Completed: Suspension issue, Page 3 finished update / Tons of pics Options

[Havok1997GT]

i think its just the engine being a V6. It may not weigh much more the the old engine but it is bigger and what might be a factor is how the weight is distributed through out the engine which might be causing the problem. If the weight is to much different from the small 4 cyl we that the car is set up for, it might be whats causing the problem.

[jgreening]

Got the bilsteins. I'm concerned though because i can push the shaft all-the-way into the insert. It releases slowly (good). But, i'm worried how easy it is to compress with my bare strength - let alone a car.

My recommendation: dollar up to the Koni yellows. Stock or stock replacement struts are not meant to be used with ANY lowering spring. Alot of us have done it with good results - at first. But then, the struts wear relatively quickly and we are in the same boat. Frankly, if you keep your teins and buy Koni's, it won't be THAT much more expensive.

Koni's are pretty near a price of some coilovers ($900ish). Am i wrong? ~ $700ish?

I like the aggressive look of the teins, but with my crossmember being so low, its almost dangerous. I've bottomed out on speed bumps ect, in fact, 2 bolts down there are slightly bent because i drove unknowingly over one of those manhole filler ports at a gas station.

I'm looking at some TRDs with "less" of a drop - or else back to ugly stock springs.

Koni's can be had for less than $600. Here is a link to one I found with a quick google search:

import horizon

This would be a solution that will last awhile. So, yes, its a bit more expensive but considering you wouldn't have to buy springs, it would be close. I say return those bilstiens and go with the koni's and try keeping the teins. If you are still having a problem, go to the prokit. The TRD's are MUCH lower than the prokits - any misinformation on here that TRD's are a one inch drop is simply not true. They are closer to 2".

[Batman722]

The TRD's are MUCH lower than the prokits - any misinformation on here that TRD's are a one inch drop is simply not true. They are closer to 2".

I have TRD springs with KYB struts.
The TRDs don't drop the car as low as the teins, especially in the front.

[snapshotgt]

The TRD's are MUCH lower than the prokits - any misinformation on here that TRD's are a one inch drop is simply not true. They are closer to 2".

I have TRD springs with KYB struts.
The TRDs don't drop the car as low as the teins, especially in the front.

This isn't helping boys.

Does anyone of side by side pictures of tein and TRD? Dustin: You and stef maybe?

[DEATH]

I can show you Teins and billsteins in less than a month SnapshotGT

[tim86]

get a nice set of coilovers and be done with it... fully adjustable on the height and the comfort... seems like a good solution to me

[jgreening]

The TRD's are MUCH lower than the prokits - any misinformation on here that TRD's are a one inch drop is simply not true. They are closer to 2".

I have TRD springs with KYB struts.
The TRDs don't drop the car as low as the teins, especially in the front.

This isn't helping boys.

Does anyone of side by side pictures of tein and TRD? Dustin: You and stef maybe?

I don't see anything inconsistent between what Dustin and I wrote. He is saying that teins are lower than TRD's and I am saying that TRD's are not as high as everyone used to write 2+ years ago. If you search on TRD spring you will see alot of people saying they are rebadged prokits which I am saying is FALSE. The drop is considerably more than prokits. Here is the best picture I could find showing the drop of my old car with TRDs:



As for the coilovers, most coilovers made for the 6gc are CHEAP. Koni Yellows are quality products. If I were in your shoes snap, there is no question in my mind that I would do the prokits with the Koni Yellows. When have I ever steered you wrong, dog?

[snapshotgt]

The TRD's are MUCH lower than the prokits - any misinformation on here that TRD's are a one inch drop is simply not true. They are closer to 2".

I have TRD springs with KYB struts.
The TRDs don't drop the car as low as the teins, especially in the front.

This isn't helping boys.

Does anyone of side by side pictures of tein and TRD? Dustin: You and stef maybe?

I don't see anything inconsistent between what Dustin and I wrote. He is saying that teins are lower than TRD's and I am saying that TRD's are not as high as everyone used to write 2+ years ago. If you search on TRD spring you will see alot of people saying they are rebadged prokits which I am saying is FALSE. The drop is considerably more than prokits. Here is the best picture I could find showing the drop of my old car with TRDs:

As for the coilovers, most coilovers made for the 6gc are CHEAP. Koni Yellows are quality products. If I were in your shoes snap, there is no question in my mind that I would do the prokits with the Koni Yellows. When have I ever steered you wrong, dog?

1st bold: I guess you're saying teins have more than the spec'd .9" rear & 1.4" front drop?

2nd bold: Are you saying $900-$1500 coilovers are "cheap"? Cheaply made? Please explain...

3rd bold: This is true.

[jgreening]

1st bold: I guess you're saying teins have more than the spec'd .9" rear & 1.4" front drop?

2nd bold: Are you saying $900-$1500 coilovers are "cheap"? Cheaply made? Please explain...

3rd bold: This is true.

I have no experience with Tein springs....sorry. I have read a few generally good reviews though. I have ridden in cars with TRDs and Prokits and I could not distinguish the two. Some people do not like the prokits because the drop is not very pronounced but for your application, they would probably be perfect. I liked my TRD's alot and generally recommend them. As you can see, the drop looks pretty damn good in the picture above. The only complaint I had was the rear was a hair too low - maybe 1/4".

I have also been in a car with Koni Yellows and they felt great.

