[TartanJack]

I am looking into ways to upgrade the handling of the xB2.
Many people seem to look to the springs as ways to make a large impact.

So, I looked at sponsor available stuff and I found:
Kotchkis Sport Coil Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=2149
TRD Red Lowering Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=1565
Tanabe DF210- http://newscionparts.com/product/?id=2607

The prices for all three are similar.

I am interested ONLY in the street handling difference. If I could find some that improved handling and had only fraction of an inch drop, that would work great.

I don't want much drop, so the higher the better. You see, I have already scratched up the underside of the nose on both front corners (the repaving of streets around here SUCKS and there is no tapering of adjustment for any entrance/exit points onto the roads. So, there are rough/abrupt changes when entering or exiting a parking lot and lots of odd angles.
The stiffer nature of the springs should help some (less up and down/compression-related scraping).
1-1.5 inches is ideally all the drop I would want.

 

[TunerChick]

May I suggest the Tanabe NF210's? The drop is less than the DF210, but still handles great, IMO. The drop is 1" in the front and 1.7" in the rear. I can't remember where I purchased them from but paid around $180 shipped.

The DF210's drop the car 1.7" in the front and 2.1" in the rear. This drop was just to low for me as I live in a state where we get too much damn snow...among other things!

I have no experience with the other two springs, so I can only comment on the Tanabes!

 

[yanges]

I am looking into ways to upgrade the handling of the xB2.
Many people seem to look to the springs as ways to make a large impact.

So, I looked at sponsor available stuff and I found:
Kotchkis Sport Coil Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=2149
TRD Red Lowering Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=1565
Tanabe DF210- http://newscionparts.com/product/?id=2607

The prices for all three are similar.

I am interested ONLY in the street handling difference. If I could find some that improved handling and had only fraction of an inch drop, that would work great.

I don't want much drop, so the higher the better. You see, I have already scratched up the underside of the nose on both front corners (the repaving of streets around here SUCKS and there is no tapering of adjustment for any entrance/exit points onto the roads. So, there are rough/abrupt changes when entering or exiting a parking lot and lots of odd angles.
The stiffer nature of the springs should help some (less up and down/compression-related scraping).
1-1.5 inches is ideally all the drop I would want.

have you seen Eric's spring comparison list


http://newscionxb.com/scion_xb_performance/2008_scion_xb_lowering_spring_comparison-t643.0.html


that should give you some options!!

 

[TartanJack]

That list shows drop. Drop (itself) doesn't necessarily show handling/cornering improvement.

I am interesting in cornering difference (effectiveness at improving the xB's handling).

If the df or Hotchkiss is exceptionally better than stock, I'll plan on those.
If the TRD and the others differ mainly in drop, rather than handling. That's good to know.

 

[yanges]

That list shows drop. Drop (itself) doesn't necessarily show handling/cornering improvement.

I am interesting in cornering difference (effectiveness at improving the xB's handling).

If the df or Hotchkiss is exceptionally better than stock, I'll plan on those.
If the TRD and the others differ mainly in drop, rather than handling. That's good to know.

no problemo

 

[Sparks_Scion_TRD_Parts]

I am looking into ways to upgrade the handling of the xB2.
Many people seem to look to the springs as ways to make a large impact.

So, I looked at sponsor available stuff and I found:
Kotchkis Sport Coil Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=2149
TRD Red Lowering Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=1565
Tanabe DF210- http://newscionparts.com/product/?id=2607

The prices for all three are similar.

I am interested ONLY in the street handling difference. If I could find some that improved handling and had only fraction of an inch drop, that would work great.

I don't want much drop, so the higher the better. You see, I have already scratched up the underside of the nose on both front corners (the repaving of streets around here SUCKS and there is no tapering of adjustment for any entrance/exit points onto the roads. So, there are rough/abrupt changes when entering or exiting a parking lot and lots of odd angles.
The stiffer nature of the springs should help some (less up and down/compression-related scraping).
1-1.5 inches is ideally all the drop I would want.

The smallest drop is going to be the TRD's. The feedback we've gotten on the others is that the Hotchkis offers a good ride and the Teins are a bit soft.

Ken

 

[TartanJack]

I am looking into ways to upgrade the handling of the xB2.
Many people seem to look to the springs as ways to make a large impact.

So, I looked at sponsor available stuff and I found:
Kotchkis Sport Coil Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=2149
TRD Red Lowering Springs- http://www.trdsparks.com/displayparts.php?Mdl_dtl=570&Part_cat=11&parts_id=1565
Tanabe DF210- http://newscionparts.com/product/?id=2607

The prices for all three are similar.

I am interested ONLY in the street handling difference. If I could find some that improved handling and had only fraction of an inch drop, that would work great.

I don't want much drop, so the higher the better. You see, I have already scratched up the underside of the nose on both front corners (the repaving of streets around here SUCKS and there is no tapering of adjustment for any entrance/exit points onto the roads. So, there are rough/abrupt changes when entering or exiting a parking lot and lots of odd angles.
The stiffer nature of the springs should help some (less up and down/compression-related scraping).
1-1.5 inches is ideally all the drop I would want.

The smallest drop is going to be the TRD's. The feedback we've gotten on the others is that the Hotchkis offers a good ride and the Teins are a bit soft.

Ken

Thanks!
Now, what about handling difference?
How do the TRD, Hotchkis (the ones you sell), and the 2 Tanabe kits?

