Me and my friend were talking about dropping our scions. He said to wait on it and get a good suspension set in your car before doing it, mainly get like coilovers or some kind of shock and strut system.

He also said that it's not a good idea to drop your car with just springs using the MacPherson shocks.

Looking at all these xB, xA, and tCs dropped with out a good shock and strut system, is there any slight terrible difference in driving? Like in the longrun? Will there be any type of indication of breaking the car?

So once again, I've been halted on the xB drop because I dont want to buy better shocks and struts for my car. I just wanted to use the springs. I need some opinions. Thanks!

But having both is good too ya know... hmm...

 

If you are looking at getting just springs the only thing I can say for sure will work are the TRD springs. They are the designed to work with the factory struts. They'll give you about 1.25" to 1.5" drop (after they settle) and won't ware out you struts prematurely. Keep in mind that when you lower a vehicle you do put more stress on the whole suspension.

 

The stock shocks will fine as long as the spring rate for the lowering springs is near stock or lower. The stiffer the spring, the more shock you need to keep it from bouncing. Stock XB spring rates are 148 lb/in in the front and 160 lb/in in the rear.

On my XB with S-techs, I replaced the rear shocks with Koni's because I hated the ride "stiffness". This helped my kidneys a lot.

 

Hmm still gonna thikn about it.... Arghhh...

 

I'd go for the drop. Put the springs in it for now and then you can always replace the shocks/struts later on. I'm dropped on Eibach sportlines 2" drop and love them, they have settled around 2 1/8" drop and I have stock shocks/struts and I figured that I would run on them til they wore out and then buy new shocks. To me the ride feels much better on the eibach's. I'm sure that the ride will get even better with some adjustable shocks/struts but I haven't had any trouble with the stock so far.

 

seriously I would just wait and buy the shocks too or buy a matched set or struts and springs. I've never been happy in a car with just lowering springs. It feels way too rough to me.

 

If you go only with new springs you will wear out your current shocks prematurely. I would wait until you save up for a set Tein coilovers or something similiar. I personally want to get the Tein coilovers with pillowmounts. I won't do anything until then.

 

30,ooo + miles on Tein S-Tech and stock struts/shocks
no problems whatsoever
still rides very nice although i will be replacing the struts/shocks soon

i also ride on 16's and 50-series tires
this has very much to do with ride quality/comfort
as the wheel weight has to do with shock/strut wear

 

I have 17s... but I dont think it would matter.

So, I do believe on the whole saving up on the coilovers. Might as well go all out. : D

 

do you want ride quality/slammed
or autocross quality/low

 

I just finished installing the Hotchkis Stage 1 TVS kit. Springs and swaybars. I didn't tell my carpool buddy I put in the springs and he is generally unaware of the visual difference in the car. He rode with me to work today and I asked him if he noticed a difference in the ride. He said he didn't notice it any more rough or bouncy.

That is also my general perception with the 1.5" drop of the kit...I think the ride will be generally the same. It really helped with cosmetics (on 17" wheels) and the bite on hard cornering is much better. I used to be able to push the front end through a corner entering my office complex, and now I get no push.

 

Nice.

Thats the only reason I want springs... just for the looks, and to get rid of that nasty space!

 

I have s-techs on my xA, it's hot. But yeah, I'm on the stock shocks/struts. I'm gonna wait for them to blow out and depending on my finances will either just get the TRD shocks or a set of coilovers, . Since were on the subject, I enjoy "touge", I figure that a coilover setup would be most excellent because of adjustability, but If just having a spring/TRD shock combo, how would that run?

 

I only quote you because I hear that assertion so often. I never hear the -justification or reasoning-.

I suspect it's not true at all.

Anyway, so many people run on lowering springs up to 2" drop and have zero trouble or complaints, that.. what could be the harm to stock dampers? What can be the cost of "extra" strain" to the lowered car's suspension?

Parts today hardly wear at all, anyway. If the setup lasts a 100K miles in stock form... who would care if the lowering spring sucked 25k life from a shock or strut? (I don't suppose they -do- but so what if they did reduce the service life?)

Sci Fly

 

Just get the lowering springs and enjoy!!

I bought the TRD springs/dampers set and my dampers are now shot with less than 30k miles!! WASTE OF MONEY(Dampers, not the springs)

I'm going to put my stockers back on now till I can get coilovers.

Oh, and by the way, they were awsome when all new!! Very stiff, If you enjoy a rough ride, but tight handling.

 

I'm running on the stock shocks with Tein S-techs and love it. You can't beat the look and performance for the price. If you are dying to get rid of the space now, get the springs. They aren't that expensive. Then save up for the coilovers later as an upgrade and put your springs up for sale to the next person who wants to start modding cheaply.

I really don't see why people think that using lowering springs will shorten the life of a shock. I'm no expert but it's basically a piston in fluid setup designed to resist motion. As long as it's not bouncing on its end caps there should be no difference in the life based on where that pistion travels within the tube. Once again, that's just my opinion based on the knowledge I have. If there are other factors, please explain away.

 

Agreed!



====sidebar to Chad:

Say, Chad, I've been meaning to finalize the speedo face design you made for me.
I have not gotten a GPS to do the number correction. Now I figure... if we just move the
numbers according to the calculated data, this will be plenty close enough.

SO! Yeah, if you'd PM me so I can pay for the dial face, let's make that sucker now!

And If you want to show the boys what you and I are doing, why, go ahead and post up a picture of low quality of the face. I would like to get reactions from the crew here (in appropriate thread, of course)

Chad Force makes custom dial faces for your xB speedo cluster. Anything you want you get.

 

Well, I'm running a stock shock/tanabe spring setup and i have blown my right passanger shock...saving up for Koni adjustable shocks...coilovers are too expensive and I like the spring strut combo.

 

I'm running Tanabe Springs with 19"rims and loving the ride

 

I have always been under the understanding that the stock shocks are longer, if you drop the car then the shock will be further compressed allowing a short traveling distance. Because of the shorter distance the shock can travel you will force it to bottom out possibly wearing the shock out prematurely.