briforbes

I fitted my whiteline 22mm ARB a few weeks ago on the middle setting, and found it improved handling immensely. Yesterday, I thought I'd give it a go on the stiffest setting, and found a further improvement in the dry........but it's lethal in the wet!

Under power it's not too bad, but the slightest lift-off sends the back out and cornering speeds have slowed considerably when it rains. Part of the appeal of the impreza is it's wet-weather roadholding......so I'm wondering if by fitting the ARB I've overly compromised my car's handling for the sake of blistering cornering on the few dry days we get here in Scotland?

How do you lot get on with it at the stiffest setting?

ru'

What car do you have, and what other suspension mods?

I've just changed the whiteline arb on my 05 wrx to the stiffest setting (yesterday night) and have only driven in the dry since. I have Prodrive springs and geometry.

On the middle setting I found that in the wet it wouldn't oversteer at all, as the front seemed to get less grip.

911

I hill climb my mildly modded Sti v3 in dry and rain with the rear on middle, 22mm front bar, 24 rear.

If you have a stock front and a 22 rear then middle hole as an all-round position and learn to drive with it. These changes do alter the car considerably, so take a bit of time to get familiar with the changes.

Graham

silent running

What are your rear tyres like? If it's a problem in the wet but not in the dry, I'd be inclined to look at the tyre tread depth rather than the ARB. The ARB is just highlighted an existing problem?

Personally I run the stiffest setting and don't have problems although it IS a case of just getting used to how it drives.

briforbes

It's an sti 3, with KYB adjustable shocks set to 5 (out of a possible 8, with 8 being stiffest), 22mm adjustable arb, and solid droplinks.

The tyres are 3 weeks old.

I've spent a bit more time getting used to it, and I can probably live with it. I may swap back to the middle setting and see if I prefer it at that. I've just driven home along some country roads in heavy rain and all seems ok, although with autumn/winter looming the middle setting may be safest.

simo

Try putting one of the sides back to middle 1st & leave the other on max to see if this suits you. The arb has 5 settings if you use it this way

MY99-5DR

Asking the eejit questions - are your new tyres properly scrubbed in? Do you have a full matching set of four, or have you replaced a pair?

911

Road tyres usually take about 200 'good' road miles to buff-up properly.
Check the pressures also, try 30 front/28 rear.
Graham

vamos

iTrader: (1)

Very interesting stuff this.

I am just about to put Whiteline ARB's on MY06 WRX Wagon. I am going to go with 22mm front and 24mm rear, but I have a question.

The 22mm front bar will take about 3 weeks to arrive. Should I fit the 24mm now and set on softest, keeping stock in front, or will that make the rear too stiff.

I am going to the Nurburgring in about three weeks time, so it is touch and go whether the front bar will get here in time. Bottom line is - am I better off persevering with stock ARBs or should I fit the 24mm rear, bearing in mind that I will be driving rather hard.

Thanks for any comments.

simo

Vamos, yes, get if fitted. It will help the cornering no end

silent running

Put it this way...do you want to remember your trip to the 'Ring as understeering off every bend and having to slow down as a result, or as a drift fest?

My adjustable 22mm rear is always on the stiffest setting anyway, and I have a standard front bar, although I've got the alloy droplinks both ends as well, so I suppose that tightens up the front a little, but not much. Anyway, I find it's perfectly manageable and to be honest, I'd go for the 24mm rear bar the same as you if I were to do it again. Just take it easy and learn how it handles with the big bar on the back. Probably keeping your rear tyre pressure low in comparison to the front will help as well e.g. 30psi rear/ 35psi front?

vamos

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the input.

I have had the car at the ring once already, and was very disappointed in the wallowy antics. Not confidence inspiring at all. Learnt recently that the standard ARB on the WRX wagon is actually only 17 mm (same as the 2.0 litre, schoolrun bus), so even worse than the saloon.

As for your advice (and simo, thanks ) this was my gut feel also, but it is good to have it confirmed. With a bit of luck the front will get here in time though

Good point about being able to compensate some with the tyre pressures.

aggs

Interesting post.
mine set in Middle and tyre pressures do make a difference,to the feel of the car .
Seems to be a mixed reaction among owners from this and also previous posts.
I was in Scotland last week and found some roads slippy under trees, more than in the past, must be the time of year??! Gave me one a brown trouser moment in my wifes Golf TDI estate when trying to experiment on the handling on wet under tree S bend??!!
So if experimenting with handling in the wet take care!! Nearly caught me out.!!

911

Remember that all this set-up game is a quest to get it right for YOU.
Other's suggestions, inc mine, are bore from personal experiences on road and/or track.

My set-up will not suit some others etc.

If you really want to get into the dark depths of this facinating topic get a very big cup of coffee or better, and read this:

https://www.scoobynet.com/searching-...s-t445470.html

If you do get to the end of it firstly well done (or get a life) and i hope you will appreciate it is a personal endeavour to get it all right for you.

Not sure if I've cracked it yet.

Graham

RRH

lmao

FLAT ERIC

iTrader: (1)

Beginners guide to Noltec Drop Links & Whiteline rear ARB on a MY03 Wagon. Pictures are worth a thousand words.

Surgeons tools



Old & New - 14mm & 12mm bolts



Grubby



Bufty





Two spare narrower bushes are for the old standard saddle clamps.

Fitting guide for 22mm Adjustable Rear Anti-Roll Bar & HD mounts

First you need to raise the rear of the car to get enough space to work under the car but keep the car at normal ride height with the weight still on the wheels.Some simple wheel ramps are fine as they should give you enough room to swing the original ARB out from under the car.

A 12mm socket wrench will remove the saddle clamp nuts & bolts and a 14mm spanner and socket wrench will remove the drop-link bolts.
Once these have been removed from both sides, the ARB can be removed although it is slightly awkward since the bar bends around the backbox of the exhaust.

Undo the two 12mm bolts securing the mounting bracket to the chassis & remove.Make a cutaway in the plastic shield as it will help you to get to the bolt & to locate the new bracket later.

Refit the new heavy duty mounts,I had to trim one corner of the HD bracket so it would sit squarely when mounted.Slide the new ARB behind the exhaust pipe and then swing it into place. Use plenty of the white grease on both the inside and outside of the new bushes and clip the new bushes onto the ARB then push the saddle clamps onto the bushes and fix them back onto the new HD mounting brackets.Attach the ARB to the drop-links in one of 3 positions that will determine the 'stiffness' of the ARB :-
1. The outer holes (closest to the ends of the bar) - softer setting
2. The middle holes - closets match to a fixed 22mm bar
3. The inner holes - stiffest setting
I used the middle setting first to see how it alters the cars handling.

Old & New


Thick & Thin
1. The outer hole (closest to the end of the bar) - softest setting
2. The middle hole - nearest to a fixed 22mm bar setting
3. The inner hole - hardest setting



NS from behind


OS from behind


NS from side


OS from side


Modified shield


Wide angle


Mark

360ste

iTrader: (1)

Nice pics.