ROC-Euro stabilizer arm - what was the verdict...?

[Boje]

I have a Roc-Euro pendulum arm coming this week to pair with a Powerflex Hybrid insert to replace the stock arm and 034 metal inserts which are starting to feel loose. I know that one (maybe two?) people had disastrous experiences with this arm back in 2018, but lots of people commented on the threads back then that they had one and loved it, but then it seems like it's barely gotten a mention since then. Does anyone know if this is because everyone abandoned it in favor of something else, or because the scare blew over...? Anyone running one of these on fairly aggressively-driven car for a decent length of time with no issues?

I would be pairing it with BFI stage 1 mounts which have been on the car for about 10k miles already. 6MT, EQT Stage 2, and I don't launch, track, or drag race the car but I do drive it like I stole it. I know install is crucial, to torque correctly, use red loctite, mark the bolts, etc., etc. I love the idea of running the PF insert with very little NVH, but won't install the Roc-Euro if the consensus is that it's risky.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

I was one of the people whose trans failed. It was very likely due to the fact that I paired it with the softest upper mounts available, 034’s, and installer error.

Ive trashed the product a ton since, but I’ll admit my experience has not been most people’s. I also just think that the arm itself isn’t really a big performance hindrance. You stand to gain more from retaining the OEM arm and replacing the OEM dogbone bushing with something like the Powerflex hybrid. That gives you same the OEM-like comfort and performance improvement without putting a low budget part on that May or may not shear your trans casing.

 

[CarlosCanizares]

Haven't kept up with that topic, but I recall someone [more mechanically knowledgable] said that the pivot point in the stock and most aftermarket arms are there for a reason, and the RE arm being solid "could" cause issues like what's been documented.

Someone also said the stock arm with a PF Hybrid is all one would ever need.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

^ agreed. Simply put Roc Euro is a one-man shop, not a moneyed performance company with R&D resources. The fact the RE arm is the only one of its kind on the market while every other upgraded pendulum retains a similar pivoting bearing to the OEM arm really should prove the point.

 

[Boje]

Okay, thanks folks. "May or may not shear your trans housing" is not encouraging haha. I think it might get sent back.

It seems there are fans of the ECS arm out there but I don't have a lot of confidence in their products... can anyone speak to the NVH difference between 034 upper and lower inserts and stock arm to the PF Hybrid and stock arm? Is there another aftermarket stabilizer arm people recommend which minimizes NVH but keeps things stiff?

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

Okay, thanks folks. "May or may not shear your trans housing" is not encouraging haha. I think it might get sent back.

It seems there are fans of the ECS arm out there but I don't have a lot of confidence in their products... can anyone speak to the NVH difference between 034 upper and lower inserts and stock arm to the PF Hybrid and stock arm? Is there another aftermarket stabilizer arm people recommend which minimizes NVH but keeps things stiff?

The PF hybrid with BFI/CP-E upper mounts is gonna give you everything you’re looking for w/ respect to comfort/performance. The arms really don’t need to be upgraded. In fact - the aftermarket arms’ bearings often fail bc the aftermarket parts aren’t as well made as the OEM pendulum arm.

 

[SonicBloom]

I wouldn’t install it. Why take the chance?

 

[CarlosCanizares]

Perhaps the only reason you'd replace the arm is for weight (though, I've never held one to know) coz apparently, the HPA arm is lighter. But unless you're counting grams to shave off for lap times, stock arm FTW.

 

[Boje]

I wouldn’t install it. Why take the chance?

I was seduced by the supposedly super-stiff-but-no-NVH magic which is why I ordered it but it looks like it'll be going back.

 

[Boje]

Perhaps the only reason you'd replace the arm is for weight (though, I've never held one to know) coz apparently, the HPA arm is lighter. But unless you're counting grams to shave off for lap times, stock arm FTW.

Haha I drive an Autobahn with a full-sized Neuspeed spare wheel in the back and quite often a roofbox on the top and the back of the car full of photography equipment. I'm not going setting any speed records

 

[CarlosCanizares]

...full of photography equipment.

You had me at that bit. LOL

 

[anotero]

I was seduced by the supposedly super-stiff-but-no-NVH magic which is why I ordered it but it looks like it'll be going back.

Having absolutely no play is bad and leads to sheared aluminum in the trans. I would go with an arm that has a pivot to allow for a bit of play.

 

[El_bigote_AJ]

I’d rather not explain it again, but daddogwagon knows my logic behind the roc euro arm and all the variables that People fail to factor in with the 2, yes 2 cars that actually had an issue noted throughout all of forum land. In short the theory is that it doesn’t allow enough vertical movements with is accurate in regards to the other 2 mounts on the car being stick or something like o34 street density… but when you look at a BFI compete trans and motor mount you’ll see those don’t allows vertical movement either so the theory becomes void when the 3 mounting locations are property coordinated.

In regards to the notion of why risk it… - well in that case, why would anyone risk going stage 2 tune? Go to facebook plenty cars with sent motors “DuE” to the tune.

now for some real world insight from someone with first hand reference of what you are looking at doing… My car = heavy modified - lots of power, and not driven soft. When I had the roc-euro arm on the car I was running BFI stage 1 motor and complete replacement trans mount, I had the spulen extreme insert. When I added the roc-euro arm it did indeed perform the magic of the NVH reductions a lot, while the car was set up like that i drove the car plenty hard for a street car and was even launching the car 4K ,never had an issue… few months back I wanted to see the hype with the hybrid bushing, so I installed that and when I went to install the rock euro arm with it, the thickness of the the mounting tab at the 21mm bolt created an issue I didn’t like - because it’s thicker that stock and not dimpled like stock to fit into the upper bushing pocket it made that black locator sleeve/insert not sit in tight enough to the compress the big gold washer and bushing against the top bushing surface and that washer was basic lay spinning freely and I was concerned with noise and extra movement of the lower bushing. Sure I could grind it down or maybe add a 2nd washer to get it to fit but for the sake of ease i just grabbed the stock arm from the shelf and slid that right in and button it all up, lol.

at idle my car does still have so considerable vibrations but no where near it was before when I ran the spulen insert.

so basically - yes sent it back - but not due to fear mongering or armchair theory - but for the fact that it’s won’t really fit with the hybrid . Lol.

 

[Boje]

the thickness of the the mounting tab at the 21mm bolt created an issue I didn’t like - because it’s thicker that stock and not dimpled like stock to fit into the upper bushing pocket it made that black locator sleeve/insert not sit in tight enough to the compress the big gold washer and bushing against the top bushing surface and that washer was basic lay spinning freely

Ah okay thanks, this is good info. I'll stick with the stock arm, but am concerned about NVH with the Hybrid puck. I actually ordered it a couple of years ago and ended up selling it on due to reports of nasty NVH as a result of it. I'm 6MT so my understanding is that it'll be slightly less than for DSG cars, but still, it's not easy to go back if I don't like it. Hmm.

 

[StorableComa]

Powerflex also makes inserts that fill the upper and lower voids. They come in diesel, Street (70A) and race. You could go with the diesel insert as it's the softest, or the street and be able to remove them if the NVH is too much.