Handling Advice.

[CraigW]

Im not happy with my car so Im after some advice.

Im not happy with the front of it, it doesnt seem as planted like it was 6 months ago. I know my suspension has got slightly softer but not much. When turning it feels like the front of the car wants to slide the opposite way.

It cant be tyres as they were replaced 6 months ago and tyre pressures were fine.

I was thinking I may need new wishbones and/or bushes or new top mounts. Because I was told at MOT time they were slightly worn.

I dont know what it could be.

Thanks for any suggestions/advice.

Craig.

 

[Cupra Kid]

I'd guess your top mounts, when i had new ones on the cordy it stiffened it up.

Could just be the bad weather and the amount of crap on the road making it feel unsettled though.

I was coming back from a meet with a modded MK3 turbo and when giving it some i was questioning the handling

 

[Dave_R]

New top mounts if you didnt fit any when changing the suspension, polyflex lower arm mounts (look on ebay for Mk2 Golf can get the lower arms with the bushes already pressed).

And look into a arb's...... if you can't afford front and rear then get the rear 1st till you got enough for the front but that improves the handling so much, makes it feel planted thru the bends!

Usual strut brace stuff then but the anti roll bars are something I wished I got 1st! Hell of an improvement, even when I just had the rear one fitted.

 

[projectgingawar]

how can a rear anti-roll bar have any effect? the car has a solid rear beam linking both sides together so surely they are unable to move independantly of each other anyway? or am I just getting confused? the strut braces I fitted to mine most definatelt helped with the handling. front anti roll bar coming soon.

 

[BeezerDiesel]

how can a rear anti-roll bar have any effect? the car has a solid rear beam linking both sides together so surely they are unable to move independantly of each other anyway? or am I just getting confused? the strut braces I fitted to mine most definatelt helped with the handling. front anti roll bar coming soon.

The rear ARB bolts to the beam and can reduce a lot of roll and really tighten up the handling - just ask any mk4 Ibiza owner! However don't go too thick without doing the front as well or you will get too much oversteer.

 

[projectgingawar]

I still can't see how they'd work?how can bolting a solid bar to an even more solid beam actually help? i'm not contesting the fact that they work as they have been proven to be effective, i'm just baffled as to how really.

 

[BeezerDiesel]

You need to look at a photo of one in place really to see how they are clamped. There are probably quite a few pictures of them fitted to the arse end of MK4 Beezers on here and I know there are a few photos of them on Briskoda as they were even more popular with Fabia vRS owners as they had softer suspension than the Ibizas. I think there used to be a picture of one on Jabbasport's site too as they once held a virtual monopoly on the supply of them for Ibizas/Fabias/Polos on the 9N chassis, until the much cheaper Whiteline bars started coming over here.

 

[projectgingawar]

so do they firm up the connection of the rear beam with chassis in some way then?

 

[Dave_R]

how can a rear anti-roll bar have any effect? the car has a solid rear beam linking both sides together so surely they are unable to move independantly of each other anyway? or am I just getting confused? the strut braces I fitted to mine most definatelt helped with the handling. front anti roll bar coming soon.

I still can't see how they'd work?how can bolting a solid bar to an even more solid beam actually help? i'm not contesting the fact that they work as they have been proven to be effective, i'm just baffled as to how really.

You ever played Gran Tursimo or Ferrari Challenge and messed about with the suspension set ups? lol

If you make the rear stiffer it will allow the front end to grip in more but the rear gets a bit happy!

Be honest I fitted front and rear strut brace and didn't really notice much differance, it helped but nothing to rave about! Fitted a rear arb 1st (easier of the two to fit) and the handling was amazing, ask phil w from the mk3 lot and also bezza gti because he had a go of my car himself!

Sure get a front one as well..... I've front 28mm on the rear and 25mm on the front and the car handles really good along wiv the roll cage. But if you haven't got £400 odd spare to spend on the front and rear then just get the rear 1st! I'm speaking by what problems I had and what i found best, sure there's a thread on here or its talked about in my dairy.



If you wanna know all about a anti roll bar then look on mk2ibiza.co.uk and there's some details on there and look it up on google! Would go into detail for you but I'm in work!

 

[BeezerDiesel]

so do they firm up the connection of the rear beam with chassis in some way then?

In very simple terms it bolts to the rear suspension around the bottom of the dampers (depending on the car) and across the rear beam using c clamps (usually). As the suspension leans it twists on the bar which then will resist the twisting thus reducing the roll.
Or something vaguely similar to that.

 

[CraigW]

I'd guess your top mounts, when i had new ones on the cordy it stiffened it up.

Could just be the bad weather and the amount of crap on the road making it feel unsettled though.

I was coming back from a meet with a modded MK3 turbo and when giving it some i was questioning the handling

New top mounts if you didnt fit any when changing the suspension, polyflex lower arm mounts (look on ebay for Mk2 Golf can get the lower arms with the bushes already pressed).

And look into a arb's...... if you can't afford front and rear then get the rear 1st till you got enough for the front but that improves the handling so much, makes it feel planted thru the bends!

Usual strut brace stuff then but the anti roll bars are something I wished I got 1st! Hell of an improvement, even when I just had the rear one fitted.

I did actually think the top mounts would be abit of the problem. Thinking of upgrading to coilovers in the next month or two so I will change them then.

Wouldnt polyflex lower arms/wishbones be too much for everyday use?? i.e too hard??

I have been looking into arb's because Im not planning on getting rid of the car anytime soon. No problems of them going on a 1.4 though?

 

[Dave_R]

I did actually think the top mounts would be abit of the problem. Thinking of upgrading to coilovers in the next month or two so I will change them then.

Wouldnt polyflex lower arms/wishbones be too much for everyday use?? i.e too hard??

I have been looking into arb's because Im not planning on getting rid of the car anytime soon. No problems of them going on a 1.4 though?

Nah polyflex bushes aren't that bad but I got vibratechnics engine mounts and they vibrate the car so I'm use to that! They will improve the handling so it's up to you what you want.... soft ride or a slighly harder one lol.

The arb probably only the same issues I had with the front.... That you will have to open up the housing where the bush sits in thats all.

 

[CraigW]

Nah polyflex bushes aren't that bad but I got vibratechnics engine mounts and they vibrate the car so I'm use to that! They will improve the handling so it's up to you what you want.... soft ride or a slighly harder one lol.

The arb probably only the same issues I had with the front.... That you will have to open up the housing where the bush sits in thats all.

Wouldnt matter as the ride is hard just now with my sports shocks and lowering springs. So alittle more wouldnt hurt. Plus it will probably go alittle softer once I fit my coilovers.