Can the ARB of a Stilo JTD be upgraded?
ie. Purchase a stiffer ARB or fit one from a GP or Abarth?
ie. Purchase a stiffer ARB or fit one from a GP or Abarth?
Tuning Stiffer Anti-Roll Bar
- Thread starter Shadeyman
- Start date
Currently reading:
Tuning Stiffer Anti-Roll Bar
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2007
- Messages
- 4,940
- Points
- 744
id be interested to know the differences throughout the range.... ie, will a jtd one be bigger and stiffer? (upgrade for 1.8)..
Shadey this might be of interest:
http://www.clubfiat.net/suspension-braking/2302-147-gta-anti-roll-bar.html
http://www.clubfiat.net/suspension-braking/2302-147-gta-anti-roll-bar.html
I've read that the Alfa 147 ARB's fit the Stilo, but they bring with them unwanted understeer. So I've read anyway. If the 147 ARB fits then perhaps it is possible to keep the standard Stilo ARB but add the 147's uprated poly bushes?
OP
OP
That's weird, I'm sure I just read on a few threads it is a great improvement on overall handling but causes a slight over steer.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2007
- Messages
- 4,940
- Points
- 744
Last edited:
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Hmm not sure then
Guess it's just other people's experience with them. They may well have been running the uprated Eibach ARB's for all I know Still, would be good to get a definative answer
Think it would be worth getting for lighter/smaller engined Stilos? JTD's are obviously a bit heavier up front Would they create more understeer/oversteer if fitted on a lighter/smaller engined Stilo?- Joined
- Oct 20, 2007
- Messages
- 4,940
- Points
- 744
would create more under steer on lighter engined cars.... that said i think it would help standard suspension...
once cars get really low and really stiff arb's do very little and in most cases make them so stiff they do understeer
once cars get really low and really stiff arb's do very little and in most cases make them so stiff they do understeer
OP
OP
Ok, quick update. The ARB was delivered this morning, cost 99p off eBay(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140761373725), plus £9.99 delivery.
The standard Stilo ARB is 18mm in diameter I believe(will confirm when I remove the original). This Alfa GT ARB is 24mm, I would guess that will create a significant increase in stiffness when coupled with lowering springs.
Now all I have to do is install it .. :chin:
The standard Stilo ARB is 18mm in diameter I believe(will confirm when I remove the original). This Alfa GT ARB is 24mm, I would guess that will create a significant increase in stiffness when coupled with lowering springs.
Now all I have to do is install it .. :chin:
Attachments
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
When rallying Escorts years ago, in order to improve front end handling we used to double the RB rubbers/brackets.
When I had a Multipla I improved handling by making the RB rubbers out of polyurethane.
I suspect you may find the thicker RB too stiff.
Wish you well
When I had a Multipla I improved handling by making the RB rubbers out of polyurethane.
I suspect you may find the thicker RB too stiff.
Wish you well
OP
OP
The ARB is not being installed on my car, I own a Multiwagon, not the best choice of cars if I wanted good handling(not that its bad).
I'll be installing it on a remapped 3 door 150bhp. He's running a large turbo and huge intercooler, induction and exhaust are seriously big too. Belches black smoke everywhere but its the fastest Stilo I've ever seen.
Already has Eibach suspension and Brembo brakes but he thinks it needs to be stiffer for track days, hence he's asked me to fit an Alfa ARB ..
I'll be installing it on a remapped 3 door 150bhp. He's running a large turbo and huge intercooler, induction and exhaust are seriously big too. Belches black smoke everywhere but its the fastest Stilo I've ever seen.
Already has Eibach suspension and Brembo brakes but he thinks it needs to be stiffer for track days, hence he's asked me to fit an Alfa ARB ..
Suppose for the price you picked it up for it's worth a shot, if it doesn't work out then perhaps he could invest in front/rear strut braces? I know of one member on here who has fitted the ultra racing front/rear lower sub frame braces for the schumi onto their jtd, something else to consider?
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2007
- Messages
- 4,940
- Points
- 744
got to be honest, my car has little/no understeer but does get a tad tail happy when pushed.... a harder arb might help level that out abit...
OP
OP
Thats what he said. :idea:
The rear, believe it or not is seriously effected by what the front does.
He hopes to gain more control of the rear by stiffening the front. He hopes to gain a small amount of control on the front but his main aim is the control of the rear. He already has strut braces installed, the bloody thing rides like a go-cart IMO but he loves it and its quick, very quick.
He uses a clever little box that remaps the car in minutes to 3 different stages of tune ...
Awesome car but useless for taking the kids to school, having no rear seats and a roll cage doesn't help ..
The rear, believe it or not is seriously effected by what the front does.
