MidnightScion

Hey gang.
I've been cooking something for upcoming rally in September.
I thought I'd share my suspension mod.So far I've completed rear limiting strap.
Front will be a challenge. However with good welder and imagination, nothing stands in the way of making it happen.
Take a gander at what I've cooked so far.


And this is almost complete undercarriage of my xA minus fuel tank protection. Will be complete befor races.


Cheers...

schwartz329

Looks interesting......
I can see the use but how hard do u plan on pushing that car haha


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MidnightScion

You'd be surprised how capable this little toaster is...with proper tyres it'll do well rallying on gravel or tarmac.
Limiting suspension travel (read controlled extension stop) has been used for ages in motor sports.
Cheers.

05sciko

so it looks like you have stock springs. what all have you done to the suspension to get it ready to rally?

MidnightScion

Since that picture I finished front straps. Installed Megan racing springs with 1.5 inch spacers (do not like the drop) installed longer bump stops up front. Removed front sway bar, retained rear one.
Tested it during Norwester rally . Worked really well.
Firmer ride , positive weigh transfer during an S bends and hair pins.
Plus gained better handling on tarmac. Make sure to use proper tires because winterforce tires I used for gravel didn't work well on tarmac.

05sciko

lol the tires and suspension are what make a rally car! is this your DD or just a basher? and did the megan springs have a higher spring rate?

MidnightScion

Some people won't take their 4x4 to places like these...

I drive it when I don't ride my motorbike and play with it ...

I really want Tein Gr type suspension but its a lot of money.

Megan springs 280 front 230 rear ...

You can have the best setup and be lousy driver ... So IMHO driver is the most important piece of an equation.
Cheers...

05sciko

true that the driver is the most important. i was meaning more car wise. a fast car without the proper tires and suspension is s.o.l. while a slow car (sparco rally xd) with the right suspension and tires can be a beast!

MidnightScion

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=217219
This is how front limiting straps look like (sway bar was still attached)
I set up fronts and rears to catch actual end of the travel not really to limit the travel to prevent loud clunks when struts/shocks suddenly extended. I've done it to protect Koni struts and shocks. Koni Yellows have screw on top nuts which threads could get damaged (theoretically) when suspension suddenly unloads during a brief air time.
Nothing too scientific, just transferred my suspension knowledge from years of Jeepin' ...

05sciko

i used to jeep too! I was actually looking at the pic of your xa on the rocks and thinking about crawling the ledge behind it!

05sciko

how did you get past the vsc in the gravel?

MidnightScion

My xA has no traction aids. I hate ABS as it is. So I disable ABS when I don't need it.

Lugs_ONE

very interesting how did it hold up during the off road trek

MidnightScion

During final test run, it has developed a clunk which I pinpointed to a too-small-of-an-opening in my front strut spacer which was hitting on the threaded nut of the strut itself (koni yellow). A but of cut-off wheel action and some trail-error measuring, and everything fell into place before real test during almost 700-mile-two-day-rally where we have caught some air, got few too many pine cones in the radiator and slid sideways more times my navigator and I could count, trashed suspension, developed new rattles and squeaks inside .... but overall it held up just fine. My brakes needed to be replaced, got overheated and warped. But that was an extend of damage. Even Slush-Box held up fine (I install 12000 GVW cooler in line)...
Well, it is a TOYOTA after all. Only pussies can say my floor mat got stuck under gas pedal. I keep gas pedal glued to the floor and have yet to crush into a concrete barrier ...

SatsumaxA

Land Rover solution from Europe (England) bolt on retainer on bottom of spring..

http://www.gwynlewis4x4.co.uk/page56.html

DaWiz711

I'm interested in all your mods, not just this one. Taking notes for my xb!

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