new shocks/tires for a more comfortable ride?

[jbob10]

Hi folks,

Any advice on how to get a more comfortable ride in my 2008 Yaris hatchback? The ride is really bumpy. I have the stock tires and shocks.

I am not interested in lowering/raising the height of the car with shocks. I just want a softer ride. I know you all have the answers!

Thanks,
jbob

[severous01]

OEM are usually the softest shocks you can get. another option would be to get some 195 60 15 tires. they're a little taller on the sidewall, not much...but the kicker is there's tons of tire options opposed to the crappy eco+ tires. OEM tires are crap...anything would be better than those bridgestones...

any way, you could also move to a 14" rim/tire combo for more rubber

[fnkngrv]

The biggest issue with the OEMs other than the ride is how easy they hydroplane....yikes! I am so glad that I am ditching my OEMs this weekend! Stick with all seasons for the most quiet and comfy ride while you are making your decision.

[thebarber]

14" wheels w/ 195-60-14 tires

[kimona]

Well, the Vitz is a small car with a short wheelbase, so a bumpy ride is characteristic.

I agree you could improve the comfort of the ride somewhat with a different tyre, plus installing a 195/60/15 is a good suggestion; this size is a recommended fitment.

With my Camry, Michelins gave me the most comfortable and quiet ride of any tyre. Perhaps you'd like to look at the Michelin Hydro Edge 195/60 R15.

[Billiam]

Not sure if Monroe makes Sensa-Tracs for the Yaris. But if they do, I highly recommend you look into them. They smoothed out things quite a bit for my xA. The Scion community has been using them with good success on the xA and xB1 for a few years now.

Try here ---> http://www.shockwarehouse.com/

[jbob10]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for chiming in on this one. I had no idea how expensive shocks were! I guess I'll start saving up for the monroes and/or some new tires.

Love the forum.

[kimona]

Originally Posted by jbob10

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for chiming in on this one. I had no idea how expensive shocks were! I guess I'll start saving up for the monroes and/or some new tires.

Love the forum.

I'd do tyres first. Then, see if you want to invest in shocks. Stock shocks offer a reasonable compromise between comfortable ride and decent handling.

[Billiam]

The good thing about the Sensa-Tracs is they have 2 zones...a "comfort" zone and a "control" zone. The comfort zone offers a very nice ride. But as the dampers compress, they firm up in the control zone.

[Loren]

Originally Posted by kimona

I'd do tyres first. Then, see if you want to invest in shocks. Stock shocks offer a reasonable compromise between comfortable ride and decent handling.

This.

What you want is a good "touring" tire. If you want something along those lines that also performs very well, try the Toyo T1R.

[yarrr]

define bumpy. The only discomfort I felt from stock suspension was seasickness from excessive body roll and super squishy springs... Did you buy the car new or used? Was the ride always this bumpy?? I took my 92 year old grandma for a ride in the stock yaris with no complaints. I'm thinking you either have super high pressure in the tires or worn out springs. I could compress coils on my rear springs by hand before I changed them to TRD... I'd really look for an actual problem before you start upgrading random things.

Shocks will make the ride less "bouncy" - I don't really see them reducing bumpiness, as they slow the upward movement of the car, not downward. I've had 3 different types tires on the car, and while I noticed a difference in handling/stickiness, the ride comfort was only + or - 10% if that, and I'm using 195/60 pirelli touring tires now.

[Billiam]

Seems unlikely that the springs would be worn out. Dampers, maybe...but not springs.

A soft tire with lots of sidewall...like a 195/65/15 along with a compliant damper like the Sensa-Tracs will make a big difference. I know this from first hand experience with my xA.

[ddongbap]

Whenever I gota chick with boobies in my car, I look at them when I hit a bump. I'm on coilovers.

[yarrr]

Originally Posted by Billiam

Seems unlikely that the springs would be worn out. Dampers, maybe...but not springs.

