I was wondering how I can make the ride of my scion smoother, i don't know whether lowering it or adding shocks would help and what do coilovers do?

 

if u wanna keep stock height get tein H tech springs.....if u wanna drop it get tein s tech's......i run the s tech's and they are so much better ride then stock....u have tokico shocks stock....so changing your shocks would be stupid untill they wore out....
i know what u mean....the stock springs are very stiff and gives a very stiff uncomfortable ride.....

 

i would actually disagree with scionxb04 on the s.tech's... i wouldn't recommend them for a "smoother" ride. i have them on my xB and i do like them, but that is because it handles better, not because it rides better. it definately does have a less compliant ride then stock... i think a lot of people are researching springs, buying springs and then naturally very excited about their performance once they get them-- i just think that most of it is psychological. they are just springs. they can only do soo much. and they can't be both softer and harder at the same time. shocks have a lot more to do with a smooth ride then springs.

now if you are going to get springs anyways i think the h.techs would be a good choice - they have a lower spring rate and are less sport oriented like the s.techs. the other key is they only lower the car about 1" which will still allow most of the shock/strut travel to be retained.

my 6cents...

 

this is the reason i am still on stock springs because i hear alot of things about alot of springs but i dont know which one to go with and also cause im not well knowledge on suspension but can someone point me to a good set of springs that smooter yes this is the word commonly used but people have different views on this i would like something that has a nice ride that is not as stiff as stock something that adjusts to the road making it seem like there was never a bump to begin with. yes i know that there is no spring like that but something as close as possible. any suggestions? or would i just be better off going with a coilover setup?

 

ive run skunk2 coilovers....eibach....tein....goldline.... on my 2k civic si.....i do have much to compare to thank you for already knowing me in the few posts i left around here.....

and when i pulled my stock springs i pushed down with most my weight and could compress the tein springs much more then the stock springs....the stock springs are stiffer....and will give you a much more stiff ride...you will feel the road more...bumps more...etc....teins will give you a much better ride...

and i drive drive the car about 300miles a day....i think i would notice a difference when i switched springs

 

If the tein H tech springs truly are softer, more compliant, wouldn't you get more lean in the turns? I mean somethings gotta give right? Wouldn't Scion have just put on softer springs to begin with if they thought the handling would be just as good?

Also, if I did change to H tech, would sway bars make up for the the lost handling?

I really appreciate your input because I am seriously considering doing this if I can have a smoother ride AND keep the great handling.

Sean

 

To add one mre question......do H techs actually lower the car or don't they? I would want stock height.

Sean

 

Sean, you are mostly correct--going with a more comfy ride is sacrificing some performace handling, and vice versa.

The H-Techs barely lower the car any, one inch all around--you won't even notice that it's lower, and you get the nice ride feel.

But as good as a set of springs can be, they can be bested in both comfort AND performance if you choose a set of coilovers. Reports say that we certain types of coilovers, the ride is smoother and less bumpy than stock and aftermarket springs.

 

get what u pay for....a nice coil-over setup will cost $$$$ but is well worth it
upgrading the sway bars will help for cornering.....

 

Ok....here is a stupid question. What exactly are coilcovers?

Sean

 

coilovers are a shock/spring combo with a threaded body allowing you to adjust the perch height that each spring rest on.

 

Does this allow you to easily change the height of the car......or is that pretty much set at installation?

Does this mean I can keep it at stoch height and have both a smooth ride and good handling?

Thanks for the education!

Sean

 

Looking at the Tein site, it might be possible to spec a spring that would have a softer rate and keep the stock ride height. The free length of such a spring would have to be longer than stock, since the softer rate would require more pre-load.

To me, the stock height is already dangerously low for real-world driving!

George

 

you could try running stock toyota echo springs, but it would lift the car up a little.

 

Now you've got me interested! Have you compared the Echo and xB springs? Is a trip to the wrecking yard in order? Enquiring minds want to know!

George

 

Haven't we been down this road before?
The stock front Echo springs a about an inch longer and very close in rate. The rears are almost exactly the same. I never tried it, but I would guess the ride would be VERY slightly better in the front......but I think it would actually lift the front by a half inch or so. The rear would be no difference at all. Again, just a therory.

to answer the original question of this post.......I looked into all possible sources to smooth out the ride of my xB. I didn't want to lower it, but ended up going with Randode's recommendation and got the Spy 1.25" springs......I'm VERY happy with the ride now. Much better then the stiff stock springs.

 

Theory is nice, but I am more interested in data. I was hoping that someone had scoped out the spring rate and length of the Echo springs. The difference in spring rate would be critical to the ride.

Now, seeing as how the echo is a bit lighter and less "sportily" sprung than the XB, I'd expect that its front springs would be longer and softer. Might just be what I am looking for!

The rear is another story. the xB doesn't have much overhang, so the echo springs would be about the same as the xB springs, even for a heavier car. This is with the assumption that the rear lever ratios are the same as well, which is just a wild guess.

A half-inch of lift doesn't scare me. Much more than that would cause topping-out problems with the stock struts.

George

 

i doubt they would ever top out since the echo and scion struts are the same.

 

i was not saying i know you or trying to say you were wrong. i said i "disagree". i know that my xB rides MUCH harsher since i switched to the tein s.techs. perhaps they do have a softer spring rate - however this could make the ride worse because not only is less of the shock being used (with the 1.7in lost in stroke) but it's compressing easier, bottoming out and making the shocks/struts less effective.

the question was "what will make my scion smoother". the s.techs did not make mine smoother - every passenger i've had notices the difference in harshness - and if i was looking for a smooth ride i would want to hear this opinion. shocks are probably the real answer to this question - it's just difficult to know with only a few options out there.

remember, your opinion is YOUR opinion. and i'm glad you share yours. but it isn't gospel.