Budget suspension? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

balingwire · 01-26-2009, 11:08 AM

I bought a '99 Camry, 4-cyl automatic, with 182K miles last year for commuting back and forth to work. So far, a best of 34 mpg, and the car has done great. However, it does need new struts, maybe springs. I'm a rodder, so if I have to replace anyway, I like to upgrade...but (and most importantly), I'm a dad and husband, so money is not there like it used to be for car upgrades. It seems most folks here like Tokico struts, Eibach or Tein springs, and OEM strut mounts, but all of this together with alignment seems to run around $1000, and there is no way that I can swing that. I'm pretty sure that I need new strut mounts - the car clunks over bumps at low speeds. I don't care about ride height (as long as it's level or raked). I would like for it to corner a little flatter. I know it's a different car, but on old Mustangs ('65) for the street, most say springs, shocks, and front bar, but rear bar not needed. What about for the Camry? What is my best compromise between completely stock and Tokico/Eibach? What about a RSB? Thanks.

JCamry94 · 01-26-2009, 01:02 PM

Here's a good place to start:

Gen 3 Suspension Options

This goes for gen 4's mostly as well, and is a good guide to get you to weigh your options.

Another note would be installation. Would you be able to do it yourself? If so, you could suck out almost half the cost you posted up @ $1000. If not, then find a reliable place to get yourself an installation, and alignment.

After that go for a whiteline or trd RSB, they're usually found on ebay, and can improve your handling greatly.

You can shop on a budget, but assurance of quality should be the priority when dealing with suspension parts

balingwire · 01-26-2009, 02:16 PM

Looking at Tokico struts, Eibach ProKit, and OEM strut mounts (haven't priced boots), and alignment, I can't make it much less than $1000. That's me doing all of the work. Does Tokico still offer the strut spring combo? Does anyone have any experience with these? What about the Monroe Quick-Struts - how are these? Should I assemble the springs on the struts or have it done? How bad/dangerous is it?

CrawlingEye · 01-26-2009, 02:28 PM

Putting the springs on struts isn't really bad. I did my suspension (and did the work myself) on my car. You have to be careful with the spring retainers (use the locks and make sure you compress the springs evenly and place them at opposite sides of the coil).

A loose coil can be quite dangerous. I did mine with air tools on the spring retainers which is generally a no-no but I had no issues (though I wouldn't suggest it).

Take your time, be cautious and use common sense and it isn't a huge deal.

SuperTurbo · 01-26-2009, 10:41 PM

If you go with Monroe, the top of the line strut ONLY!! (Like Reflex)

Avoid those gasmatic, and crap.... Those are well known will not last for more than 1 yr under harsh driving. If you drive slowly, it will last a bit longer, but eventally you will see lots of oil leakin on your shocks.

JCamry94 · 01-26-2009, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperTurbo

If you go with Monroe, the top of the line strut ONLY!! (Like Reflex)

Avoid those gasmatic, and crap.... Those are well known will not last for more than 1 yr under harsh driving. If you drive slowly, it will last a bit longer, but eventally you will see lots of oil leakin on your shocks.

Yeah... Just upgrade. Same ballpark price, and much better quality.

Gibson99 · 03-05-2009, 12:42 PM

back on the OP's question about the sway bar - the reason the mustang doesn't need a rear sway bar is because it's RWD, and as such it has better weight distribution. you can romp on the gas and make the tail come around in a mustang. Don't have that option in the camry since it's FWD. the lousy front/rear weight distro in the camry also makes it necessary to have a stiffer rear bar to have decent handling. I'm sure you've already noticed that the camry loves to plow like a pig and will only oversteer if you are trailbraking or if you pull the handbrake. You can't ever completely cure the camry's understeer since the f/r bias is something like 80/20, but a big rear bar helps a lot. Makes high speed freeway interchanges a lot less hair-raising.

I also agree that a rear sway bar (not front) on a camry is THE best bang for the buck mod you can do. even if you do NOTHING else, get the RSB.

having personally had H&R+KYB GR2 on my 95, and then tokico + ground control coilovers on my 98, the one i preferred most for daily driving was the 95. It wasn't as low, was smoother on rough roads (progressive rate springs), and was even reasonably competent at an autocross - i was right in the middle of the pack of 3-series BMWs (not counting the M3s of course). For real track time you can't beat coilovers and good shocks, so the setup i had on my 98 is better there. even when the struts were blown and i was on crap street tires, i was only 4.5 seconds behind an 06 saleen mustang on DOT race rubber... on a 60 second course.

Since I have a Miata for track fun, I am selling the coilovers off my 98 and going back to something more tame like Tein, H&R or Eibach since the 98 is my daily driver.

Manny1337 · 03-05-2009, 02:37 PM

dude howd you get 34mpg id like to know

Gibson99 · 03-05-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manny1337

dude howd you get 34mpg id like to know

i got 40 mpg in my old 88 i4 auto - cruise control at 65mph on the interstate, at night, no a/c (winter time). with a/c i usually got about 34-35 on the same drive.

Manny1337 · 03-05-2009, 02:45 PM

damn really lol. the max ive gotten in my 98 was like 25. highway cruise at about 75 im gonna have to try that cruise at 65 next time i take a road trip.

balingwire · 03-05-2009, 05:00 PM

Manny1337, I got 34 mpg by watching the tach (trying to keep the tach to no more than 2000 rpm, except sometimes starting from a stop, it's not hard to hit 3000 w/o trying), taking off gradually, using momentum to increase speed and climb hills (being aware of the grades, if I needed a little more speed, I would try to gain it going down grade, then back off a little and maintain the speed going up the grades - used slope a lot, from leaving the house , backroads, highways, everywhere), make sure I'm moving if the engine is running (timing the red lights, little sitting and idling). I didn't do any coasting in neutral or extreme drafting, and I continued to use A/C, especially at higher speeds. If I was going slow, like less than 35 or so, I might turn off the A/C and fan and lower the windows, but not often. I'm trying to beat 34 on this tank. We'll see.

Manny1337 · 03-05-2009, 05:06 PM

haha that's a little too nuts for me. i usually drive a little hard but Ive been trying to cut back recently. I try to keep it under 3k usually around 2 for the most part, I just filled up my gas tank and I'm going to see if there's any real improvement from normal driving to driving like a grandmother

bigbird · 03-05-2009, 07:40 PM

only problem with driving "normaly" or liek a granny is the motor will accumulate deposits a little easier. its a good idea to flog the motor and get the RPMs up every now and them to help clear up stuff thats just camping in the motor and will only aid in the accumulation of buildup on engine parts.

ONE_to_HATE · 03-05-2009, 08:27 PM

....aaaand flooring it on yellow lights help with gas mileage! ROFL just watch out for those panda colored cars with blue/red lights on the roof- LOL

jk.

Manny1337 · 03-05-2009, 08:29 PM

hahaha =P its kinda a bad habbit when i see the yellow and i think im close enough even if im trying to drive slower/speed limit i always seem to kinda punch it O:-) it might not have all the balls in the world but it gets it job done