Shock Absorbers

[Hogie]

Hi lads and ladies

The last few weeks iv been thinking about replacing the shocks in the car, they have done 90k. Their grand like but the corolla ts is a bit soft. Reason i want to do this is i woundnt mind the car being a little bit stiffer but i dont want to go rock hard, just a little bit stiffer and a little better through the twisty bits. And as they have 90k on them may be it time to start thinking about this

Can anyone tell me how the stiffness of a shock is measured, is there a number or letter rating? Im clueless when it come to this

I know some lads have lowered their car , not really sure is it a route I want to take, roads not the best for when I have the car in Ireland, probably crack the sump or worse and its speed bump city where I am in London.

If anyone has any idea please feel free to chip in

All help gratefully received as always :D

[ae102]

Hi lads and ladies

The last few weeks iv been thinking about replacing the shocks in the car, they have done 90k. Their grand like but the corolla ts is a bit soft. Reason i want to do this is i woundnt mind the car being a little bit stiffer but i dont want to go rock hard, just a little bit stiffer and a little better through the twisty bits. And as they have 90k on them may be it time to start thinking about this

Can anyone tell me how the stiffness of a shock is measured, is there a number or letter rating? Im clueless when it come to this

I know some lads have lowered their car , not really sure is it a route I want to take, roads not the best for when I have the car in Ireland, probably crack the sump or worse and its speed bump city where I am in London.

If anyone has any idea please feel free to chip in

All help gratefully received as always :D

dropping ours doent make it low - trust me. no issues with humps or smacking the sump down the lanes unless your really giving her one, thats why i got the leather but at 90k the shocks wont last long when lowered. how much you looking at spending? considering the TRD shocks (rebadged KYB) with adjustable damping? Bilstein do shocks for us and there reputation has always been good - worth a look as well priced i'm sure. they do uprated shocks for standard ride height and shorter shocks for lowering.................

[cabcurtains]

Lowering by 30mm has never caused an issue to me, the benefits outway any negatives

Just have to becareful approaching the odd kerb as the front is now lower than it was but its no lower than most other cars.

[Hogie]

Lads if i could show you the road from Galway city to my home town in Ireland you'd know why i dont want to lower it.

When i buy something like that i dont really mind the price I pay, as long as it not crazy and i get quality. I'm guessing it must be about 80 or 90 a shock, does that sound about right. Not really up on brands, koni was one brand I was looking at. Anyone know about this company?

I must look in to how a shocks stiffness is rated

[linty264]

Id go with a set of eibachs if you can get them, compressors use them as standard and their a well balanced setup without being too low or harsh

[Demo_202]

^ What he said.

Ps. Linty any pics of your car? Im after some coilovers/nice arch to tyre look.

[Beagh1958]

From Galway family & ex Kensal Rise. I know what your saying about road humps or small hills if you like around N/W/London. Depends how much you want to lower car? Why not go for Koni Gas adjustable suspension kit ( just using Koni for example) maybe a 20mm (no lower) drop & you can play with setup until its to your liking. Also if going for NCT or MOT you will not have to worry about springs coming out of their seating positions when wheels raised of ground.

[Beagh1958]

Sorry shock rating. It's all to do with your internal damping & the passage of fluid through valve holes within the shock that reduce or increase pressure through which oil or gas transfers from one side of valve to other. Also don't forget you have the option of variable resistance through the use of rising rate springs, standard spring would have equal space between coils. With variable rate springs the top 2/3rds of spring would have equal space between each coil & bottom 3rd would have coils closer together to stiffen suspension when under heavy load. Springs are measured in lb's or modern metric equivalent. Hope this helps rather than hinders.

[Hogie]

I guess that's something i can think about, 20mm, that would be ok. I was looking at a black cts round the back of my house before I left London. He had his lowered. Think ill have to think about this a bit more

What the story with wear on the inside of the tyres, the camber out right???

[Beagh1958]

Wear on inside of tyres i think would be pointing more towards incorrect tracking rather than camber angle. If having tracking set up, make sure you have it done by Lazer its a much more accurate method & make sure they lock your steering wheel in the 12 o'clock position. Just checked Autodata book & your front camber is adjustable via locating bolts that hold strut to hub. Still think your tracking is probably out of adjustment.

Just out of interest when i'm over in London to visit my mother i have seen a lad with Mayo top turning of All Souls Avenue & walking along H-----t - G-----s, say no road name. YES/NO, if so small world.

[Hogie]

Wear on inside of tyres i think would be pointing more towards incorrect tracking rather than camber angle. If having tracking set up, make sure you have it done by Lazer its a much more accurate method & make sure they lock your steering wheel in the 12 o'clock position. Just checked Autodata book & your front camber is adjustable via locating bolts that hold strut to hub. Still think your tracking is probably out of adjustment.

Just out of interest when i'm over in London to visit my mother i have seen a lad with Mayo top turning of All Souls Avenue & walking along H-----t - G-----s, say no road name. YES/NO, if so small world.

No that's not me, living in Kenton, back in Ireland now thou.

I know a little bit about tracking, car isnt pulling either way, what i was on about was when the car is sitting on lower springs the top of the wheels will be closer together than the bottom of the wheels, if you were looking at the car from the back i mean. So the outside of the tyre wont be doing as much work as the inside. Inside will wear more quickly.

I don't know am I making much sense or explaining myself correctly, but like you said camber on the front is adjustable.

Does it say by how much just out of interest?

[ae102]

Wear on inside of tyres i think would be pointing more towards incorrect tracking rather than camber angle. If having tracking set up, make sure you have it done by Lazer its a much more accurate method & make sure they lock your steering wheel in the 12 o'clock position. Just checked Autodata book & your front camber is adjustable via locating bolts that hold strut to hub. Still think your tracking is probably out of adjustment.

Just out of interest when i'm over in London to visit my mother i have seen a lad with Mayo top turning of All Souls Avenue & walking along H-----t - G-----s, say no road name. YES/NO, if so small world.

No that's not me, living in Kenton, back in Ireland now thou.

I know a little bit about tracking, car isnt pulling either way, what i was on about was when the car is sitting on lower springs the top of the wheels will be closer together than the bottom of the wheels, if you were looking at the car from the back i mean. So the outside of the tyre wont be doing as much work as the inside. Inside will wear more quickly.

I don't know am I making much sense or explaining myself correctly, but like you said camber on the front is adjustable.

Does it say by how much just out of interest?

your making sense - just having the tracking done after lowering doenst sort it out. the original settings relate to the rear as well - i asked TTE and the said use original settings? i queried the fact the rear wasnt adjustable and as the rear geometry had changed.......... the reply i got back was the rear wasnt adjustable - i replied i knew this and i got back use original settings - something got lost in translation. need a proper set-up............

Rich i'll send you a PM tomorrow - needing your help!

edit - back should kick out and front should kick in - when you drop the front the front kicks out and tracking dont pull it back in.

[Beagh1958]

Might confuse myself here, but to the best of my knowledge your camber settings are as below. This is from latest 2008 Autodata book.

And if having setup properly it really is worth going to some one with the latest equipment.

Camber deg: 1 degree 16'N - 0 degree 14'P

Camber deg: - 1/100 1, 27N - 0,23P

As i said setting up your camber angles is not as straight forward as you might think.

Just had Co.Clare rally stage down here last week,they used the mart for motor homes & Park Fermi, forgive me if spelt wrong.

Would be well worth finding out from local lads how or who sets up steering geometry.

Hope this helps.

[Beagh1958]

Sorry. Double checked & rear Camber is not adjustable.