3B S2 ARB Drop links?

[Alistair E]

Doug

I've been looking into making my own drop links recently. Where did you buy the rod ends and, if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay?
Oh, and what spec are the rod ends, there seem to be a number of choices.

Thanks

Alistair

[S2central.net]

So now we have about three or four people making these now...

Who can get some made in affordable sized batches - after decent amount of testing etc etc ?

Suggest that an installation guide would be useful too - in order to establish the correct amount of pre-load !

Will one set of drop links have enough adjustability to work with S2 and RS2 ARBs - is that going to be an issue ?

Same consideration for S2 and whiteline rear ARBs is needed... I suggest that anyone interested in adjustable drop links is going to be using the stiffer ARBs anyway so that should be the default choice.

I really *need* to get myself sorted with a front RS2 ARB and the whiteline rear to kill the understeer.


Paul

[porkkis]

Pre-load with drop links?! Errm. I would not recommend.

[porkkis]

Please, all of you. Please investigate and understand what ARB does and what does different length drop links do. You'll figure out.
I understand that some wants to adjust the drop links so that there is absolutely no pre-load but I think that if the attachment holes are not absolutely 1mm in place, you'll never notice that when driving.

my 2 euro cents

[Doug_RS2]

I totally agree porkis - the only reason mine ended up being adjustable was they needed to be a custom length to get my ARB not to foul the wishbones. No preload on mine.

I will look out the company I got the ends and boots from.

[dan_b]

So, if (when) I replace my front and rear ARBs this year, do I need to order anything other than the RS2 front and Whiteline RARB? I'm confused now.

[S2central.net]

If your drop link bushes are badly worn (and they will be if original equipment) then you should reckon on new ones. Definitely reckon on new bush material for the mounts as well. The w/line rear comes with polyurethane bushes. The RS2 f.ARB bushes can also be had in poly. as well...

I'm not fully convinced about the benefits of adjustable drop-links. Seen them on lots of race/rally cars, but they may have been needed due to custom fabrication as DOug suggests. However I can sort of see a need for adjustable links if the car has been lowered for example - surely that must have an effect on how the ARBs are tensioned at stand-still. Furthermore, we can be absolutely certain the corner weights on our cars aren't 25% each so some adjustment at each corner *maybe* helps the ARBs balance things out. Dunno...

Need a chassis specialist to give unbiased advice here.

[porkkis]

The ARBs are not tensioned at stand still if
- springs are ok and the same
- droplinks are the ~same length
- ARB moves in its bushes nicely as it's ment to

[dan_b]

I don't even know what my drop link bushes look like, let alone know if they're worn or what not..

[porkkis]

You can hear if they're worn as they tend to knock like hell.

[Keeper of The Kitten]

Def not wise to preload ARBs but as Porkkis said you're unlikely to notice on road car with fairly soft bars. When race car suspension is set up, ARBs are always disconnected to prevent them ruining settings due to any extraneous preload.

Paul, one of the main reasons for adjustable ARB links is precisely what you thought, especially with racers - if the ride height is adjustable (and it will be), the ARB links need to be adjustable too, so that they run at 90 degrees to the ARB arms at "normal" running height - then any deviation in either direction is minimalised, and leverage is maximised.

ARBs are not normally used to adjust corner weights, only ride height should be used, ideally (though in the past, some folk did it with tyre pressures!) - but the right way to do it is to raise the ride height (effectively, you jack the wheel down for that corner) to increase the corner weight on that wheel (and it will also do a bit to the opposite corner). The front wheel corner weights need to be best matched, rears are not as critical but if you can get the LH and RH to match at both ends you'll be in good shape!

Hey, you don't expect 25% per corner do you?!! We must carry a hill of weight up front ...so anything that gets it back a bit is only going to be a good thing for us folk with the chronically overhanging block!

__MDC__

[Technogym]

HeHE!!!

This was surley a interesting thread!!!

So, as I can read, : The only advantage with adjustable drop links is to set the 0-load on the roll bar when the car stands on the ground and has changed its ride height from the original setup? So if You are running on adjustable shocks and lowering spring this is a must have if you want to optimize Your handling. Bottom line: Almost everybody need them! :-)

or?

Vegard