Front ARB scoring the chassis

5th January 2009, 17:45

I had my car down at STS the other day, and I was giving the underside a good look over. I noticed on the left side of the front ARB, about 12" from the middle, there's a wee part of the chassis which has been / is being grinded away as the ARB is somehoe scoring it. When the car was on the ramp, there was about a 2mm gap between this area of the ARB an the chassis. If I looked at the right side, in the same location, there's a bout a 5mm gap, and no scoring. Can anyone think why this is happening? Also, I've been getting a grating, rusty spring noise from the front left when hitting speedbumps, I'm guessing there's a strong chance that this is the reason for the noise...

5th January 2009, 18:47

Im a bit clueless, because unless the bar is bent it shouldnt hit.

Are your droplinks ok? But i wouldnt even suspect a broken one would make the bar foul the body.

Bushes possibly??

5th January 2009, 19:08

Maybe it's a touch bent then, who knows? I'll have to get some pics up at some point, but I won't be able to until the weekend...

5th January 2009, 19:20

I have this problem too, i have a gti front arb and mine was rubbing on the chassis, i took it off, bought new bushes and refitted it, but moved it abit so wasnt so close to the side where its been rubbing! Problem solved so far!

5th January 2009, 19:23

Thats a point, is it level from side to side?

5th January 2009, 19:24

the arb will float (side to side) a little if you have messed with bushes so just even it back up and possibly re-furb bushes. obviously the arb will only mark it from going side to side as it moves up and down with the wishbone during driving..

5th January 2009, 20:01

Hmmm, interesting. As it's very close on the other side as well, it makes me wonder where it is a case of just moving it a little to one side or not. I think if I can get some pics up it will become clearer. I've got poly buches by the way...

5th January 2009, 20:31

Hmm, might be an idea to take it off and then refit it!

5th January 2009, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toad

Hmmm, interesting. As it's very close on the other side as well, it makes me wonder where it is a case of just moving it a little to one side or not. I think if I can get some pics up it will become clearer. I've got poly buches by the way...

maybe abit far fetched from mebut is your shell straight on your front end mate?
i know about the top mount issues yours having and this tieing in aswell?

hope to god its not mate but its just abit strange the whole front end of your car being out of shape?

hope you can sort all these issues with your 106 dude

6th January 2009, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick_106

Hmm, might be an idea to take it off and then refit it!

I will get some pics up by the weekend. I'm sure that will make things clearer. I don't want to be taking the ARB out if it's not going to solve anything, as from what I can see thus far, it doesn't look like a fitting issue.

6th January 2009, 11:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by LEE_VTR1

maybe abit far fetched from mebut is your shell straight on your front end mate?
i know about the top mount issues yours having and this tieing in aswell?

hope to god its not mate but its just abit strange the whole front end of your car being out of shape?

hope you can sort all these issues with your 106 dude

Yeah, it's all a bit wierd. On the front end I've got:

Different ride heights - right is roughly 5mm higher
Different camber - left is -1.5 right is -0.5
Different caster - can't remember the exact stats...

I bought the car when it had only done around 14k IIRC. One lady owner... I've noticed that the front right wing has had a respray. I wonder if it had a shunt and they never told me about it...

6th January 2009, 12:11

that would suck toad

sounds a bit like the arb is sat over 1 way a little
i did it to mine by accident fitting my arb bushes

noticed the clunk and investigating found it was sat across catching the shell a tad

easy fix by loosening n shoving over a bit

6th January 2009, 12:12

have a look on 106 rallye think it was tehre someone stated how to sort it.
Mine did it standard when hard cornering, but lowered and new drop links sorted it

6th January 2009, 12:30

Cheers chaps. I'm not that sure about the "moving over", as there's not much room on the other side either. All seems rather odd.