General Suspension Mods Options

[InfamousChappy]

Alright so I just scored a job at UPS about a month ago. Money's coming in..I have no expenses so what the hell right. Planning an engine swap, but that's months and months away. So I wanna upgrade the handling of my Celica. I'm workin on some Konig 17x7s and Tein springs. I was gonna replace the shocks also, since the mileage is getting up there. What are some well riding shock options? Also...What other upgrades (sway bars, bushings, etc.) are out there? What have ya'll found?

[jcbass7]

Suspension Techniques sway bars are a great option that many people tend to lean towards.. i think they run in the 240-270 rangeishhh not to sure..

the sticky at the top of this section will cover most spring options.. Tien S-techs come highly reccomended if you want to dish that much out, otherwise a lot of people like normal tien springs and a few others. that sticky should help you out on the spring side a bunch

KYB GR2 shocks are highly reccomended by most.. i think that or jdm are really the only options.. (someone correct me if im wrong)


Also upgrade your strut bars. For example Gt-Four rear bar is a quick easy upgrade if you have a hatch, or some sort of front bar such as j-speed or the jdm one. both of those are hard to get though.

This post has been edited by jcbass7: Oct 17, 2006 - 5:44 PM

[jdg371]

For struts the best bang for your buck would be the KYB GR2s. these are fine unless your pushing them.

For springs there are plenty of options, the most popular [on site] are the tien Stechs.

For strut bars, a Neon Strut bar [requires a new holes] TRD, Cusco, etc. The rear has the GT4 strut bar, and aftermarket such as Cusco.

For bushings [poly urethane] there was a GB that was being set up.. or researched. not sure how its going so far..

[LewFX]

dont even recommend the neon bar because you wont feel a thing, a 3 point brace is the best front strut bar to get.

[jdg371]

A custom 3pt strut bar would be nice... haha

[hitcachi]

A custom 3pt strut bar would be nice... haha

+1 for custom fab with the neon bar and factory bar to make a fully functional 3pt bar.

[jdg371]

A custom 3pt strut bar would be nice... haha

+1 for custom fab with the neon bar and factory bar to make a fully functional 3pt bar.

the stock bar looks puny. so does the Neon bar.. im talking bout straight up custom. LOL

[Mynzeyes]

A custom 3pt strut bar would be nice... haha

+1 for custom fab with the neon bar and factory bar to make a fully functional 3pt bar.

the stock bar looks puny. so does the Neon bar.. im talking bout straight up custom. LOL

I'm in the process of having one made here at work. I was going to use aluminum, but there is no way for our shop to make the perches that go around the strut tower out of the aluminum we have. So, reluctantly, I'm going with 10ga steel sheet, torched into rings, for the perches, then a 1 1/2" x 1/4" bar for the bracing bars. then I will use another piece of 10ga for the rear mounting bracket to the firewall, along with more 1 1/2" x 1/4" bracing bars. I've got it all drawn up on paper, I just need to put it into a CAD program, and I'll offer up my design for others to use if they want.

Also, I will be making a rear bar as well, but I will have that made after the front gets done.

The front perches are being made as I type this, and then I'll go from there.

This is what I do while I'm not working on drawing dump trucks.

-John-

[Killswitch]

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...hl%3Den%26lr%3D


Pretty Sure the Bars from the GT-4's fit

[eggman40]

is there such thing as a rear strut bar for the coupe? i havent seen any on the boards.

[jdg371]

is there such thing as a rear strut bar for the coupe? i havent seen any on the boards.

The coupe itseld is a "bar" lol. They are stiffer then the HBs because of their body. err something like that

[eggman40]

is there such thing as a rear strut bar for the coupe? i havent seen any on the boards.

The coupe itseld is a "bar" lol. They are stiffer then the HBs because of their body. err something like that

Yea i figured, i just wanted to know if there were any options. It is pretty tight back there anyway. Thanks!

[jcbass7]

This is what I do while I'm not working on drawing dump trucks.

-John-

mechanical engineer??

let us know how the custom bar turns out



This post has been edited by jcbass7: Oct 24, 2006 - 12:15 PM

[Mynzeyes]

mechanical engineer??

let us know how the custom bar turns out

Yup yup. Degree in computer design and drafting, and possibly going back for a full engineering degree. This job is getting me by quite well for the time being, though.

Well, as for the custom bar, I got the perches, or "rings", for each strut tower back today. The foreman was out yesterday, so he couldn't see that they were made. After test fitting, they are going to work. Now I just get to design out the rest of the bar. I have the general form it's going to be, but I have to get some measurements just so it will clear the AC lines on the passenger side, but still be lower than the bottom of the hood. . It won't be hard at all, It's all basically flat. I just have to decide how I want it to look.

Anyway, here's a picture of the perches, with the template I used to make them:



BTW: The template shows an inner diameter of 4", outer diameter of 6 1/2", 1/2" hole (x3), and 2 pieces made out of 10ga steel. I was going to have it done with aluminum, but the shop I'm at does not have a plasma cutter, so aluminum would have had to have been formed into the ring by cutting a square, and then grinding. There was a couple of hours put into those rings as is, so if it were aluminum, it would have been marginally longer. 10ga steel is a nice compromise. Thin, but VERY strong, and not very heavy at all.

Anyway, more pictures to come as more gets done.

-John-

This post has been edited by Mynzeyes: Oct 25, 2006 - 2:52 PM

[jdg371]

Woot! that looks sweet

[Celiracer18]

John, post up the new pics PLEASE

[Mynzeyes]

John, post up the new pics PLEASE

This is not the design I made, but the guys in the shop messed up on welding the stands onto the rings. They welded them on upside down, so I had to have them cut them even with the edge of the ring. I wanted them to stick out over the edge a little, and taper up to a point. That way, the bar would not cover the nut. The stands are 7GA. steel (approx. 3/16"). The 10GA. rings are approx. 1/8":




After that, I had a cross bar made, 10GA. steel x 2" wide x 40" long. The center 20" is straight, with the 10" on each end bent approx 1/4" to 1/2" down:



I'll post more later. This project is approx. 99% finished, and I am VERY happy with the outcome.

-John-

[hitcachi]

F the front bar. You could make thousands of dollars on here if you fabed up a 3 point rear bar and sold it, like Jeff almost did. I'd buy it. But i think there is a difference from 94-95's and 96+ is the complication that he ran into.