what to look out for when installing lowering springs

[Nexus1155]

i didnt know that came off too :(

[Chupacabra]

Originally Posted by Nexus1155

i didnt know that came off too :(

Yep....unbolts easily (10mm head). I believe that there are 9 or 10 to remove.

[Nexus1155]

9 or 10!!! i'll take the lifelong scar thank you very much!!

[songa]

hey guys, are the DF210's ok to use on stock shocks? i am a little interested in the 2" drop from the DF's but i like the idea of riding stock suspension on the NF's. hmm cant decide!

[Nexus1155]

I've had them on the stock shocks for 10k miles now, you will be more impressed by the DF210's...

[Chupacabra]

Originally Posted by Nexus1155

9 or 10!!! i'll take the lifelong scar thank you very much!!

Fine with me...I didn't tell you that you had to. It's not my fault your a lazy bastard.

[Nexus1155]

got that right ;)

[songa]

thanks for that info. do you think the shocks will last me the whole lifetime of the car? i plan on using this car as a daily driver too. should i really consider new shocks? if so, which ones would work best iwth the df210s?

[Kaotic Lazagna]

You don't need to replace the shocks, but if you do, one of the sponsors here is selling the Tokicos (blue, I believe) for a few hundred dollars.

Also, getting to the rear shocks is a b*tch. El Jefe and I had a hard time accessing them.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

As you can see with the specs on paper, the S.Techs have a greater drop for the LB (would be even lower for the sedan, as I mentioned yesterday), so I would think the S.Techs should land you more than 2" of a drop.

http://www.tanabe-usa.com/springs/sp...tions.asp?id=1

http://www.tein.com/price/toyota.html

HOWEVER, we drove my car to my professors house, and she has a long gravel road. For some reason (probably from so many cars slipping), a mound was form in the middle (the space in between where the tires drive over). With a total of four people in my car and a sub in the trunk, I pretty much shoveled that mound all the way to where her drive way began. On the bright side, not once did I bottom out on the little dips/pot holes in that gravel road. Minor scratches on the exhaust pipe and muffler (my muffler hangs pretty low, as you can see from my pics).

[WRBlue]

Originally Posted by songa

how necessary will it be to install a sway bar

Not necessary at all

or new shocks? will lowering the car drastically increase the damage done to my shocks or should they be fine as stock?

Your shocks will die sooner with lowering springs. That's just the way stuff happens. Depending on how you drive, etc. you should get at least 30k miles out of the OEM shocks and lowering springs.

how much will a sway bar help?

None at all.
A new sway bar will do nothing in relation to the shocks and springs.

is lowering the car as simple as buying and installing lowering springs?

Yes.

no need for changes to the suspension, etc?

Lowering will probably change the geometry, so you'll need an alignment done

[slvryaris]

The alignment on mine felt like it didnt need to be done when I first had it lowered but dont let that fool you. You will need to do the alignment. Just make sure you have the right spring in the right place.....front in front and back in back.....I also cut my bump stops. I have been told in the past that if you lower a car-truck you need to cut the bump stop as much as you lowered it. If you lower it an inch then cut an inch off the bumpstop.

I have experienced when you dont cut them you run the chance of hitting them when hitting a big bump. It just allows more travel before it reaches the bumpstop.

[bzinn 1]

DF210s can work fine on stock shocks,depending on your driving conditions is how to determine the life of your struts.bumpy potholed roads will lessen the life of them.not slowing for speedbumps will greatly lessen the life........

My rule of thumb is if my car is gonna bottom out in the snow I am calling in sick.....I do no tmake enough to afford repairs.

I have 10000 on my DFs now with 17s and they ride great,look great,and my struts are still looking very good.

As for installing the springs you need a spring compressor,rent it from Autozone or parts store..really cheap

You need an offset 17mm round head wrench for the top nuts on the fronts and a n allen wrench set.

Floor jack and stands

A friend to help and double check your work.

Torque wrench

Garage and a couple of cold ones helps too.

[06silveryaris]

Originally Posted by Nexus1155

9 or 10!!! i'll take the lifelong scar thank you very much!!

I just installed my lowering springs and I removed the upper cover and wiper motor. The risk of stripping that 6 mm allen from the strut can make for a really long afternoon.

[BennyLava]

Originally Posted by slvryaris

I have the Tanabe NF210's on my sedan and I think it still rides great. I have about 45,000 miles on the springs and 65,000 miles total, and I dont see any change in the shocks. Obviously the lower you go the more wear your shocks will feel because they are compressed further down then before, but I wouldnt worry about it. The Tanabe DF210's lower the car further then the NF's. I believe the NF springs lower the car about 1.2 inches and the DF's are around 2 inches I believe. YOu can see the pics in my garage of the car with the NF's.

Not for sure on the price of the Tanabes but I gurantee we have a vendor on here ready to sell a pair to ya. Chris07lb has a great Do it yourself for installing the springs. I followed it word for word with a friend and we had it done in less then 2 hrs. the rear is cake.

Is that what you have on the car in your avatar? Could I see a couple of bigger pics? Trying to figure out what to put on my sedan.

[ilikerice]

DAAAMN! 4 year later

[BennyLava]

LOL. Well the site recommended this thread to me over on the side, so I blame the site.


Your names derrick


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZcGKHC0Rh8