He hopes to gain more control of the rear by stiffening the front. He hopes to gain a small amount of control on the front but his main aim is the control of the rear. He already has strut braces installed, the bloody thing rides like a go-cart IMO but he loves it and its quick, very quick.
He uses a clever little box that remaps the car in minutes to 3 different stages of tune ...
Awesome car but useless for taking the kids to school, having no rear seats and a roll cage doesn't help ..
Like mine
Except mine is a slow 1.8. Still quick enough and fun though! Sorry for going slightly off topic, just happy to see there's another track Stilo
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2010
- Messages
- 78
- Points
- 35
Was there any progress with the ARB installation shadey? Much modification involved?
Thanks
HH
Thanks
HH
OP
OP
I did plan to take photo's of what we did but I forgot my camera and my phone battery was dead by the time we had finished.
To cut a long story short it wasn't as easy as we first thought.
Mainly clearance issues.
No photo's so I'll keep it simple.
The Alfa ARB doesn't fit, we had to make it fit.
Firstly the Alfa ARB bushes are about 30mm closer together than the ones on the Stilo so couldn't be mounted in the same place.
Secondly the shape of the Alfa ARB between the bulkhead and engine is different so clearance was an issue.
We solved both these problems by straightening the the middle "hump" in the Alfa ARB. This gave us the clearance we needed and increase the distance between the ARB bushes to almost exactly the same as the Stilo ARB bushes.
So we now have an Alfa ARB that will fit if we can mount it.
I solved that problem by purchasing some Stilo Poly bushes which I had machined to fit the lager diameter Alfa ARB. This cured our mounting problem, the Alfa ARB is now fixed in place using the original Stilo mounting point and brackets, plus the Poly Stilo/Alfa bushes.
Our next problem was installing the drop links. I purchased adjustable droplinks. This enabled us to adjust their length to give use the clearance we needed.
I'm not sure this setup would work on a Stilo with standard suspension because of clearance issuses. The lowered and stiffened suspension on this Stilo reduced suspension travel, that reduction helped, a lot.
Hope that is of some use to you. Personally I wouldn't try this again without the use of my friends garage and equipment. Hydrualic bending machines used for making exhaust systems was a great help when straightening the Alfa ARB ..
Last edited:
Well done that man! 10 out of 10 for perseverance and finishing the job; I trust it was worthwhile and did the job.
I would be pleased to know where you got the Stilo Polyurethane bushes from.
Thanks
OP
OP
Well how about me forgetting to tell everyone if it worked.
Yes, it had the desired effect my friend was after, less roll and improved handling. The difference wasn't huge but on a car like his every little tweak is worth the effort.
Oh, and he said no increase in under or over steer.
I couldn't find anyone to supply me with poly bushes for the Stilo ARB so I had 3 sets custom made. Can't remember the company name right now but I found them using Google. I explained what I was doing and sent them the old Stilo rubber bushes for reference. Took 10 days start to finish and cost £230(I think).
Same topic so I'm posting on the best thread there is.
I'm planning to order the Eibach Pro-kit springs and Bilstein B12 dampers (kit) which will hopefully still give a reasonably comfortable ride (I had Eibachs and Koni FSDs on my Alfa 156).
Something I figured out with the Alfa was that the Eibach anti roll bar would have been useful. Why? Well, the purpose of an anti-roll bar is to lift the inside wheel as the outside wheel suspension is compressed. If the springs are stiffer than standard to compress, then the standard anti roll bar will be unable to compress the spring to lift the wheel. It will simply twist instead.
In other words, what I'm suggesting is that on a car with stiffer springs, the anti roll bar will actually have LESS of an effect than originally intended. I think it should be kept in balance.
I'm surprised that there seem to be no uprated Stilo anti roll bars available - is fitting an Alfa 147/156/GT bar still the best option? I might ask a local suspension shop (they make springs) whether they can make me a suitably uprated anti roll bar to suit the Eibach springs.
What do we think?
-Alex
I'm planning to order the Eibach Pro-kit springs and Bilstein B12 dampers (kit) which will hopefully still give a reasonably comfortable ride (I had Eibachs and Koni FSDs on my Alfa 156).
Something I figured out with the Alfa was that the Eibach anti roll bar would have been useful. Why? Well, the purpose of an anti-roll bar is to lift the inside wheel as the outside wheel suspension is compressed. If the springs are stiffer than standard to compress, then the standard anti roll bar will be unable to compress the spring to lift the wheel. It will simply twist instead.
In other words, what I'm suggesting is that on a car with stiffer springs, the anti roll bar will actually have LESS of an effect than originally intended. I think it should be kept in balance.
I'm surprised that there seem to be no uprated Stilo anti roll bars available - is fitting an Alfa 147/156/GT bar still the best option? I might ask a local suspension shop (they make springs) whether they can make me a suitably uprated anti roll bar to suit the Eibach springs.
What do we think?
-Alex
