Has anyone fitted theirs yet?

If so can you please tell me where you placed the axle stands whilst fitting the bar, and do the rear wheels have to be removed?

And finally when removing the bolts from the bottom of the shock is anything required to keep the hole lined up or do they stay in line as the weight is off the wheels?

Cheers.

Has anyone fitted theirs yet?

If so can you please tell me where you placed the axle stands whilst fitting the bar' date=' and do the rear wheels have to be removed?

And finally when removing the bolts from the bottom of the shock is anything required to keep the hole lined up or do they stay in line as the weight is off the wheels?

Cheers.[/quote']

easiest way to fit it is to put the back of the car on ramps, fit the drop links, then put the ends of the arb onto the droplinks without tightening up you can then swing the bar up to the beam axle and fit the saddle brackets, this saves on very sore and aching arms the next day as the arb is damned heavy.

You don't need to remove the wheels or support the weight of the car and IMO is the quickest and easiest way to do this, <35mins to fit .....anyone managed it quicker?

That sounds a great idea, i am doing it tomorrow so unless anyone knows a better way thats what i will be doing Thanks.

Have you noticed much improvement in the handling? And what setting did you use? I was intending to use the middle setting.

That sounds a great idea' date=' i am doing it tomorrow so unless anyone knows a better way thats what i will be doing Thanks.

Have you noticed much improvement in the handling? And what setting did you use? I was intending to use the middle setting.[/quote']

Yes I started with the middle setting then changed to the stiffer setting and either way it has made a real difference, will be fitting the Golf R32 front ARB shortly as this is 23mm as opposed to the std 18mm that should tighten things up nicely!

I am running Coilovers with 180Lb 8" x 2.25 springs front and rear and the difference over standard is amazing....however used to have a sorted AXGT with Spax springs and dampers and it is still a little way behind the AX due to the weight transfer....the AX had no weight! :eek: but i'm getting there!

I placed my axle stands under the sills (no damage done)

To hold the suspension in place while I changed the bolts over I placed a bottle jack under the rear arm

It's an easy job but like all these things, the first time you do it it's a bit fiddly

I keep it on the middle setting because on the stiffest she seemed to want to go in a straight line at roundabouts

I read these before doing mine... this is what the Americans reckon...

http://www.vwenthusiast.com/technical/SwayBar/swaybar.html

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=452388

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1150997

Hmmm interesting, so do you actually NEED to support the suspension? I don't have a bottle jack here but i do have some ramps so could do it as Daver suggested, i just don't want to undo something and the suspension fly off lol..

Hmmm interesting, so do you actually NEED to support the suspension? I don't have a bottle jack here but i do have some ramps so could do it as Daver suggested, i just don't want to undo something and the suspension fly off lol..

I just thought it was for the best

you could use the normal jack ?

Hmmm interesting, so do you actually NEED to support the suspension? I don't have a bottle jack here but i do have some ramps so could do it as Daver suggested, i just don't want to undo something and the suspension fly off lol..

Stathap had to support the arms because when you raise the car it will drop the suspension arms past there normal position, with the weight on the car you can undo the shock absorber bolts easily, once removed the shock will drop slowly to its maximum extension, just a matter of pushing it up to by hand to align the holes again nothing will fly off or fall off and there is no danger of jacking the rear of the car in the wrong place, I have seen a lot of pics of this done where the axle stands have been placed against the rear footwells, this is not strong enough to support the weight of the car and can in extreme cases split the sheet metal......ramps also mean roro!!!! what could be easier Have fun!

Thats settled then will be doing it tomorrow provided the weather is ok, will post back with result and conclusions on handling. Thanks for the advice guys

"I keep it on the middle setting because on the stiffest she seemed to want to go in a straight line at roundabouts"

That seems strange, i thought the stiffest setting caused slight oversteer, that sounds like understeer, maybe you need to be a bit more aggressive on turn in..

maybe you need to be a bit more aggressive on turn in..

have you seen me drive ?

Not that i am aware of

Might not get it fitted today as it is raining here :(

Well i braved the weather and it is on took me a while to get the axle clips on, much spanner rash later and it is fitted, now to test it...

I did it on ramps and it really was easy (apart from the clamps)

First impressions are....

In the wet it seems to have instantly improved turn in response, no massive roll before turning, it also feels as though it is gripping more at the front.

Cant wait to try it in the dry

Had a go at trying to fit the ARB today...had to give up as I'm feeling no to well...anyway...

.....I see that fitting the rear beam brackets is a real b**ch...and frommy brief experience I can say it is....

....so how do you fit the brackets?

Without the bushes they clip over no probs but with the bushes in place yet just can't get it to clip over the beam.

I toyed with the idea of putting the bushes in hot water to make them more pliable but thought by the time I got them back to the car they'd probably would've lot all heat.

I did try putting a screw driver through the bolt hole and lever it but it alwas went back to the original place.

By then I was feeling dizzy and starting to get a bit of a fever so gave up....still feeling crap but the the bracket business is p**sing me off so need an answer so I can go back to my sick bed in peace.

Cheers.

p.s car was up on ramps.

Had a go at trying to fit the ARB today...had to give up as I'm feeling no to well...anyway...

.....I see that fitting the rear beam brackets is a real b**ch...and frommy brief experience I can say it is....

....so how do you fit the brackets?

Without the bushes they clip over no probs but with the bushes in place yet just can't get it to clip over the beam.

I toyed with the idea of putting the bushes in hot water to make them more pliable but thought by the time I got them back to the car they'd probably would've lot all heat.

I did try putting a screw driver through the bolt hole and lever it but it alwas went back to the original place.

By then I was feeling dizzy and starting to get a bit of a fever so gave up....still feeling crap but the the bracket business is p**sing me off so need an answer so I can go back to my sick bed in peace.

Cheers.

p.s car was up on ramps.

Adrian,

G-Clamp

Hang on and I'll find you a link and a pic

I used a 11mm spanner which fitted into the hole and allowed me to force it on by levering it, it is a b***h i agree, a G clamp is probably better but i didn't have any. S0d taking it off each year to grease the bushes!!

You need to wap one of these round the bad boy

Buy one from Happy Halfords, use it ....

Then take it back

Cheers Pete.....thought I might need something extra.....also good to know that even in my sickened state I'm not complete brain dead.

Will try again sometime.....will borrow the clamps from me Old Man.....that way I don't have to fork out any money and can borrow them indefinately.

Had mine fitted for me (OK - I know it's a DIY job, but I'm fat and lazy, and didn't fancy crawling around under the car on the drive).

Anyway, it took less than half an hour with the car up on a lift. The guys who did it are shortly opening a new VAG specialist tuning shop in Newport, which is nice