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What a 50% spring install looks like

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Old Feb 18, 2005 | 02:29 AM
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Default What a 50% spring install looks like

I just recieved my TRD lowering springs last Monday and finally
got 1 hour to use the air force base auto hobby shop to install the springs.
I didn't quite beat the clock as you can see... I'll hit the rear springs ASAP.

So, laugh all you want, or just take note of how much difference
a 1" lowering springs makes...

Old Feb 18, 2005 | 02:34 AM
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I agree, the trd springs with 1" drop makes a big difference from stock height. I had those springs myself. To me though, it wasnt enough of a drop cause the gap was still big so i settled for a more aggressive 2" drop from tanabe.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 02:41 AM
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I'm gonna stay with the 1" for now so when I get my Kenstyle kit someday I can see if the car will have enough clearance so that it doesn't double as a snow plow.

But I am happy with the stance though, I can't believe I was driving around for a month with that much gap... almost as noticeable as David Letterman's tooth gap...
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 04:05 AM
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The rear install could take as little as 10 minutes. I did it alone. I had my little sister around just in case the car fell on me.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 04:05 AM
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Default What were the designers thinking?

I cannot figure out WHY they put the stock xA up on stilts the way they did. It just looks wrong, IMO. Dropping mine with the TRD 1" springs doesn't really make it look slammed in any way. Instead, everytime I look at it now, I think to myself "THAT'S what it should've looked like in the first place." What do you guys think was the design reasoning behind the decision to put such high springs on the stocks?
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 04:34 AM
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Most Toyota cars are like that. Toyota seems to like to "play it safe." *shrug*
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 04:41 AM
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in the pix ,it looks like those cars from the 70's with air shocks. lol
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 04:54 AM
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Default Re: What were the designers thinking?

Originally Posted by jontul
I cannot figure out WHY they put the stock xA up on stilts the way they did. It just looks wrong, IMO. Dropping mine with the TRD 1" springs doesn't really make it look slammed in any way. Instead, everytime I look at it now, I think to myself "THAT'S what it should've looked like in the first place." What do you guys think was the design reasoning behind the decision to put such high springs on the stocks?
Here's a crazy , they could have been thinking about a really comfortable ride. A lot of people don't care about agressive styinling, they just want a comfortable ride.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 05:03 AM
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get the trd shocks and struts, the ride is pretty good with the setup you have, but with the shocks and struts it amazing. A full suspension setup designed to work together.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 05:07 AM
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hey theres nothin wrong with the raked look (if it was rwd now )
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 10:26 AM
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I would like the slammed look, but not on 17" wheels. I'm a symmetry (sp?) nut, I like stuff to look uniform and even. So, with the 1" drop on these stock 17" wheels, I have a nice uniform gap around the tires. (Well, at least on the front.)

My favorite car pic is the white model IST for Kenstyle. Those wheels look great with just a wittle itty bitty tire tuck in the fender. Maybe a little much in my opinion, but it does look good. I like the slam look, but remembering my days from my pubescent mini-truck phase, I really hated the ride.

Also, that parking lot in the pic has a beeyotch of a entrance that would love to get nice and personal with the undercarriage of a nice slammed Scion.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 10:44 AM
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moved....
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 01:34 PM
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Default Re: What were the designers thinking?

Originally Posted by Mista3

Here's a crazy , they could have been thinking about a really comfortable ride. A lot of people don't care about agressive styinling, they just want a comfortable ride.
I could buy into that idea if I hadn't discovered that the TRD lowering springs didn't change the comfort level of the ride any at all. That means they could design styling AND comfort into the stock models.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 02:51 PM
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Now I'm thinking about NOT installing my rear springs...

Gonna rename the car: xA Cruiser

NAHHHHH....
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 04:25 PM
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Default Re: What were the designers thinking?

Originally Posted by jontul
Originally Posted by Mista3

Here's a crazy , they could have been thinking about a really comfortable ride. A lot of people don't care about agressive styinling, they just want a comfortable ride.
I could buy into that idea if I hadn't discovered that the TRD lowering springs didn't change the comfort level of the ride any at all. That means they could design styling AND comfort into the stock models.
I'm not totally sure, but I'm running 18" rims with Perelli P-Zero shoes and the TRD 1" drop kit seems to give me a better/smoother ride then when I had the stock struts/shocks. Maybe it's just me tho!
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 08:23 PM
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A noticable difference.
Looks good though.
Old Feb 19, 2005 | 01:06 AM
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Originally Posted by jethro b
in the pix ,it looks like those cars from the 70's with air shocks. lol
Hey man I love me some air shocks on an old muscle car. yum yum. no more tire rub.
Old Feb 19, 2005 | 01:33 AM
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Just curious, if you drop your car with springs do you need to change out your shocks or vice versa? Please pm with info. thaks.
Old Feb 24, 2005 | 09:42 PM
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Default Re: What were the designers thinking?

Originally Posted by Mista3
Originally Posted by jontul
I cannot figure out WHY they put the stock xA up on stilts the way they did. It just looks wrong, IMO. Dropping mine with the TRD 1" springs doesn't really make it look slammed in any way. Instead, everytime I look at it now, I think to myself "THAT'S what it should've looked like in the first place." What do you guys think was the design reasoning behind the decision to put such high springs on the stocks?
Here's a crazy , they could have been thinking about a really comfortable ride. A lot of people don't care about agressive styinling, they just want a comfortable ride.
IF the OEM springs are "comfortable," I think I would kill myself. The stock ride is pretty bad man. . . not a huge difference, compared to TRD's. And the Goldline's actually ride better than the OEM springs, and drop the car more than TRD's. I love Lexus. . . I wish I could afford a new one. The new LS430's have auto height adjustment, and automatically lower the car almost 2 inches when it accelerates past 62mph. Anyone wanna loan me $70,000?
Old Feb 24, 2005 | 10:46 PM
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Default Just to clarify

I agree that whether you leave the stock springs on or go with TRDs, neither is going to be like riding on a cloud. This is a tiny, lightweight car with a very short wheelbase. I think that if they could've made it ride less bumpy, they would've. My point really was that it is not MORE rough with TRD than with stock. I can't comment on the the comfort level of other brands of springs vs. stock.



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