I am saying that all the korean / chinease coilovers are very cheap regardless of price. Others made for the 6gc will generally be harsh on the softest setting and not that great for a daily driver. On top of all that, the value just isn't there when you compare it to a nice set of springs and performance struts (only koni yellows for the 6gc).

[Edophus]

I'd say you have a spring/damper mismatch there and basically the dampers can not control the movement of the springs, your seeing a small amount of oscilation there, this is what the dampers are meant to control, stronger dampers on the front is what you need, its nothing to do with the springs, unless yout take the point of view that softer springs are the answer! and its nothing to do with it being a v6 conversion either.

Adjustable kyb's/koni's something like that if you get them would be the best answer as you can set them right, and you really need some bump stops in there as your lowering the car shortens the stroke length, over potholes etc you will bottom them out and possibly damage the valve mechanism.

I'd also agree with jgreening most coilover kits are cheaply made, often not using shortened shocks, and the likes of d2's/ksports/teins are all a bit poor until you start talking about the kits that cost upwards of $2000, they will not last long before needing rebuilt and generally dont stand up to much scrutiny, seen to many teins in particular with issues like cracked housings and rotten top mounts, much better off with a good shock/spring combo unless you can afford to spend the money, there is a world of difference between good coilovers and the cheaper kits.

[jgreening]

I'd say you have a spring/damper mismatch there and basically the dampers can not control the movement of the springs, your seeing a small amount of oscilation there, this is what the dampers are meant to control, stronger dampers on the front is what you need, its nothing to do with the springs, unless yout take the point of view that softer springs are the answer! and its nothing to do with it being a v6 conversion either.

Adjustable kyb's/koni's something like that if you get them would be the best answer as you can set them right, and you really need some bump stops in there as your lowering the car shortens the stroke length, over potholes etc you will bottom them out and possibly damage the valve mechanism.

I'd also agree with jgreening most coilover kits are cheaply made, often not using shortened shocks, and the likes of d2's/ksports/teins are all a bit poor until you start talking about the kits that cost upwards of $2000, they will not last long before needing rebuilt and generally dont stand up to much scrutiny, seen to many teins in particular with issues like cracked housings and rotten top mounts, much better off with a good shock/spring combo unless you can afford to spend the money, there is a world of difference between good coilovers and the cheaper kits.

Wisdom. The only thing I would like to point out is that the AGX's are not available for the 6gc. As such, its Koni Yellows baby (they are better for DD anyway)!

[snapshotgt]

For now, i've purchased KYBs for the fronts as a temporary fix.
Long term, i will be going with Koni's, but that is a little ways down the road.

Also going with the eibach prokit now to help the crossmember.

[tim86]

I beg to differ on the above comments about celica coilovers being "cheap". I have yet to hear a complaint on these forums on any d2/tein/ksport coilover system. These all can be purchased anywhere for 850-1600 and would be the best answer to a lot of suspension inconsistencies. Koni yellows and a good lowering spring would be the same price or more than a set of d2's or ksports and I still see no benefit to go with the mismatched combo. I have had my coilovers on for months now with no problems as well. And in both posts its stated that "most" coilovers are cheap and all available coilovers are listed. Which coilovers arnt cheap then? Hardly anybody on this site has the above coilovers listed installed and its a shame to bash such great products. My .02 though, good luck finding the right combo snapshot.

[jgreening]

I beg to differ on the above comments about celica coilovers being "cheap". I have yet to hear a complaint on these forums on any d2/tein/ksport coilover system. These all can be purchased anywhere for 850-1600 and would be the best answer to a lot of suspension inconsistencies. Koni yellows and a good lowering spring would be the same price or more than a set of d2's or ksports and I still see no benefit to go with the mismatched combo. I have had my coilovers on for months now with no problems as well. And in both posts its stated that "most" coilovers are cheap and all available coilovers are listed. Which coilovers arnt cheap then? Hardly anybody on this site has the above coilovers listed installed and its a shame to bash such great products. My .02 though, good luck finding the right combo snapshot.

Glad you have had a good experience so far. However, if you do your research, particularly on other car forums where people routinely invest in $1500+ suspension modifications, you will see that I am among the majority who believe that the chinese and other coilovers available for inexpensive japanese imports are poor in quality.

You are right that the cost of a good spring and Koni yellows will approach what a cheap coilover will cost. However, Koni makes quality products, period. I have never seen a single post with someone who bought a koni adjustable strut that has been critical of quality - and thats based on ALOT of research.

[snapshotgt]

Update:

Stopped by a friends house and we nailed out the fronts.
I can confirm i didn't have any bump stops, and the bilsteins felt pretty soft.
KYBs with eibach prokit now. Atm, i HATE the look of the prokits on the front.
Hopefully, they will settle and look better. Teins looked nice and aggressive. But, function > appearance

[snapshotgt]

Four finger gap in the front!

[Batman722]

it'll settle a bit after about a week

[snapshotgt]

Done.
I need an alignment before i really test it out, but i can tell its MUCH better in the front already. No freaking bounce fest.
Again, no bump stops on the rear. The prokit is obviously more beefy than the teins. Along with the springs and front struts,
i replaced spring insulators, added bump stops etc.


Few pictures:

Quick side-by-side of rear prokit vs tein springs:


Rear pass side (b4 swap out):


Rear drivers side (after swap out with prokit):


In progress....


Done!

[lagos]

How do you like the ride quality?
Before/after pics of the wheel gap?

[GotToyota]

Yes, let's see those pics. And what are you doing with the old Tein springs? Would you be interested in selling them?