Hi,

I have been looking at the various rear droplinks that are on the market and noticed that a lot of them do not have radiused ends on the bushes.

Without these radiused ends I am sure that they will work as a 'droop limiter' for the rear suspension because they do not allow for the 'sideways' movement that is natural in the Impreza's rear anti roll bar setup.

I wonder if anyone has noticed the negative effects of this with non-radiused drop links?

Cheers

 

Never noticed anything like that, but i have the ugly Whiteline steel rod type which have been perfect, just look awful when they are on the car. (so what?)

Graham

 

Hi Graham,

The Whiteline ones are radiused, so they shouldn't limit the droop.

How is the new setup getting along?

Cheers

 

Sitting very still in the garage.
New tyres on friday, MoT shortly after and then a re map by AndyF in mid march.

First practice event to get the 3 valves in roughly the right place in early April and we are off EVO hunting (heaven help me)

Graham

 

Hi,

A photo for comparison. Good quality droplinks should allow movement in the right directions!

 

There...the middle ones are the right ungly ones!

 

The one on the left looks rather nasty, top bush desn't look happy. Is it droop limiting, looks like less droop on the pic but maybe just the angle? Is that the stock plastic one or a black alloy aftermarket jobby?

I've wondered about this binding wrt the new Whiteline one on the right (?) but I guess you've got that covered.

However, given that most folk still are reducing grip at the back with big arbs (compared to front) in order to improve balance, rather than improve front grip, it seems unlikely that droop limiting (at the rear as in pics) will be seen as a problem. Feel free to shoot me down

 

I have had uprated front and rear bar as advised by Whiteline Austrailia 3 years ago.
Very happy with the result.

Killed the understeer with Noltec's and good geometry
Graham

 

have got powerflex solid rear drop links, they make a lot
of difference especially on the twisties,
chris.

 

Hi Duncan,

The plastic one is a standard one. I haven't got any pictures of others, but the ones I have seen do not allow the angles to be able to allow droop.

As far as a bigger bar at the back reducing grip, is incorrect. It is correct to say that if the rear bar is too big it will reduce grip.
The standard Impreza suffers from too little roll resistance at the back, which besides inducing roll/snap oversteer, works diagonally to the front, allowing the outside front tyre to get too much load and the inside front tire to be unloaded to much (hence more castor works as it loads the inside wheel more on turns).

If mechanical grip is increased by sticky tyres, better dampers etc., the front bar will be slightly too thin as well. Normally quite apparent when the car starts rolling on it's front axle, leaning too much on it's outside front tyre and roll oversteer situations.

Quite logical really, the manufacturer will set the roll resistance for average drivers, tyres, supension, grip etc. I think it is important to remember what the various suspension components function are. Although there is some overlap, the bars are for controlling roll, the springs carry the car, the dampers control the springs etc etc.

Droop limiting can be a very useful tool in race car setup (like dealing with the contra active part) but in most situations droop limitation will reduce grip and traction and can produce snappy grip loss.

Cheers

 

Thats given me something to think about, I stand corrected and thanks for the lesson (again)

 

Off topic: On track my favourite road set-up of uprated rear ARB and stock front caused overheated front tyres very quickly. Thicker front ARB, long with rear ARB on stiffest setting, fixed it.....but roundabouts are no longer quite so much fun

Richard

 

Fit some Noltec's.
Graham

 

If aimed at me, have some different brand strut top mounts waiting to go on during engine swap