hutton_d

Hi,

Just done all that you want... I have a UK MY96 (so pre-face lift). It already had lowered, stiffened Eiback springs but rolled a lot around corners - and I don't like body roll.

I fitted the 20mm rear AR bar from a later model (MY97 on) plus Powerflex bushes.I replaced the AR bushes plus the link bar bushes. All of this made a vast difference to the handling (or rather body roll). The later AR bar is a straight forward replacement.

I also fitted Powerflex bushes to the front AR bar. I ran into a problem here as PE only list the centre bushes for replacement and NOT the link bar bushes. When I enquired I was told it was because the standard ones ar a metallic bush and not the normal rubber. Mine were normal rubber bushes. I sent PE a front link bar and they said that they had never seen one like this.... Luckily the larger bush matched the rear link bar bushes so I used them. I still have to replace the smaller bush but the rolling, again, has been much reduced.

One thing I noticed with the bushes (front and rear) where the AR bar attaches to the link bar is that, with the Powerflex bushes, they are not being supported properly. IMHO this does not give them the oppurtunity to work at their optimum i.e. roll will not be reduced as much as possible. I made up spacers from stainless steel (I hate rust!) which matched the outside diameter of the new bushes (get the bushes then you'll see what I mean) and just slipped over the bolt - which I also replaced with SS. Did this front and rear.

As for the anti-lift kit, this makes a vast difference to the handling, at least it almost eliminates power-on understeer. Read MRTs literature - it does exactly what it says. Be careful before you order though. They do say that later cars have this geometry change as standard.
The other thing I did at the same time was replace the forward front wish-bone bush with a Powerflex one (the anti-lift kit effectively replaces the rear bush).
Advice when doing this:
a) use a pit or have hydraulic ramps available
b) make sure you a have the correct ball joint seperator for the front tie bar.
c) have heat and a press (not just a vice and table top!) ready to remove the front bush... don't ask me how I know.

The upshot of all this is that the car now rolls a great deal less and turns into corners much better. And if you should want to power through a corner you can (there are still tyre grip limits of course...). And al this is relatively cheap - I'll still get Leda at some stage but the urgency has now gone...

If you want more info email me on david.hutton@3dlabs.com

Dave

hutton_d

Well now, I guess Saj, that this means you can get it for your STiV....

Cheers

Dave