Lawrider

Hello,

Bought my SW Xb Friday, and couldn't resist lowering it. Recieved a set of Tanabe DF210s from PTtuning. Installed the fronts, PITA using spring compressors, but went smoothly. Front end is pretty low now, 2 fingers gap after the install, and im sure it will settle some.

Then i went to to the rears, which from reading here, seem to be really easy.

The instructions say remove that shock bolt, remove spring (referring to TRD instructions since Tanabe seems to think instructions aren't necessary). Well, spring would not budge. With the bolt out, the spring was still snug, it would not come out easily.

So i ended up using spring compressors on the OEM spring, to get it removed. Put in the Tanabe spring, and used compressors on it as well. I lined up the top of the shock with the rubber pad on top, making sure it was correctly in the groove. Put shock bolt back on, and lowered the jack. Made sure the writing on the shock was right side up.

the car is the same height as before is started

I understand that springs settle, but from the pics here, the rears always look low since we are talking about a 2 inch drop, right off the bat. My fronts are pretty low, easily lower than OEM right off the bat, and i am sure will settle more, but i can put my entire fist in the wheel gap in the back.

I stopped at one rear wheel, so one is Tanabe, one is OEM. Checking between the sides, they have the same amount of wheel gap.

For reference, the springs are red, have black wrapping on 2 coils, and are labelled:
DF210
0707 TDF 129R

Now if they were mistakenly gen 1 coils, wouldn't that equate to an even more noticeable drop since the gen2's are so much heavier?

Any advice would be appreciated. I was crestfallen when i lowered the back and still had several inches of gap. Are people coaxing the rear spring out after removing the shock bolt, or are they truly just sliding out? With the fronts sitting low and installing smoothly, it seems i did recieve the correct 2nd gen coils :/

ScionFred

iTrader: (1)

FWIW, when I installed my TRD springs, I didn't need a compressor for the rears. I just yanked them out. With one spring done the rear sat as high as you are describing. Even with both installed the rear sat about the same as stock. However, after bouncing the rear a few times it settled quite a bit. After a short drive they settled even more. and after a few weeks, they settled into a very nice drop.

roXor_boXor

Do the other side. You cannot tell with only one spring installed. With the type of rear beam suspension the car has, I would not be surprised if the single stock spring would hold the entire rear end up fairly high.

I cannot understand why you are having trouble getting the rear springs out. Mine literally fell out on the floor when I removed the shock bolt and then jacked the car up. It has to be jacked up fairly high. As noted in the TRD instructions, you want to be careful when the rear suspension is full down to avoid damage to brake lines, axle bushings and such. When I did mine I was careful and as I said the springs fell out onto the floor. It helps if you use jack stands and jack up both sides at once too.

I don't want to offend you but I have to ask. You are jacking the car at the regular jack points and not someplace like under the spring pad or some other active part of the suspension right? The TRD instructions show a jack under the spring pad, but that is their "don't let it all the way down to avoid damage" stuff. Definitely not where you jack the car up.

Hope that helps.

MikeInABox

Yeah you shouldn't have to use a compressor to get the rear springs out. On any car I've had experience with that have this type of rear suspension (mostly VW's for me) the rear shock is what holds the rear springs in place. If that shock is removed at one end and the arm is allowed to drop, the spring should just come right out, just like roXor_boXor said.

The spring being that tight from the get go is a sign something wasn't right (not trying to point out the obvious). Maybe since it's so new, you said you got it Friday, the stock stuff hasn't all settled in yet. Seems kind of out there, but I think it's possible. Only other reason I could imagine the spring is in that tight is if something is keeping the beam/arm from lowering all the way, like if your jacks/jack stands are in the wrong spot.

Not sure if I agree that one stock spring would keep the whole rear at stock height. I would think it would droop on the tanabe side at least a little.

Lawrider

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. I was jacking at the OEM spot, slightly inside of the rail location (i have a saddle jack) but definitely not on any suspension bits!

I jacked the side up, then i removed the bolt, and the arm lowered. Perhaps if i remove bolt, then jack, it will be different? I also had only one side of the car jacked, i did not raise both sides.

matt311

i just did my springs and you have to do ALL of them before you see any difference ...

Tanabe DF's did one at a time... had BOTH backs done and it didnt look like anything changed... but then i put the front on... and everything dropped the 2 inches... thats just how it goes man.. put them bad boys on it will be alright! ...

Lawrider

Okay, figured out what i was doing wrong. I was only removing 1 side's shock bolt at a time. When only one side is done, the beam will not drop down enough for the springs to fall out.

So for future search purposes, you are supposed to remove both shick bolts at once. If you do this while car is on the ground, then you can lift either side, and the springs will indeed drop out.

matt311

ahh is that how they do it with out compressors...lol.. I was wondering when i did mine.. I was like .. man how did they do this without compressors!... they must be freakin strong!

broken_20_2

Is there a DIY for installing springs? I did it on my friends Trail Blazer SS, but only had to do the fronts, and it's been awhile

Artsx

pics?

RoboX

i know this is an older post but every time i lower a car the rear will sit high until i release the ebrake and then it slams down a good 1-2"