Whiteline ALK installed - Review

[POLARBEAR666]

Hey guys,

Just got my Whiteline ALK and front polyurethane bushing installed.

Took about 3 hours. You need to drop some of the sub frame down a little to get access to tweak the front left bolt out from the front of the A arm.

Other than that the guy seemed to get through it pretty easy.

Car instantly felt like the first 1cm of steering wheel input had an effect on the direction of the car whereas before it felt like 2-3cm before significant turn in. Very direct steering now. Steering actually feels firmer/ less power assisted. It is that kind of difference.

The whole car feels very very tight on the handling and whereas before around sharp corners the car would kinda need more steering input to wheel it around you can just hold a strong line and the tyres appear to be doing the hard work rather than the bushing just bending and moving.

The bushing replaced by the ALK was such a hunk of crap it had like 1.5cm play in any direction and had 4 holes in it from factory very flimsy.

Car feels like it is leaning over the handle bars so to speak when you plant it. So far very impressed. Will post back with a long term review later








Dymag porn.. which indiactes the quality of the shop.

[tinto]

Cool - any additional vibrations?
Did the installer expect additional tyre wear from the setup?

... I'm assuming you need an alignment afterwards?

[bazzle]

Can you add what car you have to your sig or Label so I dont have to ask

Bazzle

[tinto]

It is a gt sport tsi

[POLARBEAR666]

Car feels more solid now... less vibrations / movement.

It's all gravy so far.

As the car is FWD you really can't go wrong by stiffening up the 2 VERY LOOSE bushes that hold the front control arms on.

Even if you did engine mounts I think this would have more effect on wheel hop.

[benno]

Cool mate, I've been interested in this for some time. Do you actually get more feedback through the steering?

Is it possible to diy?

[benno]

Oh and how much was labour?

Did you think about getting urethane front bushes at the same time?

[decksla]

owmuchizzit?

[brad]

I can understand that changing rubber, "drilled" bushes to poly, solids would tighten things up but what is the ALK side of it as nothing looks different?

On Subarus, the ALK visibly changed the geometry of the lower control arm.

And you haven't taken a NVH hit?

[Greg Roles]

They look heavy.

[POLARBEAR666]

The gold bits are aluminium and are very light.

I did get front bushes at same time. The ALK replaces Rear block/bush for the A arms.

The ALK adds half a degree more castor. So it improves mid corner grip and reduces Diving and lifting.

Basically it puts the rear of each A arm lower/closer to teh ground than it was before.

So if you were to hold your hand out like u were holding a beer and then dip your thumb down towards ground while keeping other fingers at same level. It's that kind of movement.

Makes it look very "level" Eg the A arms look very level to the ground now instead of raised at the back.

Expect 2-3 hours labor.

[POLARBEAR666]

NVH is not worse or better but different. Instead of slopppy bumps and jolts you get a tiny sharp bit of feedback from road and its over.

I find it more relaxing because the wheel does not move much at all if you hit any corrugations or anything. Before it used to move like a cm or 2 when it did not like the surface.

I think its great mod.

has made as much difference to the drive as the KW coilovers did but in a different way. It has given the steering a HUGE shot in the arm.

It is like the difference between riding a bike with a semi flat tyre vs a very firm tyre.