[Evil Diesel]

It is certainly a lot more pointy - there is definately more oversteer in sharp corners (roundabouts) but it is properly controllable - I think it balaces out the handing quite nicely.

[ianw]

Totally agree the H&R rear ARB transforms the handling, cant wait to get it on the track again.

[Evil Diesel]

A bit more pointy was my feeling.

[RS3Dell]

A bit more pointy was my feeling.

Tony.

Mine likewise 😊

Dell.

[flybynite]

It just seems to be a VAG thing, every one of them I have had I have had to uprate the RARB.

 

Not like it has turned them into some wild oversteer monster, just made them drive like they should where the back of the car follows the front.

 

Don't think about it anymore, just swap them. Had one sitting here for the RS before it arrived 

[Evil Diesel]

A fairly balanced explanation and so true!  Well said.

[RS3Dell]

It just seems to be a VAG thing, every one of them I have had I have had to uprate the RARB.
 
Not like it has turned them into some wild oversteer monster, just made them drive like they should where the back of the car follows the front.
 
Don't think about it anymore, just swap them. Had one sitting here for the RS before it arrived 

Audi view understeer as being safer then oversteer for the average owner.

Dell.

[flybynite]

Audi view understeer as being safer then oversteer for the average owner.

 

True: I know the theory, and to a large extent I agree with them. It is all well and good these reviewers raving about RWD cars saying "you feel they are always on the edge of a major accident" From experience it is a real ball-ache in your life when you actually have one. I don't use lairy RWD cars as a daily when I'm half asleep anymore. It only caught me out once in 30 odd years of driving them, but that was more than enough.

 

Made it even more annoying when driving something sensible then some oik lost the back end on the inside of me on a roundabout and side-swiped me.

 

But

 

VAG have a habit of taking it way too far. Our VW wagen is case in point 24mm front ARB 16mm rear ARB 

 

It is not like it is anywhere near oversteer with the 22mm RARB fitted, it just goes round corners tidier without the back end wallowing all over the place and scrubbing the front. No idea what they were thinking.

 

TBH Don't think the RS is too bad at all, but if a small improvement in handling can be had for not much effort, I'm up for that. Need to get tyres sorted first, then work upwards.

 

Was the site down for a couple of days or was it me?

[MarkMac-RS3]

Do they not fit the same ARB across all A3 models? If they do I guess there is a cost saving in there as well as the known understeer is a safer characteristic.

[Evil Diesel]

The stock rear ARB is a pretty flimsy affair - best to get rid tbh.

 

As for the site - it is not you - the thing was f*cked yet again.

[RS777]

So what does everyone think is the best RARB and does anyone ever swap the front one?

As I’m fitting the Verkline front subframe, wishbones etc. I’m considering the same but open to ideas.

[RS777]

Looks like Verkline don’t do ARBs which is strange considering they do whole subframes?

I’ve answered my own question regarding the FARB being no point after reading a big thread on here started in 2017.
Looks like 034 and H&R are the only ones I can find. Is there anything else worth do at the same time as the ARB?

[flybynite]

So what does everyone think is the best RARB and does anyone ever swap the front one?

 

Hasn't everyone just gone for the H&R? Going from 21.7mm to 25mm is a fairly big jump can't see any reason to go more. FL may even need a bit less. Don't think there is much option as ones for the Golf 7R don't fit.

 

It will have more effect on the FL than the PFL because of engine weight and you are taking another chunk of weight out of the front. What are you doing at the back?

 

Personally I would do things like that one step at a time. Ask your self what problem you are trying to solve rather than just uprating everything. 

 

If you upgrade the front ARB you will change the balance of the car back towards standard cancelling the rear.

 

The FL is not bad as standard. You may find the weight reduction has done all you need, if not the add the rear ARB and see where the balance sits. Too much? add the front ARB.

 

Going round low speed corners is one thing but you do have to keep an eye on the effect it has on high speed lift-off oversteer. (which to answer my own question above, is probably what VAG were thinking when they set these cars up)

[RS777]

Hasn't everyone just gone for the H&R? Going from 21.7mm to 25mm is a fairly big jump can't see any reason to go more. FL may even need a bit less. Don't think there is much option as ones for the Golf 7R don't fit.