A soft tire with lots of sidewall...like a 195/65/15 along with a compliant damper like the Sensa-Tracs will make a big difference. I know this from first hand experience with my xA.

Why is it unlikely? Because you want to pimp monroe shocks for the third time in a thread basically saying the exact same thing each time? Or is there an actual reason? Before I changed mine the springs were toast. I could push the rear down 2-3 inches with hardly any force. And, like I said, shocks aren't going to make the ride any less bumpy....

Its funny, every time I go in to auto zone I see the "recommend changing shocks every 50k" on the monroe posters, but my shocks were in much better condition than my springs when I changed them all out at 80k.

[Billiam]

Originally Posted by yarrr

Why is it unlikely? Because you want to pimp monroe shocks for the third time in a thread basically saying the exact same thing each time? Or is there an actual reason? Before I changed mine the springs were toast. I could push the rear down 2-3 inches with hardly any force. And, like I said, shocks aren't going to make the ride any less bumpy....

Its funny, every time I go in to auto zone I see the "recommend changing shocks every 50k" on the monroe posters, but my shocks were in much better condition than my springs when I changed them all out at 80k.

"Pimp Monroe shocks"? WTH is your problem?

Anyway, I've NEVER heard of springs wearing out...only dampers. The OP asked questions about how to smooth out the ride. I told him what as worked for me. You want to be a jacka$$ know-it-all and shoot down what everyone else says....be my guest.

[Loren]

Unless rust has removed material from your springs, they are exactly the same rate they were when they left the factory. Springs can sag a bit over time, but sagging does not effect their rate.

[yarrr]

Originally Posted by Loren

but sagging does not effect their rate.

uhh, didn't realize we had space age "everlastic" materials(I'm coining it right now)

considering spring rate is a factor of how much weight it takes to compress a spring a certain amount, and sagging springs compress more under the same weight, I'm gonna go ahead and disagree here.


@billiam - If you can't take people shooting you down without resorting to childish insults, I pity you, and question why you choose to spend your time on a forum. If you can't understand why I have a problem with you saying "blah blah blah buy monroe shocks blah blah blah" 3 times in one thread without adding anything, again, I question why you choose to spend your time on a forum.


btw since nobody else pointed it out.... struts don't lower your car.

Carry on recommending changing every part on the car without even asking how many miles are on it.



edit: damn, some masonry company already got to everlastic....

[Billiam]

Originally Posted by yarrr

uhh, didn't realize we had space age "everlastic" materials(I'm coining it right now)

considering spring rate is a factor of how much weight it takes to compress a spring a certain amount, and sagging springs compress more under the same weight, I'm gonna go ahead and disagree here.


@billiam - If you can't take people shooting you down without resorting to childish insults, I pity you, and question why you choose to spend your time on a forum. If you can't understand why I have a problem with you saying "blah blah blah buy monroe shocks blah blah blah" 3 times in one thread without adding anything, again, I question why you choose to spend your time on a forum.


btw since nobody else pointed it out.... struts don't lower your car.

Carry on recommending changing every part on the car without even asking how many miles are on it.



edit: damn, some masonry company already got to everlastic....

Ok...I heard about all the drama and e-thugs on YarisWorld before I came here. But that's not important right now.

First of all...the stock Yaris springs have a linear rate. If the springs sags a bit, it will not effect the rate at all. Plus, I challenge someone to show me a 3 or 4 year old car with "worn" springs. You say you could compress your "worn" stock springs by hand to some extent. News flash...you probably could when they were new.

And yes, struts can effect the ride height. Shocks won't, but struts certainly can. Go to ScionLife and see how many threads you can find about xB1 owners using Echo front struts to lower their Boxes an extra 1/2 an inch. A strut contains both the damper and spring in a single unit and can effect the ride height based on where the spring perches set on the strut body.


As for "changing every part without asking the mileage"? Umm...did you even read what the OP asked? He wanted to know how to improve the ride quality. Best way to do that? Struts/shocks/tires....not replacing perfectly good springs. Talk about replacing parts that don't need replacing.