Lowering with Tokico??... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Statiks · 08-24-2004, 12:06 PM

Tha camry went in today to get the kit put on... i'm really worried about how its goin to look not lowered.. i went on ebay and found a set of four gas struts.. tokico... now i'm wondering if i buy these struts have them installed will my car b lowered or do i need to buy new springs? if i do have to buy new springs do i have to have tokico springs? if i dont have to buy new springs do i cut my stock ones? help me outt pleeezz...

rapsux2000 · 08-24-2004, 12:20 PM

The tokicos will be fine with stock springs. They will actually last longer if you do not get lowering springs. The struts were designed to fucntion well with stock springs. Only get lowering springs if you want a much stiffer ride and a lowered look. The struts alone will not visibly lower your car at all. Bottom line is no matter what anyone tells you, you don't need lowering springs. I spoke with a guy named Jack at a company called fast track who has supplied many Camrys and Solara's from various forums with suspension mods, and he said that Camrys shouldn't really be lowered that much because of the way the are designed. He said that lowering it past 1.5 in will harm the suspension. He said that I didn't really need to buy springs from him also, but I did it for looks anyways. He explained how the struts on stock springs will make my car handle really well, without lowering springs. The springs wouldn't really make too much of a difference in handling. It might just make the ride slightly harsher. The Tokicos alone will be fine. Only get springs if they're really worn out.

bowlofturtle · 08-24-2004, 01:40 PM

Really ? I always thought the springs lowered the car to make you get a better grip on the handleing and the shocks would keep your car from bouncing and making it more comfortable. I thought springs lower your center of gravity therefore causeing you to be able to have more control over your car.

Shocks alone would give you a better bouncyness and junk like that but why would it give you better handling.

1.6 inchs should be the most with camry's. Anything over is just hurting it. Remember Camry's weren't design to be sporty.

rapsux2000 · 08-24-2004, 02:20 PM

If you look at the strut before installation press down on it to see how much harder it is to push it down than stock ones, you'll see that they are noticeably stiffer. This is why they are performance struts. This is also why you have less body roll. They don't flex as much, making you sway all the time. The springs won't make a huge difference in handling. Yes, they do lower your center of gravity but not enough to have a significant impact. That's just a selling point for the spring makers. Lowering is mainly for looks, most people don't realize that. Lowering springs with their stressful spring rates, will also cause the struts(new or not) to lose life. The ride will be much harsher too. Your car isn't that high of the ground to begin with. A 1-2 inch difference in height won't change too much as far as handling goes. This is why you don't really need springs with struts. But, if you are getting springs, then you have to get better or stiffer struts to handle the extra stress.

bowlofturtle · 08-24-2004, 02:39 PM

well allen your an acception. You own a Scepter not a camry

***cam2Xrunner*** · 08-24-2004, 03:56 PM

The springs do help with handling but you need to put them all together to get the results-springs, stiffer struts, and a larger rear swaybar. Wider tires don't hurt either. Tokico struts with your old springs will not lower any more than before. Id reccomend the eibach springs(camry springs) for the most comfortable yet sporty ride. If you want to lower it a little more than the eibach's 1.2 inch drop than you can get the solara eibachs which will lower it 1.6 in front and 1.4 in rear. Tokico doesnt make springs for our cars. Your choices are eibach, h&r, vogtlands, intrax, dropzone(i think) Id rec. the eibachs or h&r's. Don't cut your stocks springs. You can get away with cutting eibachs, if you want a lower drop but I wouldn't rec. it.

ripley's99 · 08-24-2004, 04:14 PM

i gotta agree with Allen, why would dropping the car 2" or more hurt it??? i could see it would make your struts wear out faster if you just had stock struts & cut the stock springs, as it would more than likely also throw your camber out of whack and wear the tires out super fast.

but, if you drop it right and adjust the camber then what harm can it do?

also, lowering springs do not serve only to give you a harsh ride. they help control the body roll into tight cornering and improve the overall handling of the car. a lot of people are more than willing to sacrifice some floaty/spongey ride quality for better and more responsive handling.

Keri

jhbhatia · 08-24-2004, 04:44 PM

i have to agree with allen as well. I know people who "lowered' their rides (camry/solara) with only springs, and then a year later did the struts. bascially, the springs did the drop, not the struts!

Also, about not dropping it beyond 2' that BS, if it done right...2 should be as good as 1.2. Tokico's and Eibach's is what i'm planning on my. From what i've read, its noticible dropped, but the ride comfort is still like OEM...(hence not a performance drop)..but more of a cosmetic drop..

jwa276 · 08-24-2004, 04:55 PM

no, it will be a huge difference in handling!! tokicos are some of the higher compression struts on the market for camrys. kyb-s are much more stock like.

and whats all this about not lowering past 2"????

im lowered about 3.5" in front and 2.5" in rear to give me a truly even drop front/back. this car handles like a champ!! the faster you go, the smoother it gets. did i mention i have never bottomed out on this setup- even during the hardest of cornering.

also you guys are kind of correct, but tokicos WILL lower your car an additional .5". this information i have from personal experience.

jon

Statiks · 08-24-2004, 07:09 PM

So would it b smart to buy the tokico struts.. chop my stock springs (because all i'm lookin for is a lowered look with a some what comfortable ride) then eventually put in not stock springs and cut them??

i've talked to alot of people about cutting of any sort and they all said it'll b like riding on cynder blocks.. stock or after market..

Whats smarter? puting in after market springs onto stock struts and cutting the springs for the lowered look? Or putting in after market struts and cutting the stock springs for the lowered look? . . .

***Ne0z31*** · 08-24-2004, 07:18 PM

anywhere i can get a larger rear swaybar? i noticed mine is... well... a noodle :P also, how bout fronts? I want the stiffest. best responding ride possible... stiffer the better

bowlofturtle · 08-24-2004, 08:40 PM

well i'm just going to wait for my shocks to break. And replace with tokico's

whats a standard life spam range for stock shocks and aftermarket ones with a mid-range drop around 1.5

kenratboy · 08-24-2004, 08:56 PM

OK, for my car (see sig), I do NOT give a shit about looks, I JUST want preformance. Does that mean I should just stick with new struts (the Tokico's?)

Even if the springs did a little for preformance, will JUST struts make a big difference? Also, LOWERING my car is bad, as I drive in snow and go over getto areas with pot holes and steep, sharp driveways. Should I just get new struts?

Thanks!

Statiks · 08-24-2004, 10:27 PM

ya i need some answers badly..

DarkFlareon · 08-24-2004, 11:28 PM

You should just get the Eibach and Tokico combo - I heard they work really well and give a nice ride. I'm thinking about swapping the H&Rs for the Eibach Solara springs myself... for a little bit lower look since the H&Rs didn't really lower the the rear of my car at all...