Improved handling (Suspension, ARB, Bushes)

[Ruical]

Prawn

Might go for the StaSIS kit now, as I have just realised they are only 20miles away from my sisters house, in Seattle. May have a wee holiday and go visit them (If I can arrange, would anybody be interested in a StaSIS group buy???)

Would be grateful if you could PM me, with prices, part no's and settings you are now using?

Were your spring rates a special order?, as their website only shows increments of 100lb increase (although I notice this is just recommendations)

What's the diameter of the H&R ARB? as StaSIS are advertising a 19mm 2-way adjustable for $290

Also, are the CPP front control arms similar to yours, just by a different supplier? (What's the difference in price/, CPP are $695)

Thankx in advance,

Andy

[TarmacTerrorist]

Where abouts are you finding it losing the rear end, on the entrance or the exit of the corner?

I'll bet 50p on the entrance.......

[JohnW]

So, just to clarify, is there any merit in fitting a Gmbh rear roll bar while keeping the standard springs/dampers ?

I have a Gmbh setup sitting on the shelf in the garage but have not fitted it as the roads are bl00dy bumpy round our way, and I don't want to kill the road ride for the few times the car visits a track.

Btw, the Gmbh does have 2 holes in it, so I assume it is similar to the H&R bar.

Prawn, if your car doesn't understeer anymore no wonder I couldn't catch you at Silverstone !
Mine was understerering like a b@stard when under power, especially at the last bend before the start straight. I put this down to the tyres as much as anything though.

[TarmacTerrorist]

It will definately take away some of the body roll you get with the standard set up John, I cant see it will do any harm in fitting it at all.

[Prawn]

Possible, I suppose it would be easier to tell if you were behind the car on track, however you have to push very hard before it lets go and even then it is very progressive. If it were due to an overly stiff setup I would have thought it would let go more violently.

[TarmacTerrorist]

Prawn, if your car doesn't understeer anymore no wonder I couldn't catch you at Silverstone !
Mine was understerering like a b@stard when under power, especially at the last bend before the start straight. I put this down to the tyres as much as anything though.

Think you'll find there are a few more variables in it than that John, I have a great bit of footage here taken from the passenger seat of JRs car looking at the back of mine for about 4 or 5 laps going around the hockenheim ring (the short track) in the 2003 rsdc. John was running full h+r psc kit , 500+ bhp and movits all round, I was on a completey standard set up. There is one point of the circuit were it goes down to a 2nd gear hairpin then hooks a left, right chicane and joins back into the full GP circuit were you imediately flow into a further high speed sweeping right hander.

John was catching me up every time under braking for the hairpin , but could not keep with me as soon as we rounded it and went through the chicane and fast right hander, it was only coming to the next braking zone John would catch me back up on the brakes.

How was this possible?? After watching the footage, I noticed one big difference although we were both taking exactly the same lines.
I was clearing the hairpin in 2nd gear and short- shifting into 3rd almost immediately allowing me to accelerate the full way through the chicane and right hander onto the straight with out taking my foot off, John on the other hand was not changing into 3 rd until later upsetting the flow of power through the chicane and then having to lift slight on his enterance to the r-hander. Towards the end of the footage even the passenger (Stephan) has a chuckle to himself as I keep pulling away every time we hit that part of the track.

[TarmacTerrorist]

Possible, I suppose it would be easier to tell if you were behind the car on track, however you have to push very hard before it lets go and even then it is very progressive. If it were due to an overly stiff setup I would have thought it would let go more violently.

It's a shame you dont have a gmbh bar to try out with the rest of your current set-up, you may actually find that it will neutral the car up... Suppose if it were easy enough to change over you could even do it while on a trackday and feel the results firsthand on indivdual corners rather than just thinking it may or may not now feel better.

[sitas3]

So given that I have not yet fitted my H&R bars, should I just fit the rear bar and leave the front alone?

[JohnW]

If someone (Prawn ?) wants to experiment by swapping bars I am more than happy for them to have a go with my Gmbh bar since its not fitted yet. I want it back in one piece though !

I expect you lot knew his anyway, but the Gmbh springs I have are marked/made by Eibach, and I think the ARB is too. I'll check tonight.

[TarmacTerrorist]

So given that I have not yet fitted my H&R bars, should I just fit the rear bar and leave the front alone?

If my memory serves me correct the standard rear bar is 15mm dia and the gmbh is 17mm dia, dont know about the H+R rear bar, perhaps you could get your tape out simon and do some measuring on both the front and rears.

Again, I cant see it doing to much harm, 'Suck it and See' is probably the best thing to do, I have tried a variety of combos with the standard and gmbh kit with no major adverse effects, if it unsettles the car to your disliking then fit the front aswell.

[sitas3]

OK if the weather is fine on Saturday I will attempt it again - this time with the right tools!

Correct, stock bar is 15mm (same as the B5 quattro series with sports suspension apparently according to etka!) - H&R is 18mm IIRC - will measure it (the bar!) tonight.

[TarmacTerrorist]

will measure it (the bar!) tonight.

yeah, lets keep it factual information.....

[Hutch]

I'd be interested in a group buy. I 've been trying to get prices from Stasis for the last 3 weeks but no response. Spoke to Kim Collins today about my Movits and mentioned Stasis, he is going to make some calls but thought he could supply them, i'm waiting for prices....$$$$

Cheers
Hutch

[TarmacTerrorist]

If it were due to an overly stiff setup I would have thought it would let go more violently.

That would definately be the case with a rwd or mid engined car, but with the Audi having its 4wd, any oversteer you get under power, you will always still have the front wheels wanting to pull you along the road giving almost a washy feeling at the rear, not a big kick.

[dhali]

Just to let you guys know i fitted my H+R ARBs two weeks ago i also have gmbh suspension. H+R make TWO different rear diameter bars for the RS4
one is 18mm the other is 21mm i have the latter and is set to FIRM, i can say what a vast improvement they have made to the handling. The car now handles superbly, i was very surprised that the ARBs can make such a difference. I too had difficulty removing the droplinks(they were seized) eventually i removed them from the TOP bolt both sides still connected to the ARB. i had to buy new droplinks £29.50 EACH!!!!