I wanted to put Koni yellow struts/shocks all the way around and keep the stock springs. It is my mother-in-laws vehicle, she doesn't watch how she pulls into driveways and we get snow here, she also likes the height, it is easy for her to get in/out. So unfortunately I'm right of the line of style verses function.

I'm going to put 205/50-16, 16x7 +38os on it. I would like to lower it just and inch, no more. Now I'm thinking about putting coilovers on it. I see with the progress kit, in the rear it is just the spring, so I could still go with the Koni yellow shock in the rear.

1. Are the progress front struts rebound or compression adjustable?

2. How do the progress spring rates and ride compare to stock?

I don't want it to be sprung any stiffer. Same or softer would be great with a rear anti-sway bar upgrade.

3. At what point of lowering (how many inches) does it start to affect the camber? Where a camber plate or bolts are needed?

 

Just get the TRD springs.
There's no point in getting coilovers or new struts and shocks, unless you need to replace the stock struts and shocks and can get the konis for less than stock.
TRD lowers 1.5".

With the Konis, it will lower it a bit more in combination with the TRD springs.
With just the TRD springs, it lowers the center of gravity the perfect amount, she won't really scrape on anything either.

Honestly, if she's just looking for a better ride, forget the springs and shocks, and just get the sway bar. I see no point in spending all the cash for springs and shocks/struts or coilovers when it's not even your car. There is not a big enough difference.

 

This is more than you wanted to know, but she has helped my wife and I out financially in the past. Now I have the extra cash to return the favor. She really likes her xB, just doesn't like how it rides on the highway, I really don't either.

From what I've read the Koni's really help to reduce the bouncy stock ride. It does not need new struts/shocks, the xB has about 50,000 on it right now.

So you are saying the TRD's ride like stock? I thought they are firmer?

How does a anti-sway bar help improve the ride of any car? This won't affect the suspension if both left and right wheels are moving up or down together. It will make the suspension seem a little more stiff if one wheel hits a bump. And the reason to put a stiffer or add an anti-sway bar is to reduce body roll while cornering.

Everyone has there own opinion and take on things, but my belief is that what you are saying doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

Just go with the koni's. They're adjustable, and coupled with the stock springs would be a nice ride.

 

The Koni DF210 combo is a lot smoother than stock. I love it.



I can see why you want to get springs now, it's much easier to throw them on the new struts when they are out.

TRD is probably fine.

 

What was the advertised lower and final settling lower height of the DF210's. smoother than stock you say, wow, that sounds nice!

 

I can vouch for the smoother than stock with DF210s/Konis. I think the final settling drops almost an extra quarter to half inch.

 

Hmmm,

Now you got me thinking with the DF210's. That might be workable. We will see if my mother-in-law will go for it.

Any one on here selling a used set?

Definitely going with the Koni's all around, and Falken 912's. I know a 195/60-15 would give the best ride, but I'm going to go with the 205/50-16. I think this will have little affect on the bounce especially with the Koni's. Just the pot hole type bumps will be a little harder.

 

How to fix most issues with the pot hole type bumps... Energy Suspension End Links and Lower Control Arm bushings. You can also do the rear trailing bushings as well. The improvement I saw was night and day with the energy suspension bushings... even after installing the konis and the df210s.

 

I still wouldn't say the DF210s are "too low". They are "just right" if you ask me. A little lower is preferred looks wise. I just drove through a neighbourhood with friggin' speedbumps and only my dumb underbrace hit any of them.

 

I would agree on DF210 too or maybe NF210...

 

So the energy suspension bushing help that much? Are they harder than stock? I thought putting harder bushings in would make the ride worse, because the tire/suspension can't deflect as much? I'm not saying otherwise to what you guys are saying. If you installed them and you can tell a difference then that is proof enough.

Now they actually make bushing for the xB? I thought I remember reading that general/generics are used for the front end links.

What is the difference between the DF210 and NF210. I thought most people ran the DFs.

 

NF's, not much of a drop and different color paint. I'm not sure if anyone has them haha.

Energy Suspension bushings kit can be found at Autozone I believe.
I'm about to buy the control arm and trailing arm ones online soon though. They are much better than the stock rubber.

 

Does anyone know how exactly the energy suspension bushing help the ride? I'm just curious to know the science behind it.

Are the DFs progressive rate?

Are the NFs progressive rate?

 

The energy suspension bushings help in the points with rough roads. The suspension will hold better to the road by taking out the heavy impacts caused by potholes etc. The end-links specifically are for handling around corners with rough roads. However, the end-links do help in other aspects of handling. The lower control arm bushings help with the directed front impacts of unnoticed potholes/debris or whathaveyou. The material of solid rubber on the xB suspension breaks down quite quickly. I've seen one set of end-links replaced after three months of average driving, less than 10K miles and the rubber was already starting to crack and flake. The poly bushings will not crack/flake due to the compound they are made of. The cushion from the poly bushings is progressive rather than static in their nature. They help with the impact vibration received and add a small amount of recoil relief to the shocks/struts. So, is it worth spending $20 for end-links and $25 for the control arm, hell yeah it is.

The DFs are progressive. NFs, I couldn't tell you... but the DFs have a very solid ride about them, a little better than stock, but with a nice drop.

 

Before I post my opinions, I will give you a breakdown on everything I've done to the suspension.

- Koni yellow shocks all around (normally set to full stiff all around)
- TRD sport springs
- Progress 22mm rear sway bar
- Energy Bushings (They used my car to prototype the kit so I also have rack an pinion bushings, and my bushings are firmer than what you would buy.)
- I daily drive on 205/50 25 Dunlop Direzza (DZ101) on steelies
- I track my car with 5Zigen FN01R-C 16x7 with 215/45 16 Falken AZENIS (RT-615)

Now, Knowing what I have I can assure you the ride is comfortable enough that my friends 80 year old mom likes the ride with no complaints, but handles like it's on rails, I have chased down quite a few cars at the track, and it surprised a lot of people when they see how much speed I manage to carry around corners.

When I picked up my car from Energy Suspension the first thing I told their R&D guy was that I was shocked that the ride was actually more compliant, but still handled better than stock. He explained to me the point of installing the bushing was that OEM rubber bushings compresses and sometimes that causes the control arms to move out of it's intended geometry, urethane bushings don't compress, and therefore the suspension can move only in it's intended geometry. Pretty much with stock bushings the rubber also deflects with you hit a bump, dip or corner, but with urethane bushings only the control arm will move (in the way it was supposed to) and because of that the shock and spring can do what they were supposed to do. I hope I'm making sense...

If you're local to So. Cal I'd be glad to take you for in a spin in the car to compare to stock.

 

I don't think there is a write up on installing the Energy control arm bushing kit. Any advice?

 

Seriously... when I saw what was involved on taking out the lower control arm to get to the bushings, I took mine to a local tuner shop and had it done. There's a lot of great information online, to be had... but I'm not that confident when working with that part of the suspension. Cost me $60 cold cash to have it done. I got to help with the install as well, so I was happy about that.

 

Just want to get it straight which energy suspension bushing are offered, which are application specific and which are universal.

Control arm, trailing arm...are these front/back (both), front anti-sway bar end links.

The progress bar is an auxiliary bar to stock right?

 

All that is correct. The Progress bar makes the xB more fun to drive for sure.




So I should find somebody to help install the control arm bushings?
I'll wait on that one then.