New Scion xB .com - Rear Lowering Springs Only?

Geezer

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The Silver Brick

Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« on: May 11, 2009, 09:37:58 AM »

I'd like to lower The Silver Brick slightly, but don't want to ruin the ride. The ride height in the front doesn't bother me, but the back end is so jacked up, it just looks weird.

From the spring comparison thread it appears that the kits generally lower the back end more and a 1" difference isn't unusual. Unfortunately, it looks like you have to buy a complete spring set, but what about just installing the rear springs? The Eibach Pro-Kit Spring set lowers the back just over an inch, which seems about right for both ride quality and appearance.. At about $200 the cost isn't out of the ballpark even for an old fart like me living on Social Security and eating cat food to survive. Installing the rear springs is also a lot simpler than installing the fronts...which is encouraging.

So what do you think? Comments? Suggestions? Advice?


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zembonez

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Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2009, 05:05:25 PM »

I have also wondered about his. Mine sits so high in the rear it look like it's looking for a mate. If I install springs just in the rear, will it sit level or be too low in the rear?

Anybody?


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ZEMBONEZ - 09 xB - Silver - "KILLER B"

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Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2009, 05:48:58 PM »

Quote from: Geezer on May 11, 2009, 09:37:58 AM

So what do you think? Comments? Suggestions? Advice?

I bought a set of TRD springs off ebay and just installed the rears (yes, very simple install) and it leveled the car out perfectly (measured from the ground to tops of the wheel wells). It's fine when sitting still, but it does sit lower in the rear when you have people in the back. I think it has to do with the different spring rates. The stockers look like straight wound, and the TRD's are progressive. Because of this difference, the rears ride softer than the fronts, but that's not a big deal--most people can't notice the difference.

I was reluctant to lower the fonts because I scraped at the entry of my driveway stock. Lowering the rears only eliminated that problem. I won't be lowering the fronts until I get my new wheels and tires (which should add a bit of height back) or I might just keep it rears only. I'm going to wait and see how the new wheels do.

Hope this helps.


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Geezer

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The Silver Brick

Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2009, 09:36:28 AM »

I checked with my friend who works at Toyota Corporate in Torrance, CA and the response after discussing it with his colleagues was to change the shocks as well if only changing the rear springs. Don't know the details. He just left on vacation, I'll try to find out more when he gets back.


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scion

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Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2009, 10:06:18 AM »

Put 100# of cat litter/sand in the back, that should lower it and you can remove it if you don't like the way it rides.


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Geezer

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The Silver Brick

Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2009, 01:10:17 PM »

Quote from: scion on June 17, 2009, 10:06:18 AM

Put 100# of cat litter/sand in the back, that should lower it and you can remove it if you don't like the way it rides.

I thought that was going to be the magic solution when I bought three 40 lb sacks of concrete from Home Depot. Didn't make much of a difference. Six sacks probably would have done the trick.


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AceDent

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Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2009, 11:21:03 PM »

So we really have not come to a conclusion? Huh? I guess I go visit my street shop.


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Geezer

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Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2009, 07:38:34 PM »

Talked to my buddy at Toyota last night. After discussing it with his tech people, there is no real reason NOT to change just the rear springs, but he confirmed the recommendation to change the shocks as well. It's much more critical if you're driving competitively vs. every day driving. If you're doing competitive driving, you're probably going all out anyhow with suspension mods.

It's kind of a trial and error as well as a $$$ thing. For every day driving, change just the springs and drive for a while with that setup. If it doesn't feel right, add the shock upgrade. Doing shocks and springs together will give you the best conditions for driving at the xB's limits as in an emergency avoidence maneuver.

He had no input on ride/performance after changing the rear shocks/springs and then piling some of my lard-assed friends and their gear in the back of the xB...but it can't be much different than an upgrade at all four corners.

He also mentioned that swapping wheels and ignoring the suspension has a more serious effect on the ride. Ideally, aftermarket wheels should be the same weight (or less) as the factory tires/wheels. Adding somrthing like dubs that weigh significantly more than stock adds a lot of unsprung weight to the suspension components. It may look cool, but it's not a good thing.

In conclusion, he recommended TRD Sparks for performance goodies. All of this is off the record. Toyota will deny any knowledge of this information.


« Last Edit: June 25, 2009, 10:27:25 PM by Geezer »	Logged

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Re: Rear Lowering Springs Only?

« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2009, 02:09:19 PM »

I've done a lot of racing and in all the cars I've driven, experience has told me that you don't just do one portion of a vehicle. Your altering spring rates and you need a spring rate that would match up with the front and the rear. Just doing the rear can get you into serious trouble because your front is going to be too loose comparted the the rear. Upgrading the shocks will not do anything when you have just the rear springs installed either. What you actually doing is putting more force on the rear wheels when your driving and steering is done in the front. This is why you have a difference in height between the front and back. I have the TRD springs installed and its almost level. The back is just a hair higher than the front but it makes up for it by being stiffer than the front by a tiny bit. If you only upgrade the rear with shocks and springs you'll end up with a bouncy front end that when you need it to handle in an emergency you'll risk increasing the chance of a roll. If you are worried about scraping the front of your ride then go in at an angle. I have the 5Axis kit on mine and dont ever scrape even on steep entrances, as long as I go in at an angle of course.

In short I'd strongly recommend NOT doing just the rears or just the fronts anytime. If that was a safe method then you'd see the kits being sold that way, there's a reason why they sell them in sets of four Cheesy


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