99 camry shocks/suspension - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

techguy · 02-01-2005, 09:55 AM

I bought a used 99 Camry LE last June. I never owned one before. I am finding the shocks/suspension a bit too soft. The car gets too low when I have rear passengers. It scrapes when I back out of the driveway. Is this normal on this car or should I start looking at for shock replacement?

I'm also starting to notice a low frequency noise when driving over 70 mph. The noise seem to be "rotation" specific. The noise cycles (on / off) with the rotation of the tires. The noise is not there or can't be heard until I go pass 65 mph. The noise is louder at 80 mph. The tires are new and have been rotated (same noise before rotation.). Front brake pads are new as well. Any ideas as to what I need checked?

Thanks.

ralfp · 02-01-2005, 10:24 AM

I have a '99 CE.

Soft = normal
Bottoming out = normal
Squeaking from the front end when going over bumps = normal (there's a TSB for this)

Have your tires been balanced? That should cost $40 or so for all 4.

Porkch0p220 · 02-01-2005, 10:30 AM

get trd/ebachi springs, it wont bottom out or be bouncy anymore

techguy · 02-01-2005, 12:58 PM

The tires that go to the front are always balanced at the time of rotation. I have that "free" service when I bought the 4 new tires. Alignment was done last November.

joandjo · 02-01-2005, 01:16 PM

I'm not sure for your case, but... I heard from somewhere that the brake rotor can also be out of balance...

jhbhatia · 02-01-2005, 03:24 PM

Are the stocks to soft - YES!

Does the car go low with passangers in the rear seats - YES!

Does it bottom out w/ paggangers- NO; unless your make it bottomed out; I've had three passangers and luggages in the trunk, it does hump down, but it doesn't bottom out, maybat going over speed bumps at speeds, but its not normal to do that always! At least my 1997 xlev6 doesn't do that! (its on its 4th set of stock struts, all thanks to extended warranties at just mere 77K miles).

Gachinto · 02-01-2005, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhbhatia

Are the stocks to soft - YES!

Does the car go low with passangers in the rear seats - YES!

Does it bottom out w/ paggangers- NO; unless your make it bottomed out; I've had three passangers and luggages in the trunk, it does hump down, but it doesn't bottom out, maybat going over speed bumps at speeds, but its not normal to do that always! At least my 1997 xlev6 doesn't do that! (its on its 4th set of stock struts, all thanks to extended warranties at just mere 77K miles).

I have 1999 Camry LE too ... won't bottom out ~ mine is 69800km ... kinda low mileage for a 99 car i guess ?

well i bought TRD springs and shocks waiting to be replace the stock ones ~ but yeah ... it shouldn't ~

Porkch0p220 · 02-01-2005, 09:30 PM

i said once before, my car did the same thing, bouncy, bottomed out all the time. i got trd springs i have no complaints. handles better. dosent bottom out and its not bouncy

Night Speed · 02-01-2005, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gachinto

I have 1999 Camry LE too ... won't bottom out ~ mine is 69800km ... kinda low mileage for a 99 car i guess ?

well i bought TRD springs and shocks waiting to be replace the stock ones ~ but yeah ... it shouldn't ~

hi what kind of shocks you bought?

toysarefun · 02-02-2005, 10:39 AM

The car is pretty heavy to start with.., shocks get bouncey when they are nearly worn out. That humming or vibration noise you hear on the highway could be a dry axle because of a broken CV boot.

Gachinto · 02-02-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night Speed

hi what kind of shocks you bought?

i bought my springs and shocks from a Tom's & TRD store in hk. i actually brought it with me as luggages lol ... free shippin ~ so they are TRD's ... well ... and i also know that they are made from a KYB factory... if that matters ?! not on my car yet cuz im missing a lil part ... waiting till sunday then i will have the parts all ready and install them.

Night Speed · 02-02-2005, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gachinto

i bought my springs and shocks from a Tom's & TRD store in hk. i actually brought it with me as luggages lol ... free shippin ~ so they are TRD's ... well ... and i also know that they are made from a KYB factory... if that matters ?! not on my car yet cuz im missing a lil part ... waiting till sunday then i will have the parts all ready and install them.

hehe... wow i didn't know you can put parts in your luggages. hmm... i should try that next time hehe...

Diehonda · 02-03-2005, 08:28 AM

Is the humming coming from the back of the car? Their is a recall on about 540 camry's for hub bearings. Get it checked out.

When you change your struts and springs are you going to replace your mounts and boots?

techguy · 02-04-2005, 12:40 AM

The noise is coming from the front. You can kinda feel it on the floor board. The noise is only present at speeds over 65 MPH. My daughter drives the car most of the time and I don't really want to put TRD springs and all, I just want to do minimal repairs as needed. When I replaced the front brake pads, the CV boots are intact, no tear/cracks. I did not remove the rotors (to have it turned) since it did not have bad grooves nor was the orig pads totally worn when I replaced them.

Tires have been balanced and rotated. Tires are 3 months old.

Thanks.

jhbhatia · 02-04-2005, 09:47 AM

if its coming from the front, i'd say check the front strut mounts!