[carlojzz]

Hey Guys,

So I have never modded my suspension before and want to see what I should do to achieve a smoother less bumpy ride. I am getting annoyed with the small bumps on the road that make everything shake inside.

2011 XB
stock suspension
18" scion wheels

 

[scion]

Getting 16 inch rims/tires will give you a better ride, keep the air pressure at what is recommended on the door jam.

 

[TrevorS]

As stated, 16" rims (OE standard size). Installation of aftermarket suspension components will make the ride less soft, not softer.

 

[SamCarroll]

im on DF springs and ive never had a complaint about the ride. Rides so smooth. and im even on 19"s.

 

[BrickPig]

See this thread on this on ScionLife:
*Official Tanabe NF210 thread. Post'em up!* - Scionlife.com
It was started by Cionide way back at the beginning of 2008 and the thread is now over 20 pages long. It started as Cionide's experience with Tanabe NF210 springs and others have since added their experiences to the thread. Read the whole thread, it will answer a lot of your questions.

A number of folks on the thread changed just their springs to Tanabe NF210s (no other mods such as shocks, wheels, tires, sway bars, etc done concurrently) and felt that both the ride and handling improved. Some felt that the ride was a bit more firm that stock, and some noted that firm feeling only on larger bumps. This is all in keeping with the behavior of a progressive (rear) spring.

ScionLife also has a great DIY spring install with lots of pics:
08 xB Spring Install - Lots-O-Pics - Scionlife.com

Oh and after the springs are installed a lot of folks noted their headlights were aimed too high since the front-to-rear rake was decreased. Here's how to adjust your headlights, all it takes is an 8mm socket:
Adjusting Headlights - Scionlife.com

After reading the spring thread I decided to get Tanabe NF210s (in the future).

You said you are riding on 18" rims right now. It's likely the tires on those rims are lower profile than the stock 16" rims which use 55 series tires. As scion and TrevorS mentioned, the lower profile tires (such as 45, 40, 35, etc) tend to ride stiffer than the 55 or higher profile tires.

 

[phobic]

I ride on DFs with 18s and it can be a bit bouncy at times, but its not bad.

 

[Brunsworks]

New guy here. Looks like some great tips.

I bought a 2011 xB new in Army Rock Metallic with (IIRC--embarrassing that I can't remember, since it's my daily driver!) 17" Scion alloys. (Oddly enough, from the Scion configurator, it doesn't look like alloys are even offered on the 2012s, possibly to cut costs as Toyota phases the xB out of the Scion lineup.) So would you guys recommend that I swap those out for the 16" steelies before making any suspension decisions?

 

[Brunsworks]

Sorry, that last message wasn't as clear as it could have been and I went over the time allowed for edits.

New guy here. Looks like some great tips.

I bought a 2011 xB new in Army Rock Metallic with (IIRC--embarrassing that I can't remember, since it's my daily driver!) 17" Scion alloys. (Oddly enough, from the Scion configurator, it doesn't look like alloys are even offered on the 2012s, possibly to cut costs as Toyota phases the xB out of the Scion lineup.)

Looks like I should consider going to the 16" steelies before making any decisions on suspension, but I do want a vehicle that's less tightly sprung. When I test drove it, the handling was spot-on, but I have to admit I kinda settled when it came to the ride. Also, I didn't take it down the bumpiest streets.

But, let's say I do decide to plunk down the cash to pull the Scion alloys and put on stock Scion 16" steel on. Given that I would like as soft a ride as is practical, what tires do you recommend (preferably under $100 per tire), and with what springy bits?

 

[erozcs]

imo, if your xB is not lowered i'd keep the 17" alloys and go with a 215/50. they will put more rubber between you and the road and smooth out your ride. the tires will absorb more of the shock over bumps.

with 215/50 your wheel diameter will increase about .4" and your speedometer about 1.5mph. the sidewall is close to stock (4.3" vs 4.4").

i ran 215/50r17 nitto nt850 on my B and noticed a huge improvement in ride and handling and the tires are quiet (still have 'em, btw). but i since my B was lowered, decide to go with 225/45 to avoid any rubbing with rear passengers.

 

[NITROBUSA]

If you have a suspension specialest near you go and have a talk to him/her and see what they have to say?

I went and saw one about my 4x4, i wasnt happy with the suspension i upgraded to a couple years ago, talked to him about my issues and he was able to recomend exactly what i wanted just by talking to me.

Springs will do abit to sorting out the "smoothness" but shocks is were all the magic works. Without shocks the car would just keep pogo-ing down the street untill it stops itself.

