Hello,

I'm considering improving my xA's handling and the main things I'm looking at are lowering springs and a rear anti-sway bar. Since I'm on a budget I'm looking for the most bang for the buck suspension mod. So now, onto my questions:

1. I was wondering if anyone here is running lowering springs with the stock dampers (aka "shocks")? I'm scared of blowing them out if I put in stiffer springs, however I heard that the TRD and Eibach springs are supposed to run fine on the stock shocks? Does anyone have any experience with this? Additionally, how's the ride quality? As long as it's not worse than stock that's fine with me.

2. Is it easy to install springs yourself? I read the DIY and it looked simple enough, however sometimes things are more complicated than they seem...

3. Next up is a sway bar question; what makes a bigger difference, a front sway bar or a rear sway bar? Since this car's FWD I'm assuming a rear one would give better improvements since it should reduce understeer, however I'm wondering if it's worth it at all? I was thinking of going with a rear bar and switching to polyurethane bushings up front, would this be a good decision?

4. Does anyone have a link to the front polyurethane bushing install? The one I found was a bit confusing...

Thanks for reading this long post and I would really appreciate it if anyone could throw some helpful advice my way.

Cheers!

Charles

 

1. Lowering springs aren't going to blow out your struts.

2. Get a rear sway bar. Don't mess with the front sway bar.

3. Do the polyurethane end link bushings. Hell, replace all the bushings with polyurethane.

 

Thanks for the reply! I'm looking into the poly bushings, however do you know where I can get some and which ones to use?

Also, does anyone have a link to the poly bushing install? I can't find it on scionlife anymore...?

 

for the poly bushing end links - go to your local autoparts store and get the energy suspention universal end link kit. most auto parts stores stock them, some don't.. in the end link install write up, there is a link to summit's site and part #. I just got some and after shipping they were 18$, well worth it, just get yourself 2 grade 8 4'' bolts, the supplied bolts with the kit are too long. Or even better, your local auto parts store may also stock the end link bushing kit w/o bolts, cheaper and better since you are going to toss the 4.5'' grade 5 supplied bolts and get shorter ones anyways...

Also, here is the link to the install write up - copy and paste- i got sick of trying to create a link with the url tags....

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...acing+end+link

 

Lowering springs in most cases will not blow out your shocks, but if you slam your car you may, it just depends how you drive your car and how many miles you put on them. With TRD's or Eibach's I don't think you would blow out your shocks.

The rear sway bar would be a great idea. I have the progress rear bar and it made a huge difference. Since I do a lot of track time I plan on upgrading to the Hotchkis front and rear set, so maybe you could pick up my sway bar?

The bushing kit is another good idea, it actually makes the suspension work the way its supposed to. The stock rubber is really soft and some people say poly bushings make the ride harsh but on the xB/xA it makes it more bareable. BTW, don't do the hack job DIY with universal endlinks, it was a good idea until energy made the endlinks specifically for our car. Buy the ones made for your car, Energy Suspension makes a kit for our cars.
Here's a link to their website.
http://www.energysuspension.com/pages/scion.html

 

Thanks bB384,

However, where can I purchase these bushings? I'm having trouble finding a place that has them...

 

I believe the person who created the post in the following link is still selling them:

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...724&highlight=

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...B:EOIBSA:MT:11

 

Exactly what I would say!

BTW here are the bushings like everybody said don't mess with making your own these are just as cheap that was before anybody made the actual part. http://www.365motorwerks.com/energys...ckswaybar.aspx

And scroll down on this page you can see what a 4yr old set of endlinks look like ;) http://www.365motorwerks.com/news.aspx

 

After doing the endlinks on the front sway bar all you need to replace are those 2 poly pieces in the middle of the stock sway bar? Nothing else is needed?

 

took me like 2-5 hours just to install my sway bar bushings (not the endlinks) cause i didn't want to drop my k-member

but was well worth it

 

It replaces 2 stock rubber pieces?

Is what Monsterwerks sells for the middle of the bar all I need?

 

JCT Thanks for the pm

I am under the impression that the brackets really do not really have to be replaced. Just the two center bushings.

I got that info from Monsterwerks. He just sells the bushings.

 

Right but you do have to get the old bushings out to put the new ones in which is what JCT was saying is a pain... I only did the end links on my xB which made a huge difference and keep meaning to go back and do the center bushings as they give a clunk but haven't got around to it yet.

 

JCT also changed his brackets. He told me.

 

i tried to reuse the stock brackets but they are too small for the new poly bushings(new brackets came with the poly bushings

 

Huh maybe an older
version of the bushing or something? Mine was a fairly new box and did not have brackets.

 

Wow, really.

Thanks for that info?


I guess that is why energy suspension does not have them in thier kits.

 

You guys both have 2004 xB's?

Right?

 

I do Part number on the bushings is the same for all Gen 1's.