st205 factory shocks worn out? effects?

[TRDmod]

I wanted to know, how much difference in performance does the standard shocks, after its been used for 150k with out replacement. what tyep of performance difference will it make if i get brand new suspension, factory suspension but brand new. also can i put trd lowering springs if i purchase brand new suspension?

see, trd adujnstables are 2600 inl springs. but if i get standard ones, its only 550, plus springs bout 350...so its alot cheaper. any feedback keeping in mind that i am no longer going to turn my car into a decdicated circuit car. i just want to improve the handling a litle bit.

so will doing this make a difference?

[GT4 20]

As with any car, after time shocks and springs will wear and won't be as good as when they were new.
Toyota OEM shocks are made by KYB and are very good. I have them coupled with TRD springs and am very happy with the ride / handling. I have, however done a lot of suspension mods such as nolothane bushes, Whiteline rear and custom made front sway bars which are also important to making the car handle well.
If you want the ultimate, you could try a set of Cusco coilovers which are currently being advertised in teh For Sale section (how's that for timing?!).
Also, after 150k, if they haven't already been done, you really out to look at the superstrut set up too as this may well be getting worn out.
HTH
Gary

[TRDmod]

your standard 205 shocks, coupled with trd springs. now, do you get tyre rubbing ont he guard, i mean even wen you drive the car hard around cornerS? as the shocks might not be hard enough or something?

lets say the shocks were changed b4 being shipped here from japan, ive done 80k on it already, how many ks do shocks last before losing its performance?

cos i dont just want to lower it, if its not gonna imrove the cars handling and stuff, if putting new standard shocks and springs would be ok then thats great, but if it will run aorund the guarge and the side fo the car around cornering, then thats no good

[Caveman]

As with any car, after time shocks and springs will wear and won't be as good as when they were new.
Toyota OEM shocks are made by KYB and are very good. I have them coupled with TRD springs and am very happy with the ride / handling. I have, however done a lot of suspension mods such as nolothane bushes, Whiteline rear and custom made front sway bars which are also important to making the car handle well.
If you want the ultimate, you could try a set of Cusco coilovers which are currently being advertised in teh For Sale section (how's that for timing?!).
Also, after 150k, if they haven't already been done, you really out to look at the superstrut set up too as this may well be getting worn out.
HTH
Gary

Wow I didnt know they were made by KYB. Where did you hear/read this from

I just replaced a perfectly good set of factorys with munroe, and they are absolute crap! If you can afford it go koni shocks.

[aesc]

Toyota struts have kyb imprinted on them, true story

your standard 205 shocks, coupled with trd springs. now, do you get tyre rubbing ont he guard, i mean even wen you drive the car hard around cornerS? as the shocks might not be hard enough or something?

lets say the shocks were changed b4 being shipped here from japan, ive done 80k on it already, how many ks do shocks last before losing its performance?

cos i dont just want to lower it, if its not gonna imrove the cars handling and stuff, if putting new standard shocks and springs would be ok then thats great, but if it will run aorund the guarge and the side fo the car around cornering, then thats no good

I doubt there would be any guard rub, TRD springs are very firm and are not low enough to cause it.

You could always go and get your shocks tested, they will tell you how efficiently they are working as a percentage, that would probably confirm if they have been replaced prior to the car being in NZ.

Mr Revhead and everyone else who has TRD springs will tell you that TRD springs will improve the cars handling drastically, me being one

[TRDmod]

fantastic!@!!!!!@$@#$!@#

im excited!
im getting brand new shocks and f u cking trd springs then:D
thanks guys, thats all the ocnfirmation i need....
(damn, my credit card is crying for help)
thanks

[GT4 20]

As per aesc, Toyota OE struts have KYB stamped on them. Can't see any advantage in going Koni or Monroe etc as the OE KYBs are very good IMHO. Only time to go aftermarket (for the GT4 at least) is for coilovers.

Being a 'sensible type' (allegedly), I don't have the car low enough to rub on the guards - don't see the point in that. As you can see from this photo -



- that's the sort of ride height you can expect from TRD springs and 17" rims. If you want to go lower, you'll probably need to look at coilovers.
Don't forget to invest in the rest of the suspension components I mentioned above. Shocks and springs alone will not make the car handle well
Gary

[Mr Revhead]

yeah munroes are not really what i would call quality shocks...


