Hi, I would like to improve the handling and ride of my xA, but I don't have much money. I have already purchased a TRD rear anti-sway bar from eBay which should arrive in a few days. Should this be enough to improve the handling to a considerable degree? I was thinking about springs and shocks, but it's a lot of money and I have no experience in installing these parts. I don't have any experience installing a sway bar either but from what I have seen it's pretty easy. Should I get the springs and shocks and if so, can I just get the springs because the shocks seem to be the most expensive component ? (I found TRD springs for less than $100 on trdsparks). Thanks!

 

There are a few things you should do to the suspension first when you consider things on a budget. The cheapest mod you can do is to change out the stock end-link bushings with energy suspension bushings. There's a thread around here and the cost is only $22 with nice handling improvements. Another cheap mod you can do is the lower control arm bushings (also energy suspension) but getting the old ones out is a bear and a half. The lower control arm bushings cost maybe about $25 or so. The rear sway bar will improve corning and reduce body roll a little bit. Also, the TRD bar will remove some of the understeer... but not to a point where the car becomes spin happy due to lowered grip.

The more expensive stuff is pretty simple to understand... but you are approaching it with the wrong angle. What I would do is get Koni Yellow shocks for the rear and leave the stock in front for the time being. The rear shocks would cost a little higher than your average shocks, but the handling improvement is quite huge. Not to mention the Koni Yellows allow you to set the stiffness of the shock. Lowering the car will also help with the handling and control, but not nearly as much as a really good set of shocks will do. Increasing the stiffness of the springs will also help with the control on cornering. I would recommend a progressive coil rather than static for the best performance/comfort/cost. If you do lower your xA, you really should make sure you change out your front shocks as well.

An easy way to improve handling without making any changes directly to the suspension of the car is to change tires. Go with a higher speed tire... one with a stiffer side wall. You can also do a little stretch to the tire to help stiffen the side wall better for those tires with sloppy sides. Reducing the height of the side wall and increasing the size of the rims also helps improve handling quite a bit.

 

if your from the midwest around indiana... i could sell ya a trd rear lower frame brace for dirt cheap

 

"Another cheap mod you can do is the lower control arm bushings (also energy suspension) but getting the old ones out is a bear and a half. The lower control arm bushings cost maybe about $25 or so."

1) Can the old ones be burned out?

2) Do you need a hydraulic press to put the new ones in - or could lotsa' grease and a good C-clamp suffice?

3) Any other "bear and a half" aspects to the install?

 

The best/cheapest thing to improve the xA is to add the rear sway bar, and change the shocks. Since this car did not have a sway bar on the back, the engineers put a bunch of compression damping in the shocks. It makes it go-kart quick in town, but punishing on the highway. A sway bar will help keep it flat in corners, and correct shocks will make it ride properly. If you are on a budget, just get the Monroe shocks with that TRD sway bar, and see how you like it from there. The stock spring rate is actually pretty good, and all the lowering springs will be much stiffer. Changing the shocks is really easy on this car.

Of course, good shocks are always better. So if you plan on putting 50k on your car, buy the good stuff now and enjoy the ride. I just installed the Koni's, and they are nice, but $550 for shocks and struts doesn't fall into the budget category.

Cheers,

 

/\/\/\ Yep, almost right on. Being on a budget makes a better ride more important than looks so go with Monroes all around and keep your ground clearance for year round duty. The ride quality will be sooo worth the money spent. I actually had to wait for Monroe to come out with stuff for the xB/xAs. You can always add lowering springs because springs have very little to do with actual ride quality. With the addition of the rear bar and softer ride quality you should be very happy!

 

Hello, I own a xA 2004 and I am new here. I am having squeaking noise in my rear suspension. As I am not that knowledgeable, can you pls tell me is there any stock sway bar in the rear? as I found that rear suspension bushing cause these noise..but I canot find any bushing..pls suggest..I would be grateful if you kindly look at my problem here https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sci...-noise-235130/

 

The xa/xb have rear trailing arm bushings.


https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem-...m-bushing.html

 

https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem-...m-bushing.html