Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site
 

 


 
Go Back   Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site > Technical Forums > Wheels, Tires and Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack
 

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-28-2010, 09:41 AM   #1
jbob10
 
Drives: yaris
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: nyc
Posts: 9
Question new shocks/tires for a more comfortable ride?

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
jbob10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 01:59 PM   #2
severous01
 
Drives: 2008 yaris, stripped, red
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SE Texas
Posts: 977
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
severous01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 03:20 PM   #3
fnkngrv
Mr. 155 and climbing
 
fnkngrv's Avatar
 
Drives: Seriously Modded 07 Sedan
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: In The Hotbox
Posts: 4,742
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.
__________________
Team Tiamat Racing on Facebook


Youtube Channel: Team Tiamat Racing


Class record holder in Land Speed @ 154.5mph for 1.5 mile and 145.5mph in the mile in the F (2.016 to 3.014 L), G (1.524 to 2.015 L), and H (1.016 to 1.523 L) classes.
fnkngrv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 03:42 PM   #4
thebarber
daily driver
 
thebarber's Avatar
 
Drives: the #wrecho
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 5,877
14" wheels w/ 195-60-14 tires
__________________
thebarber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 05:51 PM   #5
kimona
Super Moderator
 
kimona's Avatar
 
Drives: 2014 White VITZ
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Huntington Bch, CA
Posts: 4,938
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.
kimona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 08:37 PM   #6
Billiam
 
Drives: '10 White Yaris 4D LB
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 554
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/
Billiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2010, 10:18 PM   #7
jbob10
 
Drives: yaris
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: nyc
Posts: 9
Thumbs up

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.
jbob10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2010, 10:48 PM   #8
kimona
Super Moderator
 
kimona's Avatar
 
Drives: 2014 White VITZ
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Huntington Bch, CA
Posts: 4,938
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbob10 View Post
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.
kimona is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2010, 05:03 PM   #9
Billiam
 
Drives: '10 White Yaris 4D LB
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 554
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.
Billiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2010, 09:09 PM   #10
Loren
What?
 
Loren's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
Quote:
Originally Posted by kimona View Post
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.
__________________

----------------------- Loren@InvisibleSun.org -----------------------
Loren is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 01:13 PM   #11
yarrr
Banned
 
Drives: 07 sedan
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: new mexico
Posts: 292
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.
yarrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 02:17 PM   #12
Billiam
 
Drives: '10 White Yaris 4D LB
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 554
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.
Billiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 04:40 PM   #13
ddongbap
Banned
 
Drives: yw calls me douche and racist.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: hay
Posts: 2,183
Whenever I gota chick with boobies in my car, I look at them when I hit a bump. I'm on coilovers.
ddongbap is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 05:13 PM   #14
yarrr
Banned
 
Drives: 07 sedan
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: new mexico
Posts: 292
Quote:
Originally Posted by Billiam View Post
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.
yarrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 07:02 PM   #15
Billiam
 
Drives: '10 White Yaris 4D LB
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 554
Quote:
Originally Posted by yarrr View Post
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.
Billiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 10:26 PM   #16
Loren
What?
 
Loren's Avatar
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
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.
__________________

----------------------- Loren@InvisibleSun.org -----------------------
Loren is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2010, 10:06 PM   #17
yarrr
Banned
 
Drives: 07 sedan
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: new mexico
Posts: 292
Quote:
Originally Posted by Loren View Post
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....
yarrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2010, 10:34 PM   #18
Billiam
 
Drives: '10 White Yaris 4D LB
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 554
Quote:
Originally Posted by yarrr View Post
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.
Billiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
best way to improve ride for every day driving ellenbetty Wheels, Tires and Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack 18 07-13-2009 05:30 PM
Which offers a more comfortable ride? Benggolf2 Wheels, Tires and Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack 9 07-06-2009 03:41 AM
"Bouncy" Ride After DF210s? MadMax Wheels, Tires and Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack 12 05-12-2009 10:04 AM
Stiffer suspension - same ride height? fuji Wheels, Tires and Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack 12 01-13-2009 07:53 PM
My Ride.... digital_strings Photo-Video-Media Gallery 13 05-19-2007 09:02 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:21 PM.




YarisWorld
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.