3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
hello all,
I am soon to be given a 96 camry wagon with 30k miles on it. I am happy to be given a free car, but a little dissapointed that i no longer need to do any car hunting /shopping. I was looking forward to buying something with 4wd or awd with some ground clearance. I realize that 4wd/awd is not feasable on the wagon, but i think some decent tires on the fwd wagon could get me back in the woods as far as i need to go.(or in the snow we get up here in MI) I was just wondering if a wagon can be raised up to improve the ground clearance, and maybe let me put larger tires on it.(everything i find online is about lowering wagons!) i hope this is not toyota blasphamy to be talking of lifting/raising, just trying to use what is given for my needs. Thanks for looking and responding!
Quite frankly, most of us here start with LOWERING because our cars have a high ride-height with stock components Not sure how one would go about raising a camry, other than larger tires... Can't exactly do a body-lift.
I could suggest maybe find larger springs and struts from another vehicle, and retrofit them, but I'm out of my field here. AWD is feasible on our cars (JDM offered it is an option), but it would be a hassle to ship one over, so your best option would be a custom retrofit (still not cheap).
Some decent snow tires should be good enough though, the only time I've gotten mine stuck in the winter was while rallying (took a wrong turn, tried to do a hand-brake u-turn, hit snowbank). otherwise unstoppable.
/my-2-cents
__________________
1993 Toyota Camry 3VZ 5-Speed
(Beige Beluga)
1989 Toyota MR2 3S-GTE 5-Speed (Din)
Need performance parts?
Shoot me a PM, I'll see what I can do
Quite frankly, most of us here start with LOWERING because our cars have a high ride-height with stock components Not sure how one would go about raising a camry, other than larger tires... Can't exactly do a body-lift.
I could suggest maybe find larger springs and struts from another vehicle, and retrofit them, but I'm out of my field here. AWD is feasible on our cars (JDM offered it is an option), but it would be a hassle to ship one over, so your best option would be a custom retrofit (still not cheap).
Some decent snow tires should be good enough though, the only time I've gotten mine stuck in the winter was while rallying (took a wrong turn, tried to do a hand-brake u-turn, hit snowbank). otherwise unstoppable.
/my-2-cents
I strongly agree! This winter I had Firestone WinterForce snow tires on all 4 wheels! I got caught in many a Blizzard & snow fall this winter here in the North East! Between the torque of the 3VZFE V6 with the power button on & the snow tires my 1993 Camry had more traction than some 4WD vehicles next to me at stop light! .......
You can extend your springs by pushing them up then putting spring clamps on them. They sell the clamps at harbor freight, but they're easily custom made. This will increase the ride height dramatically.
OP, you are correct in that most of us want to lower them (I can't wait to drop mine for one) but i am curious into how it would look, handle, etc. All I can ask is post pictures as you work. Good Luck!
also if you raise it but the stupid raiser things (i hate them) it will have clearance issues from the strut so theirs no real point of raising the car unless you get way high offset rim (rwd cars mostly) and you can get larger tires,
hankook ipikes in winter here only got stuck hitting snow banks, then if you rock the car a few times and get some speed you can ramp them, also trying to go up a stupid sharp incline covered in snow, it did fine (ramped)
__________________
Signature Suspended as it is in violation of signature rules.
^ and leaving it that way!
You can extend your springs by pushing them up then putting spring clamps on them. They sell the clamps at harbor freight, but they're easily custom made. This will increase the ride height dramatically.
CC,not sure I follow you on this. This sounds like I would lose some height. could you pretend that I am a total car noob (I am) and spell it out for me? (I do have some mechanical skill as I have a 1970 honda 350 street scrambler that I work on, and I ride and fix my own snowmobile) I did do some looking online for spring clamps, and see lots of different ones for car springs, and any sites I found that reference using them are talking about doing drops. thanks!
Alman72, first of all, welcome!
Second, are you kidding about the 30k miles? That's insane! Am I the only one that noticed that?
Is it a v6?
I don't think there is an "off the shelf" solution for you. Anything custom will probably be expensive. Go cheap and you may negatively alter your new car's handling. I added some "coil spring helpers" in the back to help raise the rear when towing. I put them in where not loaded, they don't do much, but when there is a lot of weight on the back the help keep it up. I do feel less bouncing both when towing and not.
Take some time to get to know your wagon - you may end up being very happy that you don't drive an SUV.
The spring clamps can be flipped around to be push instead of clamp. So what I would do personally is take the load off the spring (jack the car up) place two clamps (flipped so that they push the springs apart from each other), one on each side of each spring, then lower the car. That will give it less spring to compress and should raise the height. At least in my head it does.
hello all,
I am soon to be given a 96 camry wagon with 30k miles on it. I am happy to be given a free car, but a little dissapointed that i no longer need to do any car hunting /shopping. I was looking forward to buying something with 4wd or awd with some ground clearance. I realize that 4wd/awd is not feasable on the wagon, but i think some decent tires on the fwd wagon could get me back in the woods as far as i need to go.(or in the snow we get up here in MI) I was just wondering if a wagon can be raised up to improve the ground clearance, and maybe let me put larger tires on it.(everything i find online is about lowering wagons!) i hope this is not toyota blasphamy to be talking of lifting/raising, just trying to use what is given for my needs. Thanks for looking and responding!
