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B7 RS4 Rear Anti Roll Bar same as B7 S4?

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:45 pm
by neckarsulm
I have measured my rear anti roll bar and it's 22mm wide.
Does this mean it already has the B7 RS4 anti roll bar?
I doubt it has ever been replaced as it was a lease car before.
I have checked ETKA and it only lists a 20mm bar for non-RS4 cars.

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 9:42 pm
by infrasilver
I have just been researching this myself and as far as I can tell the standard S4 was 22mm and RS4 was 24mm which it what I have ordered from Audi.

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:34 pm
by neckarsulm
ETKA says 22mm for RS4 which is what has confused me - it says 20mm max for S4

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:21 am
by BlingBling
22mm ARB = RS4
20mm ARB = S4
18mm ARB = A4's

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 9:33 am
by neckarsulm
Anyone else with a B7 S4 in a position where they can measure theirs?
Alas the part number is only stuck on so mine is long gone.
Mine was deffo 22mm and the RS4 one I was about to put on was also 22mm!

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:28 am
by infrasilver
I am picking my RS4 ARB up today and if I get time will fit it tonight. I will measure both to see what they are and report back.
The sizes I quoted were from another audi forum I think.

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:24 pm
by neckarsulm
Thanks! I used some digital vernier calipers.

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 9:32 pm
by infrasilver
New ARB fitted, and the one I took off was 20mm and the RS4 one was 22mm as you rightly said.

It took about an hour to fit and was fairly straight forward considering I forgot my ratchet and ended up using spanners. There are 2 x 18mm bolts at the ends of the bar and 4 x 13mm bolts for the clamps. I also dropped the rear exhaust boxes off their rubbers to give clearance to take the old ARB out and get the new one in.

I then took it to a couple of roundabouts to give it a whirl and instead of heading towards the kerb as per usual, my traction control light was flashing and it felt very neutral with the back end squealing the tyres. The ride feels as it did before. I'm going to become even more of a hooligan now.

I'm impressed with this mod.

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 1:08 pm
by neckarsulm
I was quite happy with the way my B7 S4 handled so I was reluctant to change it, didn't feel like it had a big old lump up front but got a second hand bar and the car was going to get lifted on a ramp for a service so seemed like a good time.
Someone did tell me that when the B7 S4 was launched it had quite a few suspension changes over the B6 but I haven't seen any confirmation of this in any reviews and even ETKA says 20mm is the biggest for A4/S4 all the way to 2008.
:?

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 1:40 pm
by xyber
Yep, self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension I believe, witch-craft!!

I've got a 29mm rear bar on mine (Hotchkis f&r), with the coilovers, grip in the corners is mad!! No squirming of tyre squeal, just a slight sensation of drifting sideways a little bit, feel like it should have left the factory like that

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:58 am
by R33
How is the quailty and harshness of the ride affected by either the RS4 or Hotchkis RARB's? Mine is a B7 so could someone who's done a B7 let me know their thoughts? Cheers :)

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 10:50 am
by infrasilver
The ride with the RS4 B7 ARB on my S4 B6 does not seem to of been affected at all. I have only swapped the rear though.
It is a straight swap so the B7 should be the same.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 11:38 am
by R33
Thanks for that, I guess I've got no excuse not to do it now ;)

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 1:44 pm
by xyber
No Problems really, I fitted them with KW V3s an it was abit crashy to begin with, but then I raised the ride height abit and it's fine, rear bar is on the soft setting

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:44 pm
by BlingBling
infrasilver wrote:The ride with the RS4 B7 ARB on my S4 B6 does not seem to of been affected at all. I have only swapped the rear though.
It is a straight swap so the B7 should be the same.
The ride won't be affected. A thicker rear ARB improves turn in.