I bought a whiteline rear anti-roll bar recently and have been meaning to get round to fitting it. However, I had the car booked in to unit 18 for console bush replacement last Monday and asked if they would fit it. Not a problem they said, and the work has now been completed so I can report my findings. Incidentally, I think alistair managed to fit it in 30 minutes which is incredible! Unit 18 know what they are doing - go there. 

The new consoles made a huge difference to the front end of the car so it felt better from the off. I was driving on roads that I wasn't really familiar with so it was hard to judge if the rarb made a huge difference initially. On slightly more familiar roads I hunted down a few corners and started to gain a bit of confidence. The initial turn in still has a bit of lurch but is sharper - think mk2 golf gti 8v, so not a bad thing - but it was always after that first lurch that things got bit untidy when you pushed harder with the original setup. It used to feel like it would fall over and, of course understeer got progressively worse. Now, it seems to dig in much more purposefully and I could fling the thing about through some sharp esses with a composure it wouldn't have had before. I'm not sure about understeer as it hasn't rained for ages and everything is bone dry so there wasn't any to speak of.  Suffice to say grip was very good at the front and I could have pushed harder if I wanted. Much more responsive to throttle now. A lift of the loud pedal really does tighten the line now - brilliant!  

I got back home and drove some more familiar roads and the difference is noticeable on sharp corners such as right turns, etc. Much less wayward, quicker-witted and I think what sums it up is more composure. 

It reminds me a lot of my golf mk2 gti now - very old school in that it is quite a soft set up and rolls a bit in a progressive way, but still great fun and feels safe and secure to push near the limits. 

It's still not the last word in chassis sophistication and a more modern multilink setup would probably be better over bumps on corners, but it's now as much fun as my old golf which had a primitive rear suspension system and seemed to do fine. A light body and engine helped of course. Despite this, I think it's a great  upgrade to the car and is a relatively cheap thing to do, easily removed too if you're selling on and want to return to standard. 

Get unit 18 to quote for fitting - you'll be amazed!

Thanks for the write-up. It's on my list of things to get, and is probably top of that list.

What setting did they put it on by the way?

Alistair from unit 18 recommended the middle setting so I went with this. The stiffest would probably be more noticeable but I'm not sure I want to go back to lift-off oversteer like on my Rapid! My reflexes aren't what they used to be.

I went for the Middle setting, didn't notice anything so changed to the stiffest setting. IMO just go straight for the stiffest setting!

Alistair from unit 18 recommended the middle setting so I went with this. The stiffest would probably be more noticeable but I'm not sure I want to go back to lift-off oversteer like on my Rapid! My reflexes aren't what they used to be.

Ally put mine on the middle setting. After a couple of days I put it to the stiffest setting and it definitely better. Must have been on 18 months - 2 years and never had a problem with lift off over steer. It certainly makes it easier for you to provoke it, but I've never had a problem with it doing it on its own.

Ok, now I'm going to have to try it on the extreme setting just to see what it is like. Even on medium it makes a difference.

im gonna get one of these but always see this lift off oversteer?? lol is it dangerous?? hard to control? or just "simply" a matter of correcting it? lol

On the skoda rapid it would put you in the hedge if you weren't quick enough with armfuls of opposite lock. It was like Cato from the pink panther films - would creep up on you when least expecting it. That being said, I never spin it and was sideways more than straight.

With front engined, front drivers my experience is that it really needs to be provoked big time to get it to happen, unless you're in a peugeot 205 or 306 gti. Even then it's normally a cae of just booting the loud pedal and the car will get back on line, if not a bit of opposite lock will sort it.

Lots of modern cars, like the family Volvo, have very tricky electronics to prevent the back end coming out even in extreme situations. Boring but safe.

I'm slightly concerned messing with manufacturer settings but from what people have said it doesn't sound like it's too

Much of a problem on the stiffest setting so I will give it a go.

fitted mine yesterday - set it on medium and did notice stiffer ride but after reading the comments just reset it to hard. Not driven it yeat but going out in about an hour - touch wood - will let you know

Although it's a bit late and theres one of these on it's way to me

as we speak, Can't wait I was wondering if the ESP on my car would automatically correct

lift off oversteer? Would the ESP need to be off to get the full enjoyment of this mod?

It's only just occured to me, but it was ordered yesterday from Awesome.

Mrs Grr and her Mum have clubbed together to get me one for my birthday next week.

Lucky escape... I almost got a Black and Decker Workmate instead

fitted mine yesterday - set it on medium and did notice stiffer ride but after reading the comments just reset it to hard. Not driven it yeat but going out in about an hour - touch wood - will let you know

Hasn't got back to us, obviously the hard setting was a bad idea

Mines on Medium at the moment and its all good, now the weathers picked up and the roads warmer I'll probably knock it up a setting myself.

I can get lots of loft off over steer on mine with a Jabbasport RARB (no ESP). LOL

Hasn't got back to us, obviously the hard setting was a bad idea

Mines on Medium at the moment and its all good, now the weathers picked up and the roads warmer I'll probably knock it up a setting myself.

lol - did post but on another thread - just been out on some familiar routes and car handles far better - happy with hard setting. Feels more solid in corners

Good point about the ESP . Just fitted mine this morning, been out for a burn this P.M. great improvement in high speed cornering. One word of caution, I was turning in too early and had to correct because of the improvement.....All good now

I'll give the ESP a go tomorrow

Edited 30 April, 201115 yr by kev12sheds