TRD springs will work with stock shocks no hassles. its what i run in my levin

give me a yell for a deal

[TRDmod]

but anyways
if i get shocks standard on gt4, and trd lowering springs,
that will still improve it cos my ones are old and cos its a good set up
even if i dont put all that stuff in it

thats what im after

[gt-trainer]

GT4 20, where did you get your front sway bar made?, I would like front and rear made for my car as TRD dont make them , although the TRD springs are an amazing upgrade, sway bars would be a bonus.

[GT4 20]

but anyways
if i get shocks standard on gt4, and trd lowering springs,
that will still improve it cos my ones are old and cos its a good set up
even if i dont put all that stuff in it

thats what im after

Why only do half a job? Bit pointless IMHO.

GT4 20, where did you get your front sway bar made?, I would like front and rear made for my car as TRD dont make them , although the TRD springs are an amazing upgrade, sway bars would be a bonus.

Snells Sprinsg in Penrose. Simply took my old swaybar in and asked them to replicate it in a larger diameter. Took about a week for them to do.
Gary

[TRDmod]

fair enough i agree, but cos im not taking it to the track, merely driving it, i want to improve the feel oft he car slightly and hangling slightly, not competitive but just for my own pleasure....so it wouldnt cost me heaps and heaps....

partly cos im saving money, trying to for osmething more useful and significant, and i decided against doing up this gt4 to the extent i originally planned cos it would be a huge drain of resources ..... so by putting sounds in it, and nice suspension, it would improve general CRUISABILITY of the car, without hav9ing to spend so much money that i will hav to either sell organs or commit crimes to pay for my expensive habit:D hehe

i figure, once i save some money, ill use that to make more money, then ill buy something like a gtr or an evo 9 ina few years time.....or even a ferarri:D

so i take it the answer is yes, it would improve it a little bit but not heaps? is that right, cos if it is that im happy with that result....

[GT4 20]

I'm not talking about making the handling like a race car. I'm talking about the basics. If suspension bushes are worn (more than likely with a car your age), then there will potentially be a lot of unwanted movement in those areas which will have an adverse affect on how the car handles.
If you're on a budget, then maybe you should have spent your $ on doing more important things rather than a 450bhp turbo

And yes, the shocks/springs *may* improve things - but it may also accentuate other weak points alreday discussed above.
Gary

[TRDmod]

i do see you point, definatley valid, gary g,

and ur right, a huge fu ck off turbo was rather, well... not as usefull, but holy hell its fun! hahahahaha i mean the thing keeps pulling and pulling baby! i tell ya, on third gear, you barely feel that turbo kick in, it seems like it just gets going and going!:D

anyways, besides the point, speaking of the basics, then...

how much were the bushes....where?
what exactly did you get them to replace...

also, how much was the sway bar? front and rear? or shoudl i only do rear?

what else sould i consider? i mean shocks 550 roughly, springs 300, plus lets say 1.5 hours install, so approx thats just under a grand.......

do you think i can get the sway bar and bushes done for 500 or so? if i can then it might be worth my while

[GT4 20]

Forget sway bars at this stage. Keep with basics - ie suspension bushes.

From the Fensport website in the UK...

F823 Rear trailing arm kit [4 bushes in kit] £54.00
F909-90 Rear control arm outer bush Repair kit [4 bushes in kit], converts spherical joints to polyurethane bushes. £60.00

New sway bar bushes can easily be sourced locally.

If you do want uprated sway bars to dial out the inherant understeer assoscoiated with the ST205, then budget around the $550 mark + fitting (a DIY job).

Alos remember that the superstrut joints up front need to be checked out. If they are worn they can and will affect handling as well as being a WOF failure. They are not cheap to replace, even through Mr Revhead.
Gary

[TRDmod]

i went to autolign and they checked it out and said nothing wrong with them at all and that they look good, i got my rear diff mount replaced, darn it was making a bad clunk but fixed it immediately and runs beautifully.

fensport, ill give them a go.

[TRDmod]

Quote:
F823 Rear trailing arm kit [4 bushes in kit] £54.00
F909-90 Rear control arm outer bush Repair kit [4 bushes in kit], converts spherical joints to polyurethane bushes. £60.00


so i guy the rear trailing arm kit, and the rear control arm outer bush repair kit?

jsut the rear? not fronts?

[GT4 20]

Nothing to uprate on the front other than sway bar bushes. Everything else is part of the superstut suspension set-up which doesn't have 'replaceable' bushes unfortunately.

If you are in AKL, you should pop round sometime and I'll take you for a spin. You can see first hand what a decent suspension set-up on a 4 can do.
Gary