ARBs

[GrahamS4]

Yes I got excited when I saw the price ~£180 of the Eibach ARB "kit" but on investigation it looks like a front ARB only.

Can anyone explain in basic laymans terms why it appears from peoples fitment that an uprated rear only ARB works?

My only understanding is that a thicker ARB reduces roll, full stop. How you achieve this without upsetting the the rest of the car by just a rear bar I don't get? Anyone for achallenge to expalin to me?

Secondly are the H&R ARBs available separetely front and back? I see from some signatures people just have the rear H&R ARB. Rough price for a new rear only?

Also if fitting a rear only should I gor for the thicker or thinner H&R? My logical mind is telling me the ticker is probably best paired with an uprated front or doesn't it have to work like that? I just want less body roll, I don't want to alter the basic handling characteristics.

TIA
Graham

[Doug_S2]

there is a used thin rear h&r ARB sitting here off a members car that he wants to sell. I also have a new H&R front ARB.

[MarkB]

The idea of fitting just a thicker rear bar is to cause the rear to have slightly less grip causing less understeer. I have heard it said that a thicker bar on the front reduces the grip at that end also but thats debatable.

If you want to reduce body roll then I think you will need to do front and back.

I want to reduce under steer on mine so I'm doing just the rear. If I was getting a H&R rear bar I would go for the 17mm. I think the larger one is too much without the front bar to match.

I've just received today a 19mm bar from the US which is MY preferred size. I'll take pictures later and hope to fit it on the car tomorrow so I'll post how it feels when I've been for a spin (hopefully not literally)

I understand H&R dealers sell the bars individually if asked.

[GrahamS4]

there is a used thin rear h&r ARB sitting here off a members car that he wants to sell. I also have a new H&R front ARB.

Can you PM me a price for both - if you don't know about the rear can you let me know the member when you PM me about the price for the front.

[GrahamS4]

Well that'll be me lined up for a H&R front and back (thinner rear). Cheers all.

[jfeb]

Just for reference, I have the thicker H&R ARB on the rear plus the front H&R ARB with RS4 springs and shocks and the handling is completely neutral - exactly what I wanted. FAR less roll and FAR more "pointy". Perfect

[s4woody]

my old S4 avant had the thicker rear and front H&R and it handled like it was on rails..
i also fitted metal rear arb links which prob stopped any flexing on the rear..i never suffered any understeer before i fitted them and nothing once fitted..i then fitted H&R coilovers and it felt even better..if thats poss..get the thicker rear..its not overkill its just a good upgrade..

[GrahamS4]

Setting another record for parts purchase and then fitting, I bought a used rear 17mm H&R ARB from DavidT and new front from MRC and had Doug @ MRC fit them both this afternoon

Had the front fitted on the softer setting and the rear on the hardest.

Feels very good so far, but need a run unaccompanied on a tried and tested stretch of road before I'll appreciate the full extend to the change, but it feels promising indeed.

[DavidT]

Good man Graham, I'm sure you will enjoy that upgrade

[GrahamS4]

I will. Been out for a quick spin this afternoon and this really is one of those modifications you can notice the before and after.

It's amazing how the car is transformed with the pitching and rolling that used to inject a lack of confidence in the car gone. The car feels so much more stable, going where you aim it allowing me to explore the grip avialable without getting sea sick.

On a long high speed sweeper that last week had me again wondering about the car's handling, the car was just planted and let me accellerate through, the car flat where before I was anxious from the roll.

All this and I have retained stock ride height and comfort.

I've got to follow the crowd on this one, thumbs up, thoroughly recommended. If you only make one handling modification, make it this one, I've just eliminated the only area I could previously criticise the car on.

[clubsport]

Is that right? softest front and hardest on rear......I appreciate hardening the rear reduces understeer, but never had such extreme different settings on any cars I have owned with adjustable arbs.

[GrahamS4]

It's hard to have "extreme different" settings when there are only two to choose from I would have thought. When I say softest and hardest, I think we really mean, harder and harder still.

[DavidT]

Is that right? softest front and hardest on rear......I appreciate hardening the rear reduces understeer, but never had such extreme different settings on any cars I have owned with adjustable arbs.

Yes, I think so, the upgraded ARB's are bigger front and rear but setting them soft front & hard rear gives the best balance in my experience.

[clubsport]

Makes sense now Guys, didn't realise the choice of 2 settings.....I am used to playing with 5 settings on an Arb.....may consider Arbs & DTS for mine,,,makes more sense than chipping it to me

[S4TAN]

may consider Arbs & DTS for mine,,,makes more sense than chipping it to me

ARBs and DTS are great; ain't no doubt about it ... but if you haven't had a re-map then you've definitely gotta get one of them too!