I would like to both lift my xB1 as well as get a softer ride. I use it a lot on rough forest roads and for overlanding, and want to get 1.5" to 2" additional ride height as well as a somewhat softer ride. A lift kit would be easier and cheaper, but wouldn't give me a softer ride. Has anyone done something like this here before? I assume custom springs are required. Anyone have experience as to the specs for the springs should be, as in their stiffness? Any vendors to recommend?

Are there any other Toyota springs that could be swapped in? One thought I had was Yaris springs, which I assume are softer, combined with a lift kit. Not as ideal, but might be a cheaper solution.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

@morris7 Hi, Like 2 Months ago I replace my front struts with same OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in Scion xB 2004. Same reason. When driving in the Corn Field, or on the Farm land, the suspension of Toyota will not perform very good. I am looking to lift-up the rear of the car with 2" inches, and I am looking to get here in this platform some suggestions for coil (s) and strut (s) (please not cheaply Made in China!!). Thank you.

 

The root cause problem you both are looking to solve boils down to using the wrong vehicle for the wrong purpose. A 1st gen xB is not built to go off road and no (reasonable) amount of of modification is going to fix that. For instance, if you were to raise the rear of the car 2", think of what would happen to the front end. First, there's the front suspension geometry that would now be compromised - especially since caster is not adjustable on an xB. Second, the already low front air dam would be even closer to the ground. That would pretty much assure you ripping it off on your first off road adventure.

Now let's look at what would happen to your stock rear shocks. If you lift the rear 2", you need longer shocks or you will constantly top them out. That'll kill them in pretty short order. Then there's the issue of ground clearance. Raising a car the way you're talking does virtually nothing to increase ground clearance.

I could go on and on, but if you want to go off road, get an off road capable vehicle. It's far less expensive and much safer.

 

@2stroked, I am still looking for a compromised technological way to transform this Scion xB 2004 to do better on Farming terrain. Or, I may retired this car.
Thank you.

 

I've already lifted it 1.5" front and rear and removed the front air dam (lower part of bumper cover) and the rear lower bumper cover. This along with 205-60R15 tires adds up to a very useful 2" increase in ground clearance. It feels quite fine driving it; a 1.5" lift is hardly radical, and commonly done on lots of cars.

I'm thinking of installing some junkyard springs from an xA or Echo or Yaris, as they are softer. I am looking for a softer ride over the rough forest roads I've been using my xB on for 14 years now. It's done great, but I want more ground clearance and a softer ride.

There's no reason not to do this. Lots of xB owners go the opposite direction 9slamming). Why not the other direction if it creates a vehicle that does the intended job better?

 

I would guess that you need to keep the same spring rate, just increase the travel. The car will sink on softer springs until it reaches equilibrium. Softer springs would then bottom out faster.
So longer travel shocks and springs to match
May need a softer roll bar too
Good luck.

After thought - is it feasible to smooth out the forest roads that you travel on so often?

 

Randode creates 2" lift kits for the first gen xB.

also after a quick search I found these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lift-Kit-fo...gAAOSw3NFgAzbC

Wont help your ride stiffness, but it will get you the lift you want.

 

poopoo......

 

I'm actually looking at doing this too. A 1" lift with softer springs would be ideal. Problem is when hitting big bumps, it slams bottom of bumper cover into ground.

This happened twice on recent trips out to Phoenix to visit in-laws. Ended up breaking off connection between bumper-cover and trays ahead of engine. Ended up dragging belly trays under and wearing holes through them. Also dislodged sides of bumper-cover from fenders. One side per trip. Poor bumper-cover almost been knocked completely off.

So slight lift that uses up 1/2" of that extra lift over same bumps would be ideal. Here's how I'm going to approach it:

1. measure stock coils: coil-diameter, coil-thickness, number of coils will calculate spring-rate. Spring-height is also baseline measurement. https://www.engineersedge.com/spring_comp_calc_k.htm

2. scrounge catalogues and junkyards for similar diameter springs with slightly less coil-thickness with one more coil and 1.5" taller spring. This should pre-load down to about 1" higher ride-height.


Once you know specs on springs you want, easy enough to get custom-springs made:
https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/coil-springs
https://www.acxesspring.com/spring-calculator.html

 

Yes, Phoenix loves to put in storm gullies rather than drains and they act like inverted speed bumps. Have to scan the road for scrapes where others have grounded out.

The little plastic bits that hold the bumper cover to the fender also break easily - right at that seam in the wheel arch.

 

There’s a Facebook group for lifting xB’s, I haven’t done it yet but am thinking about doing it. The two main ways of lifting it are a lift kit, and longer springs. They say the second gen xB springs generally fit the first gen and offer about a 1.5” lift. I think the front second gen springs are a little wider at the bottom than first gen but don’t think it’s too much of a problem. Best of luck to you and maybe asking in that group will help you get some answers.

 

I used something like this off ebay. But shorter 20mm version

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112963777248