Yaris d4D handling improvements

[The23rdman]

I'm looking to sharpen up the handling of my 52 plate D4D in readiness for a performance boost. I think I read somewhere that the intercooler gets in the way of a strut brace. Has anyone found a relatively simple solution to this? 

[Madasafish]

Unless you get the basics right a strut brace is a waste of time and money. So on a 14 year old car I would replace:

springs and shock absorbers  at £60+ each

ALL suspension bushes.At least £100

All anti roll bar bushes  using polyurethane ones.At least £100

Check all the brake calipers and disks and as a minimum rerubber the calipers. ANY signs of scoring and it's new disks and pads.  Up to £250

Rebuild the rear drums £100.

 

Add it up..  You will spend £1000 +  and still have an antiquated car with at most 90bhp - chipped.  Been there done the chipping, not worth the effort.

Don't do it and your strut brace is a waste of money.

Edit

I would also replace all flexible brake hoses, For safety. And the auxiliary belt, And the water pump. And check the radiator for corrosion,,(if it goes, new Head Gasket £££s) And change all the engine hoses.

 

[The23rdman]

4 hours ago, Madasafish said:

Unless you get the basics right a strut brace is a waste of time and money. So on a 14 year old car I would replace:

springs and shock absorbers  at £60+ each

ALL suspension bushes.At least £100

All anti roll bar bushes  using polyurethane ones.At least £100

Check all the brake calipers and disks and as a minimum rerubber the calipers. ANY signs of scoring and it's new disks and pads.  Up to £250

Rebuild the rear drums £100.

 

Add it up..  You will spend £1000 +  and still have an antiquated car with at most 90bhp - chipped.  Been there done the chipping, not worth the effort.

Don't do it and your strut brace is a waste of money.

Edit

I would also replace all flexible brake hoses, For safety. And the auxiliary belt, And the water pump. And check the radiator for corrosion,,(if it goes, new Head Gasket £££s) And change all the engine hoses.

 

 

Thanks for such a detailed reply. So, in essence, screw that for a game of soldiers. :)

[Madasafish]

Sorry , yes. We have a 2003 D4dD. It is very nice but the engine makes it front heavy. The 1.3 petrol was a far nicer car to drive fast..

[The23rdman]

I've been thinking of getting a 1.5 anyway. ;)

[Cyker]

Blimey Fishy I didn't know you had this hidden boy racer past! 
 

[Madasafish]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

Blimey Fishy I didn't know you had this hidden boy racer past! 
 

In my past - when I was young - MUCH younger than I am now - almost half a century ago, the Mini Cooper S was the dog's danglies. I was an impoverished student and could not afford one - not even used - so I bought an early (1960) Mini Traveller with 850cc engine and replaced it with an 1100 engine, upgraded the front suspension and brakes to disks etc.

Added a 1.75 inch SU, polished the head, proper exhaust manifold etc... It went quite well. Still got the various tuning books somewhere.  

 

On later life I had a GTM kit car powered by a Cooper S engine and a 1967 Lotus Elan S3 tuned to 135bhp from its original 110 (?)

[Cyker]

It is a bit of a lost skill I feel; I can't even imagine trying to do something like that on my Yaris! 

A friend of mine is trying to restore an old beetle - That seems a lot easier to work on (4 bolts, few hoses, engine out! Not like the D4D and the 4  bajillion tiny pipes that are snaking all over it )

I do sometimes wistfully wonder what it would take to get a Mk1 AWD Yaris and put a Mk2 D4D into it tho'...