CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

After having my NF210 springs for almost 2 months, I finally had them installed yesterday! I drove about 100 miles, mostly freeway, after the installation, before taking the "After" dims when I got home this afternoon. It might settle a bit more, but I'm guessing not very much. I took measurements from the ground to the top of each wheelwell arch and also from the ground to the lowest point in the center of the front and rear bumpers. The bumper dims are less important, but I included them since Papa had them for his DF210's last week. The before and after measurements were taken at the same location, in my garage. (And yes uberspeed, air pressure in the tires was also the same before and after - F=36#/R=34#)

Here's what I got: . . . Before . . . After . . . . Drop
Front wheel arch . . . . 26.5" . . 25.625" . . . 7/8"
Rear wheel arch . . . . . 28.0" . . 26.375" . . 1-5/8"
Front bumper . . . . . . . 8.375" . . 7.75" . . . . . 5/8"
Rear bumper . . . . . . . 13.25" . . 11.375" . . 1-7/8"

These numbers are just a little bit different from Tanabe's "advertised" specs of 1" front drop, and almost exact for the 1.7" rear drop.

Now for the butt test results:
The difference in ride is unbelievable! I have always felt that the stock xB's ride over small bumps, pavement joints and freeway expansion joints was quite choppy. I chose the NF's because the spring rate is raised to no more than 5% stiffer than stock, while the TRD springs are reportedly about 10% stiffer (right or wrong, I have that in print for anybody who wants to see it). The DF210's are between 10-15% stiffer, and as a very heavy daily driver I just didn't want that much of a drop. I thought that each increase in added stiffness would make the ride more and more choppy. Fortunately that was not the case at all, at least with the NF210's. The ride is much smoother than stock, as well as feeling much more planted to the road through turns, even on the stock tires and wheels. Talk about the best of both worlds! I don't know the physics or engineering of it, but my guess is that the shocks had a little bit of "stiction" (sticky friction) to overcome at the stock ride height that is no longer there since they are now compressed a little more; kind of like pre-loading them. Like I said, I don't know if this is correct or even a possibility, but maybe one of the engineers in the crowd can help out here... what do you think Bigfieroman?

I know I've been really long-winded here, but people have been wondering and asking for awhile, so I wanted to be as informative as possible. I would recommend these springs to anybody for the improvement in ride quality alone, even if you aren't doing it to correct the jacked up rear end look. This would be especially true for people who have asked about changing out just the rear springs to level out the ride height. This way you get a level height front to rear, and far superior ride quality at the same time. Obviously I just can't say enough good things about these springs (can you tell?), and NO, I don't work for Tanabe, and they didn't put me up to this or give me the springs. I bought them off eBay for $162.50 plus Los Angeles county sales tax. I picked them up when I was down there for Thanksgiving to save myself the $35 shipping charge.

With all that said and done, here are some pictures:

These are the NF210's; notice the progressive rear coils (stock springs are linear).


Here is a shot of the installed rear coil with the xB sitting on the ground.


Finally the xB side view; sorry about the picture quality, but the sun was really low in the sky by the time I got home to my camera, and I wanted the gap b/w tires and fender lips to be visible.


That's all folks! (and really isn't it enough.)

uberspeed

Congrats bud! Glad they worked out for you and by your driving impressions it seems they're perfect for you.

Bigfieroman

The improved ride is due to the progressive coils. I have always believed in progressives for daily driver lowering. Hence, my choice, the Eibach Sportlines:


Which are progressive front and rear.

The progressive rate will make the ride softer over smaller bumps, like seen on a freeway. Big bumps, however, will be rougher due to limited wheel travel and the overall, "final" spring rate.

You are noticing the difference because most of the ride issues of the xB, IMO, are due to the rear springs/suspension. Torsion beam suspensions are inexpensive to make, but generally suck for handling AND ride.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Bigfieroman for the response and input. I saw all the work you did Saturday; looking good so far,
I bet you can't wait to get the new shocks and struts so that you can do the entire suspension upgrade.

MikeInABox

Ah yes finally!
Looks like my mind is made up now between TRD's and the NF's. I'll be going with Tanabe's. I'm betting after they settle it will be a tad lower. I noticed in some pics where people have TRD's, If the pics are right after they're installed, they don't look as low as pics of one that has settled.

Looks great, thanks for posting this!

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

This is currently the cheapest I have seen them ($8 less than I paid),
but since I picked them up when I was in Los Angeles I didn't have to pay the $35 shipping charge.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Scion...QQcmdZViewItem

DREWxB08

iTrader: (1)

A+++++++++ on the write up. Look's awsome i beleave im gonna be ordering a set of NF210's. Any other plans like sway bar's ect???

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Drew. Yeh, more to come; all future mods will take is time and money, mostly money:
18" wheels & tires
Either TRD rear sway, or F/R kit by somebody else
Front strut tie bar
HID 4300K
Intake/Exhaust
Speaker upgrade & sound deadening, but that will probably be one of the last things
Possibly Rumion tail lights to fix that whole "not enough light" back-up light issue

That will keep me and my wallet going for a while.

DREWxB08

iTrader: (1)

I hear ya about the Money part!!!! Im going to be ordering a set of NF's today thanks to and your write up and pic and i as well am a heavy driver to work and home and all over. Im also thinking about ordering the hotchkis sway bar's.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

You won't be disappointed!

bigpapa

How difficult was the install?

ScionFred

iTrader: (1)

Not to knock on the Hotchkis sway bars but if you're buying springs based on wanting a complaint ride, wouldn't it make more sense to get the TRD rear sway bar to match the stock front bar rather than the 50% stiffer Hotchkis bars? It would be cheaper and ride better while still making a vast improvement in handling. JMO.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

It's supposedly only 25% stiffer than stock (according to Hotchkis), and my ignorant understanding is that the sway bars reduce roll in turns, but don't appreciably stiffen up the straight line ride.
Please correct (educate) me if I'm wrong about this, as I've been trying to decide about Hotchkis kit vs. TRD rear bar only myself. Thanks for the help.

BTW ScionFred, I still haven't forgotten about the back-up light issue.

Guest

Looking good on the pics man! Glad to hear that the springs worked out in your favor! :D See you next time!

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Gabe.

Anybody who needs suspension or exhaust work done in the northern California bay area, Stylis is the man!
Great work, VERY reasonable $$, and as a bonus there's a really good alignment shop right next door.

bigpapa, the install was really easy; all I did was stand around talking for an hour and a half, then hand over $$ to Gabe.

xBliever

CIONIDE and/or bigfieroman,

How do you think the NF210s would compare to the Eibach springs?

I commute down from north of Sacramento to San Jose a lot, and I'd like to be able to lower it but maintain or improve the ride. I'd also be interested to find out the best combo of those springs with sway bars and/or strut tie bar.

I might just have to show up at QCup Milpitas tomorrow night to find out more...

CIONIDE, that looks great by the way. Now if you didn't need the front license plate, you could blackout that bumper... I'll stop before I go too far off thread

Bigfieroman

They would prolly be pretty similar ride, but the eibachs are lower, especially in the rear.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

California is a "must have front plate state", and it's a fine, not just a fix-it ticket. If I didn't need a front plate, I would do the vinyl overlay on the front bumper.

Besides that, I'm waiting for the inmates at Folsom prison to finish my personalized "CIONIDE" plate, so I'm OK with a front plate on the xB.

xb2

That is a really nice looking drop.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, it's not as low and sassy as DF's, but it rides great, looks a lot better than stock, and accomplishes what I wanted and needed. I'm lovin' it!