Live axle - rear ARB

[Barry H]

To help cure terminal understeer I am considering fitting a rear anti-roll bar to my live axled X-flow.

 

Does anyone have any experience of this, recommend a supplier or a design?

 

All contributions gratefully received!

 

Barry

[allen]

Barry, noticed you have had no reply yet so thought I would chip in and confuse you.

 

Fitting a rear ARB on a live axle seems a radical thing to do, I would suggest there are other ways to remedy terminal understeer. This is not a normal situation with a standard car on standard/recomended settings.

 

What history have you got with the car?

 

Anything non-standard?

 

Have you checked all the other settings that can affect handling, e.g. ride height, toe-in, camber, etc?

 

Have you been along to your local Bar Night and asked around?

 

It would seem, IMHO, there is something either wrong or incorrectly adjusted on your car and a rear ARB would only mask that and make sorting it out more difficult.

 

Regards

 

allen

[Robster]

To cure your understeer, soften your front dampers and turn the back ones up a couple of clicks! The michelin tyres do not help, but you can turn your understeer into brown pants oversteer, or hopefully something in the middle by not being too hard on the front shocks.

 

Let me know how you get on!

[Barry H]

Thanks for the replies.

 

The car was a 1997 scholarship with a 8v 1600 vx engine. Is now 1700 X-flow with wide track front suspension, 6 speed box and Escort LSD back axle. All of which I have done myself.

 

Camber is 2 degrees negative, toe out is 30 minutes,

corner weights, with me in it are diagonally equal, with almost 50/50 front to rear balance as well. Car weight is 490 kg. Ride height is 135mm rear, 118mm front. Front roll centre is below rear roll centre.

 

Front spring rates are 250 lbs while rear ones are progressive - about 70/160.

 

I will shortly be moving the rear ones to 120 lbs and will play with the front ones between 150 and 350 lbs.

 

Dampers are bilsteins ( non adjustable).

 

I did wonder about the LSD pre-load - but at about 40 lbs that should be OK.

 

You're right, ARB does seem drastic, but I'm beginning to run out of ideas.

 

If the change of springs helps I'll let you know.

 

Cheers,

 

Barry

 

[wg_mulholland]

How did you get widetrack on a liveaxle? Did you make it yourself or does Caterham make a kit? I thought they only came with 'classic' front suspension rather than the anti-dive de-dion type.. Also, are the bilsteins from a de-dion? If so the rear ones will be a little soft for the liveaxle rear (all that extra unsprung weight to control).

Cheers,

bill

 

 

[Barry H]

The scholarship car was, I believe, gifted with the dedion front suspension - hence the change was straightforward.

 

The bilsteins are as fitted to the 1999 live axle academy cars, but your point about the unsprung weight is well made. Even more so as the Escort axle is heavier than the Ital. I am hoping that a switch to 120 lb springs will help in that regard. If not I will try 150 lb.

 

Many thanks

 

Barry

[elie boone]

Barry, This is what Steve Parker advised me for my live axle ( Ford ) Front: 8,5" long- 310 lbs

Rear : 12,5 long- 140 lbs. but my guess is that you try toe-in instead of toe-out.