The effect of an uprated rear anti-roll bar

[JezF]

Just had a rear IPD anti-roll bar fitted to my car and the handling difference is absolutely amazing.

A message to anyone considering damper/spring upgrades - do this first, then decide whether you want to go further, it's a massive improvement and doesn't effect ride quality (it actually improves it) and if you've got Niv's, you retain the self levelling.

Not got the bill yet, but I believe they are around £185 and a lot easier to fit than the front one. I should add thanks to Don for all the advice, which has proved to be spot on.

[hadi]

cheers for the info, i have front and rear ones going on in sept got them with my v70r, and my local mechanics fitting them for £60, sois it realy a big change from normal as i have uprated suspension already ?

[RollingThunder]

I had iPD's antiroll bars on my last 944 and as you say, the difference was remarkable - makes you wonder why Volvo didn't fit these originally! I'll probably fit a set on my 855R next year - I'm sure I'll have some issues to sort out when I pick it up on Friday...

[john h]

Fitting a stonger ARB at the rear only will tend to reduce understeer/increase oversteer. That's fine if it suits your driving style and the car (e.g. it understeers too much as standard). But care is needed because not all drivers get on well with oversteer.

John

[RollingThunder]

Absolutely right - I'd only ever fit a matched pair, not a single ARB.

[don kalmar union]

The addition of just a rear heavier duty anti roll bar to any of these later model Volvos improves the cars response to steering input. That is particularly beneficial in reducing the amount of understeer designed into the vehicles from the start and in making the vehicle more responsive to steering input.

The addition of a single rear uprated anti roll bar is all that is neccessary to give the driver just that extra in terms of steering response and in so doing cutting down on understeer.

The fitting of both bars is not neccessary for those purposes. Both bars will cut down greatly on body roll but will tend to leave the underlying steering characteristics pretty much as Volvo intended.

A single rear anti roll bar is very beneficial in conjunction with self levelling or Nivomats on these cars as it will increase the rear roll stiffness giving the aforementioned benefits without compromising the function of the Nivomats, for those not wanting the changes in steering input either a front heavier bar can be substituted or just a pair of Eibach or similar uprated front springs. Those front springs will generally lower just the front but that in itself can give steering benefit whilst giving a slight 'nose down' attitude.

Regards, Don.

[JezF]

It certainly doesn't seem to oversteer, but it's got rid of a lot of the understeer and feels so much sharper than before. I've had it fitted for 1,000 miles now and I'm still delighted with it.

[Danneh]

Originally Posted by JezF

It certainly doesn't seem to oversteer, but it's got rid of a lot of the understeer and feels so much sharper than before. I've had it fitted for 1,000 miles now and I'm still delighted with it.

You obviously aren't trying hard enough !

Glad it's going well for you