i plan on dropping my xb with no comfort intended. Springs , shocks , and swaybars, providing no give or flex. any ideas on parts / technique / advice is helpfull. im wondering if slamming up and down on the freeway over time will cause more problems in the end

 

Well here's a link to our suspension section. This my help you with some of your needs.

http://www.trdsparks.com/displaypart...1&parts_id=687

 

Oh, yes I am in your camp. You see me in the Tein growing pains thread, trying to sort this question out to suit my need to roll without roll. I think we both want something closer to "drift" setup.

In answer to your question; No, there won't be any problems brought on the car by longterm freeway driving. That's smooth road, anyway. Over rougher roads, then yeah: it's harder on your butt and harder on...??? I can't think of anything but body rattles. Stiff springing is less hard on the dampers.

---Will Hotchkiss or TRD springs put you into this stiff zone? Dang, I don't think so.
Remember: 99 percent or more peeps want a smooooth ride and only -think- they can live with a sports-tuned suspension. Makers' don't want to make nasty surprises for the majority. They sell the sizzle , the implication of super sporting without actually crossing that line of comfort for the majority.

Who thinks that ten percent increase in spring rate makes a huge difference in handling? I don't. But I don't think stock springs are so soft to begin with.

I used to think the stock springs were really correctly rated. Now I doubt their figures,,, OR the Tein publshed figures for their springs are incorrect, one or the other.


screenshots from the good folks at Sparks' webpage:

 

I'm looking for this same type of setup! Although, my TRD strut and Tanabe DF210 setup is VERY stiff. I'm about to order the TRD strut/shock package from TRDSparks.com so i can replace the stock rear shocks with TRD ones because i'm liking how stiff the front is on their struts.

 

if you're thinking springs AND struts/shocks you might as well go with coil overs. They can get you lower and stiffer than springs/trd shocks. The price would be in the same area (a little more).

 

-Coil-overs--> $900 (on average)
-Springs w/ TRD struts/shocks--> $450 (on average)
-Springs w/ adjustible struts w/ shocks (koni or the likes)--> $750 (on average)

 

SwaTX21, here's a CRAZY idea......


Cut the stock springs, and run Koni (or whatever) adjustable struts/shocks! With the stock springs cut, you'd have an INCREDIBLY stiff spring rate, along with the struts/shocks adjusted to their firmest setting. The box would ride like a Go-Cart!

Adjustable struts w/ shocks i've seen to be around $550-600.


I know it sounds like a ricey think to do, but you say you wanna be slammed with NO comfort, then this would be the way to go. cheaper too!

Just my opinion.

 

the problem with that is that if you go weightless and the suspension reaches full extension the rear springs can fall out and much of the landing will be unsprung. That's why these after market springs have 4 coils that just sit on eachother. they don't help do much except they spring out when you go up to keep the springs in place.

 

ah, yes, good point

 

get custom springs made with lowered shortened revalved shocks .. all stuff for these cars are pretty soft.

 

good point with cutting the springs superjeer.

 

yes to every correction by you guys above. You all know and I've learned things from you today.

Another reason we can't just cut the stock springs is because they taper small to large. At the least, then, even if fall-out of the rear were not a consideration, you'd need to cold- form the cut end back to the proper diameter to set in its perch.

Yes, though... if you've shortened the stroke length of a shock to suit the shorter spring then cut/bend away on a budget.

Simply shortening the stock spring will increase its rate most surely. Right? I think so. Springs become "stiffer" as they are made shorter. This applies to all categories of springs in all applications of any sort anywhere.

 

you can cut the front springs. cut from the top. trust me.

all i know is that cut celica gts springs are insanely soft. so there goes the cut springs being stiff argument. especially when those springs should have started stiffer than xB springs. since it is a heavier and sportier car.