Just bought a Fabia 1.4TDI Bohemia (to replace my 12 year old Octy TDI) but am really missing the handling of the Octavia. From reading the forum I can see that a rear anti roll bar is a popular mod, but most forum members fitting one seem to have a VRS.

So, just wondered if anyone out there has fitted one to an estate and what they think of it as a mod?

Also I take it that the same bar fits both estate and hatch models - would be looking at the whiteline as I prefer the price (obviously) and adjustability.

Was also thinking about lowering springs, but wanted to try the anti roll bar first (mainly 'cos it's alot easier to fit). Any feedback on estate suspension mods would be much appreciated, as I really like the car generally but will have to sharpen the handling soon!

Edited 12 February, 201115 yr by S563JSW

iirc there was someone onthis site that made a 'vrs' estate with all the gubbings from an ordinary hatch. best have a search for the project and it would prob make interesting read for you?

chris

I had coil overs, uprated front anti roll bar, cupra bushes, poweflex bushes, jabba rear arb, forge front and rear strut braces all on my estate

iirc there was someone onthis site that made a 'vrs' estate with all the gubbings from an ordinary hatch. best have a search for the project and it would prob make interesting read for you?

chris

That was Ross when he was at unit18 with me, it's essentially the same as the hatch arb won't make as much of a difference due to the estates added rear overhang slowing down weight transfer

Edit: beat me to it big man lol

Edited 7 November, 201015 yr by allytech

Handled pretty good until we slung a car trailer and a Nissan 200SX on the back, then it all went a bit Pete Tong.

Handled pretty good until we slung a car trailer and a Nissan 200SX on the back, then it all went a bit Pete Tong.

I stand by that being the most frightened I've ever been "I don't know what to do?" lol

The reaper was on the back seat.

I had coil overs, uprated front anti roll bar, cupra bushes, poweflex bushes, jabba rear arb, forge front and rear strut braces all on my estate

Thanks for the replies, don't think I would want to go quite that far on the Fabia (got an MR2 roadster for serious fun) for the moment I would settle for a similar handling feel to my essentially stock & well worn 215,000 mlie Octavia GLX TDI!!!

Has anyone tried a RARB only on the estate? Contaced AwesomeGTI through ebay who weren't sure a whiteline bar would fit, as they had never fitted one to a Combi. Surely the rear suspension set up is essentially the same.

have bitten the bullet and ordered a whiteline ARB from AwesomeGTI. Will let you all know how I get on.

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by S563JSW

have bitten the bullet and ordered a whiteline ARB from AwesomeGTI. Will let you all know how I get on.

Have a look for the fitting guide. ISTR these bars are actually meant for the Polo but fit Ibizas, Fabias. On the VRS there's a degree of fettling to the brackets required as it has a thicker rear beam. I don't know if that applies to all fabias though.

J.

It will fit just fine.

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by Tech1e

I want to improve the handling a bit on my TDI estate as well. I've had it over a year now and it doesn't handle anywhere near as good as the 2.0L petrol hatchback I had previously. The console bushes are worn and when I have these replaced with Cupra bushes I want to have a suspension kit fitted at the same time.

Looking on the KW website they list a spring and damper kit for the combi with a rear axle weight of 875kg, the variant1 coilovers which include the combi in the list of applications only have a rear axle weight of 840kg.

So are the coilovers suitable for the extra rear weight of the combi or not? I don't want it mega low but unsure whether the 30mm drop on the springs and dampers will be enough?!!

finally got around to fitting my whiteline RARB and cannot believe the difference!

Stock (1.4TDI estate) the handling on very twisty roads at only 50mph!! was more akin to steering a boat.

If going from sharp left to sharp right (or right to left) the car would feel like it was still going round the first bend when it entered the second - staggeringly BAD, although given the very comfy ride and 4x4 ride height perhaps not so surprising. Was convinced it would need lowering springs but fitted the RARB (on middle setting) and the car is transformed - can only say that it now handles like I expected it to in the first place.

Handled pretty good until we slung a car trailer and a Nissan 200SX on the back, then it all went a bit Pete Tong.

was the handling amazing? how much better in comparison to standard?

The estate handled very well IMHO, considering the power the ESP was never bothered that much it just did things as you would expect.

Chris, did you do any suspension mods to your estate? I'm trying to work out the options for my 1.9 TDi estate. Just wondering if VRS shocks and springs will fit?

Al

Edited 24 February, 201115 yr by MuttonChops

I have fitted the Jabba Rear ARB on my 1.9 TDi estate. Made a huge difference Stays a lot flatter through tight bends. Also have front Seat Strut Brace, Koni FSD Dampers and Eibach springs. Handling is awesome!

Next mods are bigger front brakes and bigger front ARB (possibly the VRS one).

finally got around to fitting my whiteline RARB and cannot believe the difference!

Stock (1.4TDI estate) the handling on very twisty roads at only 50mph!! was more akin to steering a boat.

If going from sharp left to sharp right (or right to left) the car would feel like it was still going round the first bend when it entered the second - staggeringly BAD, although given the very comfy ride and 4x4 ride height perhaps not so surprising. Was convinced it would need lowering springs but fitted the RARB (on middle setting) and the car is transformed - can only say that it now handles like I expected it to in the first place.

You could try an uprated front bar too. The stock VRS ones are cheap(ish). Maybe do the console bushes at the same time.

Only fly in the ointment is that the VRS front bar isn't adjustable. So if it's too stiff(!??!) It might mess things up. At least it's relatively cheap to try.

J.

@MuttonChops, not yet I'm waiting on next months bonus at work then I'm going to have something done with it.

Most likely Weitec coilovers and Cupra console bushes.