It will have more effect on the FL than the PFL because of engine weight and you are taking another chunk of weight out of the front. What are you doing at the back?

Personally I would do things like that one step at a time. Ask your self what problem you are trying to solve rather than just uprating everything.

If you upgrade the front ARB you will change the balance of the car back towards standard cancelling the rear.

The FL is not bad as standard. You may find the weight reduction has done all you need, if not the add the rear ARB and see where the balance sits. Too much? add the front ARB.

Going round low speed corners is one thing but you do have to keep an eye on the effect it has on high speed lift-off oversteer. (which to answer my own question above, is probably what VAG were thinking when they set these cars up)

I’m probably going to fit the Verkline rear subframe and all the corresponding lightweight parts early next year at the same time as a rear Wavetrack. The rear Wavetrack is nearly finished its R&D for the RS3 FL, but I’d like to wait 6 months to see how they go before ordering. I think my next upgrade will probably by the same lightweight AP Racing front brakes used on the LMS. Then I’ll get a set of forged 18 inch alloys with semi slick tyres for summer/track use.

Edited by StuW13, 04 April 2021 - 09:45 AM.

[RS3Dell]

Hasn't everyone just gone for the H&R? Going from 21.7mm to 25mm is a fairly big jump can't see any reason to go more. FL may even need a bit less. Don't think there is much option as ones for the Golf 7R don't fit.
 
It will have more effect on the FL than the PFL because of engine weight and you are taking another chunk of weight out of the front. What are you doing at the back?
 
Personally I would do things like that one step at a time. Ask your self what problem you are trying to solve rather than just uprating everything. 
 
If you upgrade the front ARB you will change the balance of the car back towards standard cancelling the rear.
 
The FL is not bad as standard. You may find the weight reduction has done all you need, if not the add the rear ARB and see where the balance sits. Too much? add the front ARB.
 
Going round low speed corners is one thing but you do have to keep an eye on the effect it has on high speed lift-off oversteer. (which to answer my own question above, is probably what VAG were thinking when they set these cars up)

At last someone with a methodical brain 👍

Dell.

[flybynite]

Fitting a front will neutralise the benefits of fitting a rear one....back to square 1.

 

Looking closer not so sure about that now, especially with the 034 setup, they give % increases over standard in the spec and it looks like the 034 F&R setup still keeps a rearward bias over standard. Not sure about the 37mm H&R FARB though as I have not seen any % for them.

 

For the 034

Front 18%-40% over std

Rear 81%-102% over std

 

Which to my basic finger-counting looks like you would still have between 84% and 41% rear bias depending on which hole you picked

 

After driving a mates 8v PFL before and after fitting an H&R rear bar I had one sitting here waiting for the right car. The right one happened to be a FL and the difference from the PFL was more than I expected. I am second guessing just the rear H&R bar now as for me and what the car does, going bigger than the front may be a bit too much. I've got enough cars with lift-off-oversteer as it is.

 

The full set of 034 bars and the ability to fine tune it may be what I'm looking for. Need to get some good tyres on and do a bit of driving first though! 

Edited by flybynite, 04 April 2021 - 09:07 PM.

[flybynite]

At last someone with a methodical brain

Dell.

   Bane of my life sometimes 

[RS3Dell]

Flybynite.

Correct me if I'm wrong 034 specify the same rear ARB on all the platforms PFL, FL & Rs

Dell.

[RS3Dell]

Bane of my life sometimes

Better thinking it through & having a thorough understanding than asking people on forums & still being clueless.

Dell.

Edited by RS3Dell, 04 April 2021 - 09:29 PM.

[flybynite]

Correct me if I'm wrong 034 specify the same rear ARB on all the platforms PFL, FL & Rs

 

I think the two manufacturers are the same, same bar for FL + PFL RS (034-402-1015) but different one for Golf R, S3 (034-402-1006)

 

Front bar seems universal across all the platforms

 

As I have it already I may try the H&R and see how it sits. Be nice if H&R provided a bit more info as it looks like the front bar would take the balance back to near std