Im not sure about brands over in america but Bilstein"s are pretty much the best shock. There is a reason they come stock on high end "luxury" cars.

One of the frustraions about the Rukus over here is their such a new car there is no aftermarket shock available for them yet

 

[Brunsworks]

@erozcs: Very interesting...and potentially cheaper, since I won't have to store or spend time selling the alloys and then go out and buy new steel wheels, and since I'll have to replace the tires anyway when they eventually wear out. (That should take awhile. I'm a boring driver.) I've always heard that higher-profile tires are better for bump absorption. That's why I'm always amused at the fact that so many people down here build donks as daily drivers!

@NITROBUSA: Tampa is pretty car-friendly, so I should be able to find someone to recommend the best shocks for the xB. BTW, when I say "springy things," it's not because I mean to replace just the springs; I'm being facetious about suspension bits in general. However, I do appreciate any insight you have to offer.

 

[erozcs]

i'm happy with the trd strut/shock combo. i do plan to try the tokico hp blue to see if their valving will change/improve anything. i believe they are made by the same company.

to achieve the best smoothness or ride comfort the xB would result from the correct strut/shock, springs, stabilizers, and wheel/tire combination. one change without consideration of the other will not achieve the desired results, imo.

 

[TrevorS]

As I pointed out earlier, none of the lowering springs will provide a softer ride than OE. If your current springs/shocks are bad, that would cause it to feel bouncy (which is a separate consideration from soft). The TRD springs will be stiffer, so if bounce is a problem, and the shocks appear good (try bounce testing each corner), then you can give them a whirl, but they'll probably reduce softness.

 

[Brunsworks]

Well, the suspension still feels exactly as it did when I drove off the lot, so I'm not so much worried about wear. It sounds like as parts wear out, my best option would be to investigate higher quality (probably Bilstein as a start) shocks and some sort of matching spring setup, but definitely with an eye toward a cushy ride. Softness is basically my goal. I know I will give up a bit of the xB's cornering and handling, but it's a trade I'm willing to make, since I don't anticipate doing anything particularly adventurous with the vehicle, except maybe some evil custom interior work over time.

 

[erozcs]

i'd start with a rear sway bar and then the tires when they wear. this discussion makes me think about what an air-ride system would feel like at stock height.

 

[TrevorS]

i'd start with a rear sway bar and then the tires when they wear. this discussion makes me think about what an air-ride system would feel like at stock height.

Unless he has some degree of issue with body roll during turns or maneuvering, adding a sway bar may not be a good idea, it increases the sense of ride stiffness.

 

[erozcs]

Unless he has some degree of issue with body roll during turns or maneuvering, adding a sway bar may not be a good idea, it increases the sense of ride stiffness.

yeah, ok! you maybe right.

these reports of hitting bumps in the road and everything about the car shaky and rattling is a mystery to me. i don't have any of that, even with a stiffer suspension. imperfections/bumps in the road, i feel more in my tires than in suspension components or body. makes me think that other factors are involved. loose bolts, loose underpanels, unsecured cargo, etc.

many of the reports are coming from newer models, so ...... idk!

 

[TrevorS]

The suspension and panel attachment is the same between the 2Ga/2G (2008-2010) and 2Gb/2.5G (2011->?), so I'm really not sure what's going on there -- if anything. I started making mods the same week I picked it up, but the only annoying OE rattle I've run across was the darned license plate rattling against the hatch door on harsh bumps -- particularly the bottom, but the top also (was actually damaging the paint). Between mounting little adhesive plastic "feet" on the rear of the plate and Edead in the hatch, it's no longer an issue. In particularly cold weather, I can get a noise or three around the dash/windsheild area, but that's the exception not the norm. Much the same for very occasional "B"-pillar noises. However, as it tends to be with Scions, my setup is my setup and may moderate misbehavior's -- others results may differ.

 

[gr8scape]

Come on boys and girls. We all bought an $18,000.00 car. If you want a smooth ride you should have bought a Lexus.

 

[erozcs]

well played.

there's a reason why a lexus cost more. i paid $16k and invested $4k and the xB2 i bought 6yr ago has exceeded my expectations.

alot of these recent threads are not inquiring about how to make their B better, but complaints with little to no research behind them. i did my research before i purchased, test drove the car and knew i was buying a $16k car. the aftermarket support, car club support, forum support and knowledge base, there was nothing else in that class that compared. to match the overall versatility plus a smoother ride i would've needed another $16k.

at that time it was a no brainer!