MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Track Day Technical => Topic started by: firesafetydave on April 03, 2017, 03:35:22 pm

Title: ARB's
Post by: firesafetydave on April 03, 2017, 03:35:22 pm
Hi there, i have just purchased an ED30 with a few mods, its running bilstien B14's at the moment which give a great ride but im looking to change the ARB's. What would you recommend as new to VAG.  Car is only weekend warrior and track toy.
Thanks
Dave
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: Paradox1 on April 05, 2017, 03:30:17 pm
My car is getting my roll bars done today. Ive gone with adjustable whiteline front and rear bars.
Same as any other car really so I can expect less bodyflex, and flatter turning in. a balance between understeer and oversteer.
Whichever brand you get, make sure they are adjustable depending on how you drive on track
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: rich83 on April 05, 2017, 03:40:04 pm
H&R roll bars are decent
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: FJ1000 on April 05, 2017, 05:43:29 pm
So I discovered something interesting when looking at ARBs for my new track toy, and chatting to the track/motorsport inclined members over on the TT forum.

The conclusion being that if you have an understeery car, you probably don't want to upgrade the front anti-roll bar. The argument being that you're actually making understeer at the limit worse with a thicker front ARB. Yes, it will corner flatter, but at the limit, the inside wheel is trying to lift off the tarmac more with a thicker ARB, and so the grip limit of the outside tyre is exceeded more easily.

So what a lot of the guys that compete in their TTs do is to only upgrade the rear ARB, and some of them remove the front ARB entirely!

Another interesting fact is that when Audi did their infamous TT recall because it was too tail happy, part of the mods to dial in more understeer was to make the rear ARB thinner and the front ARB thicker (by 1mm each).

Anyway, I thought it was interesting...


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Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: Paradox1 on April 06, 2017, 09:39:40 am
Ive heard that too but remember the haldex system plays a part in this too.

After having mine fitted yesterday the car corners so much flatter, it just pulls you round a corner with ease and the turn in is so much more direct. I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy track cars or B-road drivng
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: firesafetydave on April 06, 2017, 02:11:56 pm
thanks guys
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: Damian @ DPM on April 06, 2017, 04:05:56 pm
Hi there, i have just purchased an ED30 with a few mods, its running bilstien B14's at the moment which give a great ride but im looking to change the ARB's. What would you recommend as new to VAG.  Car is only weekend warrior and track toy.
Thanks
Dave

If it's for everyday fast road use then either the Eibach or H&R ARBs are more than good enough.

Damian @ DPM Performance
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: Paradox1 on April 06, 2017, 04:33:24 pm
Hi there, i have just purchased an ED30 with a few mods, its running bilstien B14's at the moment which give a great ride but im looking to change the ARB's. What would you recommend as new to VAG.  Car is only weekend warrior and track toy.
Thanks
Dave

If it's for everyday fast road use then either the Eibach or H&R ARBs are more than good enough.

Damian @ DPM Performance

And when you buy, order from damian, mine arrived like the next day!
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: pudding on April 06, 2017, 04:58:14 pm
So I discovered something interesting when looking at ARBs for my new track toy, and chatting to the track/motorsport inclined members over on the TT forum.

The conclusion being that if you have an understeery car, you probably don't want to upgrade the front anti-roll bar. The argument being that you're actually making understeer at the limit worse with a thicker front ARB. Yes, it will corner flatter, but at the limit, the inside wheel is trying to lift off the tarmac more with a thicker ARB, and so the grip limit of the outside tyre is exceeded more easily.

So what a lot of the guys that compete in their TTs do is to only upgrade the rear ARB, and some of them remove the front ARB entirely!

Another interesting fact is that when Audi did their infamous TT recall because it was too tail happy, part of the mods to dial in more understeer was to make the rear ARB thinner and the front ARB thicker (by 1mm each).

Anyway, I thought it was interesting...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The problem with only doing the rear ARB is it makes the rear end unpredictable in wet weather. 

A lot of people treat understeer like it's a venereal disease but most people can deal with it, and is therefore preferable to sudden and unintentionally provoked oversteer on a busy roundabout!  Yes, I've been that man  :grin:

Another thing to bear in mind is uprated ARBs increase the spring rate over bumps because they need more force to twist, so again, can make things a little twitchier than normal on schitty back roads.  On flat A roads and tracks - epic.

ARBs don't give you more mechanical grip, they just change when the car will let go, similar to how cams don't give you more torque, they just move it further up the revs.


Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: firesafetydave on April 10, 2017, 09:53:10 am
just going to buy the H & R ones of Damien. Thanks all  :happy2:
Title: Re: ARB's
Post by: Shoduchi on April 10, 2017, 12:32:49 pm
As previously advised here, the better balance for track use with the H&R ARB is 26 mm front and 24 mm rear.