Hi - I have been driving an xB for a few months and running around SF it is just too hard a ride. I feel every bump and pothole right up my spine. Is there anything that can be done to improve the ride? I would really appreciate any thoughts out there. I love the car, but my back is killing me....... Thanks [/b]

 

try taller section tires.

 

softer springs.


I think teins/spy springs are softer and I know there are many others. You can often find springs for sale in classifieds(on this site) or you can shop around for the best price on new ones. I think www.kozztuning.com has teins for fairly little cash.

 

Mine came with the tires at 35 psi from the dealer, I set them to 29 psi all around as recommended by Scion on the door sticker and the ride is much much improved. Initially it felt like the tires were made of concrete.

I think the increased rolling resistance may be contributing to the less than stellar mileage I seeing now at about 24mpg city. Next fill up I'll take the tires up a couple of pounds and see what I get there.

 

go get some washable paint, like something water soluable, then paint a line or few across your treads, then drive around, if only the middle is worn out, then do as ronrika suggested and take some air pressure out of your tires.
you could technically throw some weight in your car, the added weight would slowen down the dampening rate of your shocks providing for a smother ride, however at the struggle of your engine trying to hit those SF hills. lol
i would check into some shocks, thats what provides the smoothness when your car hits potholes and such.

 

tein h-tech springs will lower you 1 inch and provide a soft comfortable ride.

 

assuming he can afford them, tiens may be the best, but definatly not the cheapest

 

Buy I diff. car. You have to make sacrifices, you are eather all or none. I have cut the springs on mine to get the look I want. Will it ride worse, yes, do I care nope, b/c I want the look.

 

you dont necessalary have to go all or none all the time, its all up to preference, you dont care about the ride so long as it looks good, someone else might not care about the look so much as the performance and/or handeling.
its a case by case scenario, its basicialy up to what furyinabox wants out of his/her car.
teins might work out well, but maybe they dont care for all the things tien may offer, maybe the just want a smoother ride, in such case, why pay 800+ dollars for what a 200 doller pair of kyb or konigs would work just as well for what they wanted.

 

I got the Tein S-Tech's and noticed a smoother ride along with better cornering...

 

tein h techs are cheap , if they want a comfy ride no need in even talking about coilovers. thats bank!!!

 

Ride in a 4x4 truck. You will appreciate the ride a whole lot.

 

I'm also looking for the same thing here in upstate New York. The winter roads demand it. I've decided to go with the Goodyear Assurance Comfortred in size
185/65 TR15 from Tire Rack. Check out the specs of this tire vs. the standard oem's
and the slightly taller sidewalls and rubber compounds look to soften the ride. Read
the reviews and talk to the guys @ Tire Rack.

 

FORGET DOWNGRADING YOUR TIRES GUYS

Mostly you'll just compromise handling and make the car unsafe to handle.

The best way to soften the ride would be to find an Echo or xA owner who wants better handling and swap springs with them.

The US market xB comes with special stiffer springs that the Echo, xA and JDM BB do not have.

Swap spring with any of those cars and you will have the nice, squishy ride you desire without running junk tires with a low speed rating. ;)

 

from what i'm told xa are the same as xb. they sit higher with stock springs or aftermarket cuz they weigh less. I may be wrong , but bb springs or echo springs should do a trick , probably harder to get than teins or the like tho.

 

I've got a PDF document given to dealers, it's 32 pages. I'm not sure where I got it originally, but it has literally every detail in it regarding the Scion product line.

On page 14, it says specifically that the U.S. xB has 148 in/lb in front and 160 in/lb rate springs in the rear. The xA, bB, Ist and Echo all have 134 in/lb springs

This is a document intended to introduce dealers to the Scion product line, I'm sure a few of you have it already.

Interestingly, it also says the xA and xB are 50 lbs apart.

That should put to rest any ideas that the xA is significantly lighter. Put 5 grocery bags in your xA and it will weigh the same as my xB.

 

You and be both! NY roads are harsh.
I was looking at the Goodyear Assurance TripleTread.
Better traction and softer ride.

 

Why are lower springs softer?
You would think they would be stiffer to prevent the car from bottoming out.

Does anyone make softer OEM ride height springs yet?

 

One thing I can say is that my JDM bB sure rides hard...

 

23.74" 1856015 vs 24.47" 1856515 tire. You will be increasing your ride height which means raising the center of gravity on your box which means your box won't handle as well. The Comfortred is a great tire but I don't believe it is a H rated tire. So not only are your lessening the handling of the box but putting on a taller tire you are downgrading your tires speed rating.