ARB's Strut braces etc

[RobW 0]

Got a G60 that I'm prepping over winter and it is on Weitec top adjustables and polybushed all round. I bought it as I sprint/hillclimb. Thinking about any further handling improvement before next season. Anyone have any suggestions. I will have it corner weighted, but any advice on ARB's etc, and are strutbraces worth the effort on this vehicle.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Strut braces not really required at the front as the bonded screen and chuffing great subframe form the majority of the car's strength, but a nice Neuspeed triangulated rear brace would bring about some welcomed torsional rigidity. If rigid is your aim, get the subframe seam welded and replace the rubber cross-member bushings with powerflex poly ones.

 

ARBs - I recommend you keep the stock front one and fit a Neuspeed 22mm adjustable rear bar.

 

Dial in some more negative camber (-1 to -1.2) and plus 5 minutes toe out and you'll have a car that turns in beautifully using a 1 finger on the steering wheel.

[Joe M 0]

Id go with kevs recommendations if the car was a daily driver. As you say its for sprints/hillclimbs so I would go for a more agressive setup.

Nuespeed 28mm rear bar on hardest setting, front 22 or 25mm bar and about -1.5degrees on the front camber should do it.

[dr_mat 0]

And then buy a seat pad so you don't lose your fillings on the way back from the meetings!! :) :-D

 

Hell if it's not for road use, why not go for solid suspension all round! The "mini" suspension upgrade.. ;)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah, the Corrado is a handling demon just waiting to be set free from it's comfort orientated restraints. Do the above and you'll soon notice much newer machinery slowing down behind you when entering bends.

 

Ignore what Top Gear said last night about live axles (two wheels sharing a common link), the Corrado's torsion beam is very different from the American's love affair with leaf springs and iron girders. These cars can handle, make no doubt about it.

[Joe M 0]

And then buy a seat pad so you don't lose your fillings on the way back from the meetings!! :) :-D

 

 

arb's dont affect the ride quality. Mine is currently more comfortable than my standard suspensioned 16v was on all but the worst of roads.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Indeed, the Neuspeed's rose joints allow the torsion beam to move around in it's natural planes over bumps whilst almost erradicating front wheel pitching round bends.

[dr_mat 0]

Are you telling me that stiffer ARBs don't provide any extra spring rate? I accept that it's not going to alter the damping rate (the primary thing that causes transmission of vibration), but surely it effectively gives you stiffer springing (in the corners, at least...).. You wouldn't do it, otherwise, no?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep it does give you an effective stiffer spring rate....and? Have you tried one? What you read on "How stuff works dot com" and what actually happens in real life are two different things.

[dr_mat 0]

..well.. everything's moderated by the "what the marketing men say" vs the "what really happens" factor, of course.

Nope, not tried it, just that along with everything else that people uprate and modify there is always an inevitable loss of "comfort", however slight. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing, just a trade off.

I'm not totally after the pipe+slippers feel, believe me. I wouldn't be driving a C if I was!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

There's marketing and there's marketing. L'Oreal fool old people into thinking their Vitamin B hydrating complexes & active liposomes turn them into Julia Roberts over night, and there's a small American company that fabricate a metal bar, try it on a car and then sell it based on it's merits :wink:

[dr_mat 0]

You seem to know a lot about hair care, Kev..............

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You seem to know a lot about hair care, Kev..............

 

Sadly L'Oreal don't cater for people with pony tails, but my quiff is looking nice and glossy :lol:

[RobW 0]

How do you go from a simple question about ARB's to a discussion on hair care products?

 

So where do I get the ARB's from and the rear subframe bushes?

 

I do use the car as a pretty regular driver...it wont be a dedicated track car so what is the definitive call on ARB settings and suspension geometry so I can toddle off and get it set up.

[Joe M 0]

I went for the Eibach arb's as there slightly thinner than the neuspeeds and perfect for road use. Also maintanence free.

I still went for the extra camber though, -1.7degrees at the front. I reckon for the camber anywhere between 1.2 and 1.7 depending on whats more important to you, tyre wear or handling.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Hair products - god knows, made up as you go along. Ignore it.

 

ARBs - depends what you want. A Neuspeed or Eibachs. Awesome and C&R are Neuspeed importers and also sell the Eibachs. Bushes - VW or GSF.

 

Geometry - It's a suck it and see thing. Camber of around -1 to -1.5 will give you excellent turn-in but can be a little understeery on greasey roads. Try - 0.8 and go from there if that concerns you. ARBs, Neuspeed get my vote, but again there are others out there so it's up to you. The rear one does the most work and is the one you will notice the most. The stock front one is plenty good enough.