Hardline Rear Anti Roll Bar?

[domhart10]

Ok so I'm now finding that I need one of these urgently as I have entered my car to go on track in about a month.

Stuck deciding between the hardrace or the white lightning one? are they easy to pop on?

[stevien1]

I'm in 2 minds myself but as mine is everyday driving I'm leaning towards the hard race. As you are tracking the car I'd go solid rather than hollow. As for fitting I had it removed for changing the shocks and springs and was pretty easy. Soak all bolts with wd40 first the do off the nuts on the drop links then the bar. I'm going to replace my drop links at the same time. If you look up the hard race site they do a kit that includes droppings and the arb.

[niggly]

Originally Posted by SouthWestWanderer

Hi Niggly, from memory, its 19mm too, although i'm not 100% certain without getting under the car.

From what I can remember of the research I did when I first looked into this a while back, Volvo used the ST bar in all RDesign models, and on all (including basic) T/D5 models. This left them nothing stiffer to fit to a T/D5 RDesign which is why these are a bit lacking.

I, like you, was wondering what the difference it being hollow would make to the stiffness. This company lists the Hardrace one as being 62% stiffer than stock, which would make sense as the Whiteline comparison chart states that 19-22mm change in solid bar would be 80% stiffer. The question is 60% stiffer than base model, or 60% thicker than RDesign spec?

I'm no engineer either, but from a physics point of view: when you twist a solid bar, the outside has further to go than the core as it has a bigger circumference. If it is relatively thick walled tube, it would make sense that it is still nearly as stiff, as the central core isn't really doing as much as the sides when looking at torsional strength.

Interesting link SWW, thanks. Funnily enough I was going to say, in my post about relative stiffness, that my estimate for the 22mm hollow Hardrace bar was that it would be about 60% stiffer than the standard 19mm. But I took it out as it was pure conjecture. Confused that A&K Motorsport say the Hardrace, with 2 holes, provides 3 settings. Not sure how that works??

I have had a 3 hole Whiteline on my Gen1 R53 Mini Cooper S (17mm standard to 20mm Whiteline) for a couple of months. So far road use only. Started with it on the 'softest' setting. Significant reduction in roll, less understeer, sharper turn-in. Moved it to the 'middle' setting. Much stiffer. I was amazed how such a small change in the distance between the holes made such an appreciable and discernable difference. Pic of Mini on softest. Incidentally, fitting to a Volvo is very easy, especially if you have acces to a ramp/lift. Reckon if you paid a garage to do it it shouldn't take much more than 30 minutes? Provided you don't run into siezed bolts. On a BMW Mini it is an absolute mission (like most things TBH). It is located inside the rear subframe, which has to be dropped. Can take about 3 hours. Groan.

Think it is quite important for folk considering upgrading to find out what thickness of bar they already have. I found a cheapo plastic vernier in the bowels of my tool box and was able to measure mine by having a grovel and a stretch - no jacking or anything, you can reach as it is quite accessible. So you will know roughly what you are getting with an upgrade.

[SouthWestWanderer]

Originally Posted by domhart10

Ok so I'm now finding that I need one of these urgently as I have entered my car to go on track in about a month.

Stuck deciding between the hardrace or the white lightning one? are they easy to pop on?

If you're going on track, I would go for the hardest one you can stand on the road, might make the back end a bit twitchy depending on the rest of your setup, but you'd rather have oversteer on a track than understeer?

Our Volvos are easy to do: Video HERE from MightyCarMods fitting one to a Mazda 3 (same parts family as the Focus/S40/V50)

Originally Posted by niggly

Interesting link SWW, thanks. Funnily enough I was going to say, in my post about relative stiffness, that my estimate for the 22mm hollow Hardrace bar was that it would be about 60% stiffer than the standard 19mm. But I took it out as it was pure conjecture. Confused that A&K Motorsport say the Hardrace, with 2 holes, provides 3 settings. Not sure how that works??

I think they they were implying that you could have different settings on different sides, which just sounds dangerous to me. Perhaps negates the information about 62% stiffer: do they really know what they are talking about?!

Perhaps the Hardrace one would be stiff enough for the D/T5 Rdesign on the stiffer setting if it makes that much difference in your experience?

That Mini install looks like a PITA!

[domhart10]

Ok yeh I placed an order on one but the site seems to keep crashing on the payment section which is frustrating. either way am still after it so when I get it and pop it on, will report back

[stevien1]

I have vertical droplinks on my arb and from reading up they are the better option than the horizontal ones. Does anyone have a link for an uprated arb for the vertical droplinks. Thanks.

[niggly]

Originally Posted by stevien1

I have vertical droplinks on my arb and from reading up they are the better option than the horizontal ones. Does anyone have a link for an uprated arb for the vertical droplinks. Thanks.

Unfortunately my C30 has the horizontal ones.

Here is a link to the Whiteline at Balance (Julian, owner, good guy, knowledgeable and helpful), the 24mm one, vertical tabs, says Ford Focus, but should fit. Good price £151.60
https://balancemotorsport.co.uk/whit...t-5-05-10.html

And the 22mm one direct from Whiteline, £167.51:
http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_...BMR78Z&sq=5363

[stevien1]

Originally Posted by niggly

Unfortunately my C30 has the horizontal ones.

Here is a link to the Whiteline at Balance (Julian, owner, good guy, knowledgeable and helpful), the 24mm one, vertical tabs, says Ford Focus, but should fit. Good price £151.60
https://balancemotorsport.co.uk/whit...t-5-05-10.html

And the 22mm one direct from Whiteline, £167.51:
http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_...BMR78Z&sq=5363

With vertical tabs we would have to change to horizontal drop links as horizontal tabs are for vertical drop links. Hardrace do a kit that contains the horizontal drop links. As far as I can find only elevate do a bar for vertical drop links 🙁

[domhart10]

ok bar arrived on Saturday and weather has been too horrible to fit it so still waiting to do, hopefully tonight if weather holds after work. There are obviously 2 settings or options on the bar for the stiffness I'm guessing? so just wondering if I go further up the bar that would mean a stiffer setting?

[Petey80]

Originally Posted by domhart10

ok bar arrived on Saturday and weather has been too horrible to fit it so still waiting to do, hopefully tonight if weather holds after work. There are obviously 2 settings or options on the bar for the stiffness I'm guessing? so just wondering if I go further up the bar that would mean a stiffer setting?

Looking forward to the installation pics.

Yes, I'm lead to believe that's how they work.

RARB by Pete, on Flickr