 

[rockthebeef]

To to add a little confusion to the mix...

I had originally dropped my car on Eibach Pro Kit springs (1" front/1/2" rear). It handled great, but I wanted the rear to be a little lower. I found a used set of Tanabe NF210s and put them in. The first thing I noticed was that the NF210s are physically longer than the Eibach Pro Kit springs (when you look at them unloaded). But if the drop of the NFs is the same in the front and more in the rear, that must mean that the Tanabes are softer (while still dropping the car lower).

I noticed this right away as I got a little bit of the body roll back whan I switched from the Pro Kit to the NF210s. I think the Eibach Pro Kit has the advantage in handling over the NF210s. The ride was also stiffer. The NF210s are soft (in a good way).

So if you want a plush ride and a nicer stance, get the NF210's. If you don't want to lower the car as much, but want improved handling, get the Eibach Pro kit.

I wish I knew where the TRD springs would match up in this comparison. I would guess that they would be more similar to the Eibachs. And that's only because I read somewhere on the interweb that the TRD springs were made by Eibach. I don't know if that's true though.

 

[mustrd]

Alright, I've been watching threads similar to this for awhile, but never have read the answer I was looking for, so I am going to finally chime in with my frustration, and maybe add more confusion. :wallbash:

Rockthebeef....good analysis...."So if you want a plush ride and a nicer stance, get the NF210's. If you don't want to lower the car as much, but want improved handling, get the Eibach Pro kit."

However, I still do not see a middle ground solution.

My concerns with the NF's are...what if you use your Xb for cargo transportation...for example, I do a lot of freelance work, so I frequently haul tools around with lighting instruments. My worry with a near 2" rear drop is what will happen when you add weight in the back of the Xb? Will the suspension bottom out? Especially in northern climates with late winter frost heaves.

Ideally I would want the drop of the Eibach or a 1" drop with a better than stock ride in terms of comfort. Body roll can be addressed with sway bars.

Has anyone simply kept stock front and changed the rear shocks/springs?

The town I live in has been replacing all the cement curbs with granite and have changed the road to curb height. Even stock I have to watch when I open my door not to catch the door on the curb.

I agree with many of the criticisms of the look of the Xb's rear wheel well, excessive height make the stock 16's look even smaller. But it is frustrating to plan mods (wheels and shocks) for those of us who want improved ride comfort but maintain, at the least, the stock sportiness of the ride. Add the fact that if you put black wheels on an RS 5, the wheels look smaller and the body looks bigger and blockier. Hello pregnant go-cart. OY!

 

[rockthebeef]

mustrd,

Even the NFs leave a bit of gap in the rear wheel wells. I've carried loads in without problems and I even have a bike rack that's hitch-mounted which probably weighs close to 150lbs when loaded with my 2 heavy cruiser bikes. That rack hangs out 2-3ft behind the vehicle so it puts a lot of downforce onto the rear suspension. Every time I load the rear of the vehicle, it will drop a little more, but it doesn't get slammed - more like level.

People have used stock 1st gen xB springs to lower the rear end of the xB2. It evens out with the front but I bet it must lessen the load-carrying ability significantly. It's just not the proper way to drop a vehicle and maintain load capacity. In order to maintain that capacity and lower the vehicle, something has to be traded off. That trade-off comes in the form of firmer springs. The best part about aftermarket lowering springs is the progressive design. The first bit of travel is soft and the more you compress the spring, the stiffer it gets. This keeps cruising nice and comfortable and handling improves the more you push it. It's the best of both worlds. The NFs feel like stock, maybe even better. the Eibach Pro Kit feels stiffer and rides accordingly.

I think springs like the TRD, NF210, and Eibach Pro kit are the middle-ground solution. Springs like the DF210, Eibach Sportline, Hotchkis, Sprint, etc. (over 1.5" drop) are more extreme.

 

[RoundBox]

When I lowered my car with trd springs I did the back on a Sunday and did the front on the next Saturday. I did like how the car sat level and it did reduce some of my body roll compared to stock. I liked having stiffer springs in the rear then the front, almost like having just a rear sway bar. It had no il effects and I did carry 4 large adults in the car no problem. I almost decided not to do the front springs... But I had to go lower in the front cuz I like that look overall I do think the handling is a better with all of the trd springs installed but I could have been almost as fine with just the rear springs. Not sure how much that helps...

 

[mustrd]

Good feedback rockthebeef, thank you. I am assuming your using your stock shocks with the springs upgrade? If I understand correctly, there are little to no choices, as of yet, for shock upgrades.

Hopefully the Xb2 sales will continue to rise and we can see more after market parts.

Roundbox, what's your ride feedback between stock and trd springs?

 

[RoundBox]

The TRD springs are a little stiffer on the streets, not on large bumps but on smaller ones. On the highway it feels the same. I prefer the little stiffer ride though as it did reduce the body roll and I thought the stock springs swayed too much. Ride height is nice as its rare that I ever scrape

 

[rockthebeef]

Good feedback rockthebeef, thank you. I am assuming your using your stock shocks with the springs upgrade? If I understand correctly, there are little to no choices, as of yet, for shock upgrades.

Hopefully the Xb2 sales will continue to rise and we can see more after market parts.

Roundbox, what's your ride feedback between stock and trd springs?

Yes, I'm still running the stock shocks. The only ones out that I know of are the TRD and Tokico shocks. The Tokicos have been on eBay for $315 a set which isn't bad.