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Location:
Townsville, QLD, Australia
Registered:
June 2005
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Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 12:04
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I am thinking of lowering my car but I want to know if there is more too it than just putting the springs in. Will it matter that much if I just keep the standard shocks? How much would new shocks for an ra65 that suit this aplication cost?
What effect will replacing the bushings do? I heard that you need to do something to stop strain on you chasis..what would this be?
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Location:
Adelaide, SA
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 12:17
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Get new shocks if you can... it's sooo worth it! Mind you I went from buggered stock shocks to tokico's 
But anyway it's much nicer with new shocks, and lowered springs (once you get over the rear camber).
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Location:
WA
Registered:
May 2005
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 12:23
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you can just fit springs, however,
this will under 80% of circumstances lead to an under-damped suspension setup, and it only gets worse for family cars (which in many cases are already underdamped to soften the ride). . .
this is no real problem in daily driving, but im sure it would be very noticeable on the track and at high speeds.
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Location:
Townsville, QLD, Australia
Registered:
June 2005
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 12:31
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If I was to fit the springs myself would it be a good idea to get a professional to fix up the camber straight away? Or could i fix it myself? Would it cause damage to the driveline if i just left it?
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Registered:
July 2005
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 13:02
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$60 wheel alignment.
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Location:
Sydeny
Registered:
August 2005
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 13:21
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Do it right or dont do it.
You will be better off getting it done right in the long term.
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 14:32
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| michaelhaynes110 wrote on Tue, 16 August 2005 22:04 |
I am thinking of lowering my car but I want to know if there is more too it than just putting the springs in. Will it matter that much if I just keep the standard shocks? How much would new shocks for an ra65 that suit this aplication cost?
What effect will replacing the bushings do? I heard that you need to do something to stop strain on you chasis..what would this be?
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the shocks are dependent on the sprign rates.. the stock shocks (if in good condition) can damp a range of spring rates.. once you go outside that range.. it will be underdamped..
if the lowered springs are of similar rate or not much more, the shocks may be ok, but if they are significantly dtiffer, then uprated shocks will be needed..
as was said, generalyl old shocks are rotted anyhoo, so even new replacement shocks will be better than old crap ones...
the cost difference between replacements and good shocks is not really that great in the scheme of things, so it may be worht looking to upgrade at the same time...
Cya, Stewart
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Location:
Rocky Mountains, Canada
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 15:20
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| michaelhaynes110 wrote on Tue, 16 August 2005 21:34 |
I am thinking of lowering my car but I want to know if there is more too it than just putting the springs in.
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If you get standard kings lows or a spring similar to that, youll be fine.
If you want to go lower and keep it street drivable, things become a bit more complicated.
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Location:
Campbelltown
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Tue, 16 August 2005 23:31
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Monroe GT gas strut inserts for the front are qorth about 175 a piece (rip off), i got mine for 65 bucks each (RA65 and RT142 share the same front suspension setup).
You don't really have a huge choice its gonna be pedders or monroe or some other dodgy brothers brand, kyb don't make any.
I'd recommend doing shocks for two reasons, one the car is probably gonna handle a lot better because depending on the condition of the shocks in there. Do a bounce test push a corner of the car down, if it doesn't settle in 1.5 bounces i'd look at replacing the shocks.
Second its gonna be more wasted and money time when in two months down the track you decide you want new shocks anyway. 
I did my suspension springs and shocks for 580 bucks in parts and a case of beer to get my uncle to help fit it.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 02:12
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Don't waste your time with Pedders/Monroe shocks. These are fine for a stock taxi but crap if you care about handling. If you're going to pay for new shocks you might as well fork out the extra for real shocks (eg Koni's), and don't be put off if they don't list any for your specific model - any decent suspension shop will be able to find something close to what you need and adapt it if necessary. My front struts (MX83 Cressida) have ST165 Celica inserts in them with a 25mm spacer in the bottom of the strut tube.
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Location:
c'town, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 03:25
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| Norbie wrote on Wed, 17 August 2005 12:12 |
Don't waste your time with Pedders/Monroe shocks. These are fine for a stock taxi but crap if you care about handling.
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here here
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Location:
Hobart, Tas
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 04:49
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Trust me, either fit better dampers THEN springs, or save on labour and do better dampers + stiffer srpigns at the same time.
Do not waste money of cheap dampers. I have an RA65 which already had Monroe GTs before I put King Springs in. They are simply underdamped, and it will drive you nuts.
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Location:
Hobart, Tas
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 04:56
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| Corona RT142 wrote on Wed, 17 August 2005 09:31 |
You don't really have a huge choice its gonna be pedders or monroe or some other dodgy brothers brand, kyb don't make any.
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This is rubbish. Like Norbie said, there are heaps of strut inserts off other toytas that will suit the front with a spacer - I have some GABs externally adjustable gymkana's from the rear of an SW20 MR2 to go in mine. As for the rear, some yanks (see celicasupra.com) are using KYB AGXs from a ford focus, just requires swapping over the bushings. Personally, I wouldn't do this - right lengths etc, but too dissimilar an application IMO for the bump & rebound rates - but KYB DO make shocks to suit ours cars - you may just have to turn to Japan.
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Location:
Campbelltown
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 05:01
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i have kyb rears off a cressida in my car the guy ordered them but obviously the fronts were very different but the rears were fine.
I couldn't be bothered fart arsing round with different shocks cos a i didn't really have the money at the time for koni's and b they were going on a corona anyway. I am running standard ride height springs though and have found the shocks to be fine, haven't had a problem with them. Sure theres still body roll but the handling improvement has been huge, but then again i am comparing this to 400k km rooted oe oil filled struts.
If i was to get a decent car then by all means i'd be buying quality parts but its just a run around hack.
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Location:
Adelaide, SA
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 13:23
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If you really want to not spend money, go get some "Gabriel" dampers, i'm sure they'll serve you well 
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Wed, 17 August 2005 14:46
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Thanks Michael for asking a basic question and thanks for all of the answers. It would be great to have someone write up a Toymods Tech Article covering suspension, strut swaps, spring choices and the 'gotchas' such as flow on mods to suspension linkages that suddenly become necessary.
A 'newbie' question I have is how can you predict what rim and tyre size combination fits for a given amount lowering?
I have a stock black bumper T-18 (running duel fuel) I'd like to do up. It has 165/65 R14s on Scorpion rims that just catch the front guards and touch the inboard side of the wells. I've read posts of mods swapping struts, disks, etc How'd you guys know what clearance your going to get before starting to think about increasing the guard flares?
What are some typical strut swaps for lowering T-18's, spring lengths, rates, brands etc.
Cheers
David
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Location:
Campbelltown
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Thu, 18 August 2005 02:49
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hmmm interesting was just look at the whiteline website
Toyota CoronaCresidaCelicaSupra Rr kyb, what the bet that kyb does actually make shocks for the rt142 but only rears.
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
January 2004
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Location:
Adelaide, SA
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Can you just fit lowered springs?
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Thu, 18 August 2005 03:38
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Those rear shocks fit MANY more cars than listed there  We have put a set of those rears on a KE70 without one bit of modification.
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