Gen 3 5sfe Tokicos, Solara Tein S-Tech springs perfect drop hmmm....

[felonyr301]

Hey guys,

Short story I took off the coilovers a long time ago for winter and felt uneased with my blown stock suspension on, so I planned to buy some new struts. Kybs were the idea but then I thought spend money on a stockish ride ohh no what was I thinking even if it was for the winter. So I ordered the Tokicos and then I figured since it's just for my winter setup that I should try something out that hasn't been done on the 4 banger gen 3 camry. Tein S-Tech springs came to mind and Milt tried it on his V6 camry and the drop was excellent but it wasn't proven for the 5sfe so I talked to him and eye8 and I said what the hell I bought it, but the itch came coming back and I bought the TRD rear sway bar with new endlinks and oem rear strut mounts too.

99 Solara Tein S-tech

TRD rear sway bar

Mounts and endlinks

Tokico struts


I've had the parts coming in one after another but never had the time to actually put it on and was planning to put it on by the weekend and showed the results in time for christmas to maybe give hope to 5sfe gen 3 camry owners looking for a better drop than what is given from eibachs or H&R's or even intrax. Then the unthinkable happened I got sick and play xbox 360 all weekend bummer.

I'm showing the pics since if anyone wanna take guess how it would look by comparing the springs to pics of intrax since those we know give a more drop than the other 2 I mentioned. I don't know if counting the coils is a good way to do it?!? Till then hopefully I'll able to put them on this week!!!

P.S. I asked before but with no luck but I really wanted to try out the Koni Red strut inserts but I needed the strut housing that comes on a 92-93 camry and lexus es300 since the Koni Reds only fit those with unsealed struts. If anyone knows how to get one please let me know (anyone?) since I still want to try it out so I can compared the k-sport coilovers with koni reds (full soft to full stiff) and now that I have tokicos even compared the tokicos to the koni reds and how much better (stiffer) it is and if it is worth the extra cost.

Thank you and hopefully this combo will bring a better spring option for 5sfe gen 3 camry owners who opt for a strut/spring combo only.

[Venom_5]

hopefully we can both get our installs done next week and give the Gen 3 community 2 new options

make a sig like i did

[felonyr301]

Yea too bad I didn't install earlier and maybe saved you from experimenting but ohh well one of us has to come up with something lol...

I am curious on the Tokico springs since I browsed the maxima forums a long time ago about them and one person did it and commented that it was a nice sporty ride and judging from the pic the car was dropped evenly and nicely lowered too. The ride I can't go by him since he went from stock to that so upgrading to any springs could of been good but who knows tokicos quality on shocks is well known and I rather trust them on the springs then sprint, dropzone and maybe even intrax.

There is something good out of this too since there is another option and that's using intrax springs that were made from the same 1st gen Solara.
The Teins are rated for the solara to give a 1.7" f 1.4" r drop and on camry terms it drops more than that since judging by Milt's ride it was pretty good. The Intrax solara springs are rated to give the solara 1.9" f 1.8" r drop so if my setup drops it even but almost slammed than those springs should drop it a little more while still being even.

[eyeball96]

Can't wait to see it installed....Looks like ur ready with everything u need! U'll love the TRD RSB!

[bigbird]

nice man. cant wait to see it. all this tokico talk makes me want to replace my struts. kys are nice but dont offer the response i deserve good luck with it.

[a94autoCamry]

yea, gl with the install....let us know the results!

[DAMON]

man I didnt even think of it, I took tein springs off of my solara and sold them- i could have put them on the gen 3! Im interested to see someone finally try it, parts look nice

[felonyr301]

Man this f**king sucks I have no one to help me put it on all these stuff. Everyone I know is either too busy or not here what a bummer, I'm almost this close to just spending some money on getting the right tools and tackling it myself *sigh*.

Had two dates this week and it was embarrassing to just drive the Camry with the blown stock suspension making all kinds of loud noises from the rear (endlinks,mounts,bushings is the culprit). She thought I had a dead body in the trunk considering all the noises. Man I've should of never took off the coilovers just because it was winter damn it lol...

Definitely putting them on by this weekend with help or not!!!

[eyeball96]

Thats does suck man...wish I could help ya out...but I don't see it happening! Good luck!

[DAMON]

if you were in michigan Id have ya cruise on over man... what tools do you need?

[felonyr301]

Actually I never had tools, so I was always borrowing it from my friend who normally works on his car. So yea I need everything but I appreciate the help but new years was my birthday and my mom was like she would get me a tool set as a gift and I thought I wasn't going to get anything so I said that's ok. So I guess I'll tell her to buy me a set so I don't have to borrow tools and work on my car whenever I feel like it.

I'm pretty clueless on what's a good tool set, was thinking going to sears or something and buy a tool set that has everything that I would tackle on my car (suspension,tune-up,seats you get the picture). So any of you have an idea what's a good set or even place to get it?

[94CoupeV6]

Go to Sears and buy one of the Craftsman tool sets. They have a bunch of different kits.

[DAMON]

Thats what I have as well, i think its like 150 pieces or something and it has pretty much everything I need... then if you had extra you could get a torque wrench and spring compressors, but you could always rent the compressors...

[blackhawk]

man where have i been did know it was done before umm more options nowww

[Venom_5]

got the Craftsman 95 piece kit .... does everything i need

only other stuff ive added were a 1/2" drive torque wrench, 1/2"-to-3/4" inch and 3/4"-to-1/2" drive adapters ..... 21mm [lug nuts], 22mm [front strut bolts], 30mm socket [valve cover nuts around the spark plug holes] ... and 6" extension

that pretty much covers everything i have to do on the Camry or the Subaru thus far