mcbrew

I got up early this morning (even though I'm still shaking off a cold) and yanked off the TRD shocks, struts, and springs from my xD and installed stock parts. I was able to purchase stock springs from someone who had removed them early on and put on some sort of aftermarket springs. I boght the shocks and struts new from TRD Sparks.

The job wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It took about three hours, but I could probably do it in two hours or less now that I have some practice. I roughly followed the repair manual procedure, but I did not remove the rear brake lines or loosen the rear axle bolts. I lowered the lift so the car was about 2 feet off the ground and placed a jack stand under the axle beam. Then I removed the shocks and lifted the car up a little at a time until the springs just fell out. Then I squeezed the new springs in there and lowered it a bit. Worked great! I did need a spring compressor for to get the front springs into the struts.

It is a little annoying that you have to remove the wipers, cowl, wiper motor/trans, and lower (metal) cowl to get to the top of the struts, but it seriously only took about five minutes to take all that stuff off. It went back on equally as easy and fast.

The car rides much smoother now... especially with the camper in tow. I no longer hate speed bumps!

jnaval

What're you gonna do with your pile of TRD goodness?

mcbrew

Take it to the dump, most likely... One of the struts has a crack in it from someone putting too much torque on the top nut. It was fun getting it off. The rest of the stuff is okay, but I don't know if anyone wants springs and shocks with 44,000 miles on them.

doccac

I, too, am back on stock. I think the ride is better, but the looks lack a bit. I also have noticed a slight worsening of the mileage. I wonder if raising the car an inch or two affects mileage. Let me know if you notice it...

xD_kidd91

Ii heard you get an additional 2-3%mpg by lowering ur car lol

ROCKLANDTOYOTA

GREEN WHEELS make that number almost 10%.......

ramrat

Has anyone tried TRD struts and shocks with stock springs? I wonder if that will tighten the car some but still ride smoother due to softer springs.

xD_kidd91

cant tell if your playing around.. otherwise your about to get smacked with some info to support my statement lol.

btw im on bbs right now lol

CXTKRS1

You would have to sell them cheap or for nothing, think of it as a donation to the Scion community.

mcbrew

Fuel economy was half of the reason I opted for the TRD setup from the beginning. I haven't driven enough with the stock setup to come to any conclusions about it, though. I got 25.2 MPG on my first tank with the new (stock) setup, but that was towing my camper for 100% of that tank. My current tank included about 16 miles with the camper, and is up to about 38 MPG. I won't be camping this weekend, so my next tank will be more normal.

xDizzle

wats wrong with green wheels!!?!!?!?

xD_kidd91

Another hater on scion forums lol

xDizzle

smh!

tmrepp

how big is that camper?? that's ballsy

mcbrew

It is quite small. It was designed to be towed with an economy car of the 1970s (air-cooled VW Beetle, for example). There are plenty of pics of it around here. Check the "towing" thread.

greevedogg

Interesting, McBrew...
I'm just about to do the opposite: going from stock to TRD springs...
Mind you, I'm still on the fence though...
I like the way my xD rides now, but I think the look of being 1.5" lower will greatly improve the appearance of my car...
I don't do any towing or the like, and my daily commute is less than 5 miles. I'm really not sure if I should sacrifice ride quality for appearance
Chime in guys, I'd love to hear everyone's input!
Thanks in advance!

mcbrew

Well, my daily commute is more like 40 miles each way most days. It depend on whether I have to drop junior off at daycare or not. I also make frequent 100-150 mile (each way) trips to visit family. Probably twice a month on average. I really could not stand the ride of the TRD setup. Yes, it handled the twisty roads a little better, but I don't regret switching back to stock at all.

I took a 15 mile ride with my dad yesterday, and he commented on how much nicer it was to ride in my car now.

If you are doing it primarily for looks, then I can't really comment on that. That would be a very personal decision. Some people may even prefer the rougher ride. Keep on mind that I learned how to drive in Porsches and Audis. I like a sporty ride... But I think the TRD setup is mainly for lowering... Not for sporty handling.

xD_kidd91

if your commute is less than 5 miles like me .. then im sure u'll survive .. i went with df210s (about 2" drop) and its great for handling but ride quality does show and tires are also a factor ..

doccac

I am glad I am riding on stocks again. The lowering (I did the TRD's) does look better ,but I very much enjoy the driving experience better with the stocks. So, I have decided thats more important than aesthetics. I would do the rear sway bar to help with cornering/stability and stick with stock....just my 2cents though.

xD_kidd91

pretty simple.
the older you get the more you go for comfort and low gas consumption
younger generation.. looks and performance.

lol