Sloppy rear suspension - BZ Carib

[timbuchanan]

Hello All

I bought a carib last year and have been stoked with how well it goes when you give it a bit of gas, but is still econiomical. Totally stock.

My main bug bear is that the rear suspension is really soft. With 2 or 3 in the back the guards are covering the wheels, even though it doesnt scrape.

I have shifted house recently and after using it to transport heavy gear it seems to sit a bit lower. I have heard that to test struts you bounce the car a few times and then see how long it takes for the car to stop wobbling.

It doesnt seem too bad when I do this.

What are my options for making the suspension better? 4WD carib's often look a lot higher than the BZ, I was wondering if I could just swap over springs/struts from a 4WD carib and see how it went?

Higher = good at times, my exhaust scrapes on gravel roads at times

If any one can point me in the right direction that would be most helpful!

[timbuchanan]

I guess I am asking what is the best way to stop my car from being sloppy?

1/ Springs
2/ Struts/Shocks
3/ Swaybar??

Which is most important? Most likely to have warn?

[THA SHZ]

struts

[Bling]

Springs. You could get some stiffer ones put in that are the same height, so with more weight in there it won't sag as much. Also struts if they are stuffed.

I'm not sure you can swap struts as the 4wd will running a different setup. Just guessing here, but the fact its 4wd gives me that impression

[2LTR Rona]

It doesnt seem too bad when I do this.

What do you mean by "too bad" i.e. does it sit there bouncing for a couple of minutes or does it return to settled position quite quickly.

This could be the difference between naffed shocks and fine shocks

[timbuchanan]

quite quickly, like a few woobbles and then back to rest.

Can the shocks be tested on the car?


Also what is the approximate cost of struts? Springs?

[MR2SIK]

I would have figured that if it did any more than just spring back to the usual position then there would be something worn out there? pretty sure its not meant to bounce up and down a couple of times

[tsoob]

quite quickly, like a few woobbles and then back to rest.

Can the shocks be tested on the car?


Also what is the approximate cost of struts? Springs?

more than one bounce is fuked IMO. struts are cheap tho ill suss them out for you if you want?

[TRDWGN]

While shocks and springs are probably needed, throwing a whiteline adj rear bar on there will do all sorts of goodness. When i had my carib it was probably the single best thing i did suspension wise and could never recommend them enough.

[Elmendorf]

When I had mine it was exactly the same. Chucked new struts in the rear and it was mint as after that.

[timbuchanan]

TRDWGN, how much was the sway bar?

Thanks for all the help, I will be purchasing some new struts.

1I1 offered me a really good price for a pair, so I will go for them. What would it cost to get a garage to install them?

$100? $200?

[matt dunn]

Our BZT is the same, it now sits permanently lower in the back since we loaded it up with heavy stuff some times,

Had it almost on the bump stops in the rear a few trips fully loaded.

Looking at doing similar so keen to hera what you do and how it works out.

matt

[TRDWGN]

TRDWGN, how much was the sway bar?

I think i paid something like 120 but was secondhand from a fellow toyspeeder, i think 250~300 is the money for a new one.

[timbuchanan]

thanks guys. I will call a few places to see how much it will cost to install the struts and then get them in there!

[Bling]

If you're in Auckland, send tsoob a PM

[1I1]

Nah hes in Dunners... Road trip?

[BZG Wagon]

I redid the rear shocks in my BZ-Corolla; it made a massive difference - my only regret was not doing it earlier.

That said the handling still wasn't anything to write home about, and it still struggled with people (or lots of weight in general) in the back.

Other BZ'ds I've driven were the similar no matter what had been done (lowered springs, fancy shocks etc) to the suspension - they never handle brilliantly.

I thought it was a wagon thing but GTT is amazing - even with a full car load. Same can be said about WRX's & Legnum VR4's.

[Bling]

I'd consider them to be a 'light weight' wagon, filling them to the brim will make them handle average. Its basically just a wagon version of a levin/trueno. Stiffer springs would have helped imo, as with more load in there, it wouldn't be sacked out like i'm sure it is on stock springs / shocks.

[Mr Revhead]

Yeah, can't really fill them with 500kg!
When gettign springs, make sure you get wagon ones
lots of places will sell you normal corolla/levin ones. Which are not made for the extra weight.
TEIN make dedicated wagon ones.

As for the handling.... look at the wheel alignment, stock settings are rubbish, you need to increase front camber and reduce rear camber.

[timbuchanan]

how much would TEIN wagon springs be?

I cant wait to get my new shocks into the car and see how it goes. My bro put new shocks in his BZ Corolla and it sorted it out. With 18's and lowered springs has handles so much better than my stock carib...