What are your clearance goals? Approach/departure angle goals? The Camry wagon is designed for on-road driving, and as such has relatively large front and rear overhangs which severely compromise approach, departure, and even break-over angles. Changing that in a menanigful way would be difficult, at best.
Without knowing your goals, one cannot give feedback on feasibility. That said, if you want more that 2" of additional clearance, you're better off getting a different vehicle. Like others have indicated, there is virtually no market selling parts to do what you're proposing to do. High-profile tires will provide marginal improvement, but you're very likely to have rubbing issues. Raising the resting suspension level more than an inch or 2 (like with spring spreaders/spacers) will start creating CV joint angles that will compromise their life, and will cause 'topping-out' issue over rough roads that will cause dicey handling.
What are your clearance goals? Approach/departure angle goals? The Camry wagon is designed for on-road driving, and as such has relatively large front and rear overhangs which severely compromise approach, departure, and even break-over angles. Changing that in a menanigful way would be difficult, at best.
Without knowing your goals, one cannot give feedback on feasibility. That said, if you want more that 2" of additional clearance, you're better off getting a different vehicle. Like others have indicated, there is virtually no market selling parts to do what you're proposing to do. High-profile tires will provide marginal improvement, but you're very likely to have rubbing issues. Raising the resting suspension level more than an inch or 2 (like with spring spreaders/spacers) will start creating CV joint angles that will compromise their life, and will cause 'topping-out' issue over rough roads that will cause dicey handling.
I would like to haul an old pop up down a 2 track, and it is not too bad, but i would also like to haul a jet ski and upon arrival at the lake, drive down and over a rocky drop (maybe 3 ft down in elevation, in about 3 ft) that leads down to a rock/grass/sand mud/ area to launch the ski. I know i can watch my angle going down, but it is the return that has me concered. I may need some speed, unless I have some great tires. I guess I can try once without the ski trailer to see how it goes. I dont want to tear up the area either, cause the cabin is a rental.
I dont know anything about lifting vehicles, but for some reason i thought that there was a wedge or something that truck owners put on that gave them an extra inch lift. I dont want to get crazy, just make any small gain I can. what is the max tire size I can put on without rubbing issues?
thanks again for any response!
Alman72, first of all, welcome!
Second, are you kidding about the 30k miles? That's insane! Am I the only one that noticed that?
Is it a v6?
I don't think there is an "off the shelf" solution for you. Anything custom will probably be expensive. Go cheap and you may negatively alter your new car's handling. I added some "coil spring helpers" in the back to help raise the rear when towing. I put them in where not loaded, they don't do much, but when there is a lot of weight on the back the help keep it up. I do feel less bouncing both when towing and not.
Take some time to get to know your wagon - you may end up being very happy that you don't drive an SUV.
Post some pictures and join the wagon crew!
Yup, 30k on a v6. It was a total grandma car. been in florida for the last few years, and I get her on or about the first week in may. Are these couil spring helpers the revese spring clamps C. Crash is refering to? If not,what would I ask for when trying to purchase so I am understood?
Also, does your wagon still have its ground effects on it? it does not seem to be as low as the wagons i have seen online. bigger tires? how does it haul the boat? and are you fully loaded with people and gear?
Thanks!
Alman, I don't know the conditions of your gift, but you can probably sell that wagon for over $5K (depending on condition).
I would not drive my wagon over any 3 foot drops. I'd be scared driving it up/down a curb....
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...hock+extenders
These are the spacers I got - the ones in the middle of the picture. I opted for the rubber ones because i read the metal ones can snap your springs (not sure how true this is).
Look at your springs with the car sitting level. Note which coils are sitting on top of each other. When you raise the car, the springs will lengthen allowing you to insert the spacers between coils that sit on top of each other when on the ground. You then push in two spacers opposite of each other.
My wagon has a front lip and a rear home made lip. It has bigger Lexus rims with tires that are about the same diameter as stock. The wagon tows my boat great! If you search threads by me, you'll find my towing thread with more details. I usually tow with three people and full of gear. My trailer tongue weight is 200 pounds.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
raise a wagon?
Beige Beluga
Not sure how one would go about raising a camry, other than larger tires... Can't exactly do a body-lift. 
Good Luck!
This sounds like I would lose some height. could you pretend that I am a total car noob (I am) and spell it out for me? (I do have some mechanical skill as I have a 1970 honda 350 street scrambler that I work on, and I ride and fix my own snowmobile) I did do some looking online for spring clamps, and see lots of different ones for car springs, and any sites I found that reference using them are talking about doing drops. thanks!
Linear Mode
