR3 anti-roll bars were the same diameter as the one on the TR4, therefore of minor value.  This is my opinion.  But the heavier Addco bars should improve on this performance.

Charley Fitch 

[TR3driver]

A front bar was listed as an option by the factory from the introduction of the TR3A (TS22014), although I've never seen a car that was so equipped.  I don't believe it would fit as designed with the earlier "smallmouth" front bumper arrangement.  No listing for a rear bar.

I had ADDCO bars on my 59 TR3A, first front only and then front+rear.  The front bar makes a definite improvement in handling, in my opinion, although how much will depend a lot on what tires you use. 

The rear bar is rather more dubious; I like it on the street because it both reduces understeer in moderately hard corners, and softens the sudden transition to oversteer in very hard corners.  I really hate that point where, as Car & Driver put it, the car would "throw up it's hands and bumble off backwards."  However, it's not the quickest way around the track, because it helps unload the inside rear wheel and increase tire spin.  You lose more time after the corner, waiting for the wheel to come down so you can mash the loud pedal again, than you gain going through the apex.

The factory front bar attaches farther out on the front suspension than the ADDCO bar does, which may make them roughly equivalent in function even though the ADDCO bar is thicker.