RS2 rear ARB

[Henka]

So I got hold of a rear ARB for a RS2 for my S2 Avant. Should I just go for it or? I mean, it's only 16mm. The price is €100 including tax and shipping so it's not all that expensive. Will all the existing mounting hardware work to fit it or do I have to change it? Is it a worth while mod?

[Bibby]

It has to be better than the coathanger thats there now.

[dan_b]

Are you going to, or have you already, changed your front ARB as well? You could change the front to the RS2 FARB as well and have a nice improvement in handling.

All the mounting hardware should come with it.

[gavs20v]

It has to be better than the coathanger thats there now.

Lmao! aye ive been wondering about this after seeing mine up in the air and seeing the spindly thing thats on there at the moment. Are there any other options availabl? whiteline etc?
Nice one
Gav

[dan_b]

Neuspeed make a stiffer RARB for the Avant.
Whiteline make the stiffer adjustable RARB for the Coupe.
For front ARB fun on all models, the RS2 is the way to go.

Although it's a thread about the coupe and the Whiteline bar, there's some excellent info here:
http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=693

[Bibby]

Heard conflicting opinions on the Whiteline Gav. I don't think the front and rear RS2 arb's are a bad bet.

[Henka]

No, I'm not actually thinking of changing the front ARB. I thought a stiffer RARB would be just the trick to get it a bit less understeery...

[Lee]

Front and rear RS2 ARBs are the only option for the avant without doing lots of mods or custom ARBs. The whiteline does not fit on the Avant. Increasing the diameter of a roll bar from 10mm (stock s2) to 16mm (stock RS2) increases torsional stiffness by over 6 times! Increasing the front bars by the 2mm different of the RS2 item over stock increases torsional stiffness by a factor of 2. It is a fantastic mod to an otherwise stock setup. Stiffness is not proportional to diameter, it is proportional to radius to the power 4 (r^4). This is if you just consider the stiffness increase of the bar in torsion only.

A 20mm bar is 16 times stiffer than a 10mm one in pure torsion.

[s2avant]

Front and rear RS2 ARBs are the only option for the avant without doing lots of mods or custom ARBs.

Have to disagree on that one Lee

Any B5 A4 Quattro/S4/RS4 rear bar will fit straight on as they all share the same rear suspension. The only problem with Avant rear suspension is the mounting points for the bar on the subframe are pretty flimsy. Too big a bar and they'll break off or damage the subframe.

RS4 uses a 15mm but there is a 17mm Quattro GMbH one available. God knows how much it is though.

Then you've got the aftermarket bars from Neuspeed, Intrax, H & R etc. They come in anything from 16mm up to 22mm. I wouldn't want to go too big though as you will end with too much tendency to slide (IIRC Tom's coupe has a habit of this with that big coupe front bar on the back)

I'm happy with the 19mm Neuspeed I have on mine. This also comes with reinforcement brackets for the subframe to prevent it cracking or snapping the mounts off.

See this thread for info: http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5214

Ben

[Doug_RS2]

Those strengthening bars look nice. I don't think you get the same problem on the coupe - my 26mm rear ARB has not broken the mounts on mine.

[Lee]

I stand corrected Ben. I didn't think about the B5 options even though we have discussed it before!

Whiteline is definately not an option for the avant.

[s2avant]

No problem. It took me ages to work out they both have the same rear suspension

Us Avant drivers have to be a little more enterprising when it comes to suspension mods as there is not a lot available 'off the shelf'. I guess that what comes from being the sensibel, discerning type

Ben