Need Help!...suspension questions...calling Scratchy!

[DopeCelicaGT]

Ok well I just thought I would add this little tid bit of info. for everyone so anyone that may be interested in the TRD coilovers can know a little something. Here is the deal, the best I can tell from my research is that these things were designed to be used on a GTS, not a GT, not that they can't be used on a GT but won't work as good, now let me explain. Ok in my GT tonight I had 2 passengers with me in which case we were going out for the evening, well upon getting on the interstate by my house I notice that my car was now handling phenomenally, response was quick and smooth as hell, could take turns at insane speeds that scared the crap out of my buddies, etc. Then I dropped them in Hoover for a few minutes because I wanted to go drive the same route, but this time without the extra weight. I hate to say it and this may sound weird as hell but without that extra 350 pounds or so in the car it doesn't handle near as good as it did with weight in it. Could it be that the extra weight is truly causing some difference in load on the springs making it handle better??? Perhaps these things were truly meant to be only used on the GTS since it is heavier than the GT and perhaps that is why my car doesn't handle as well as the same set-up would on a GT. Is there anything that I can do about this?? How do you explain this difference?? Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks.

[Scratchy]

you can change front to rear height ratio by simply adjusting the springs pre-load with the perches so the small difference in weight between the GT and GT-S is not an issue of compatibility for the coilovers. But I think the problem with the TRD coilovers (actually, the problem with you not liking them...not a coilovers problem per se) is in part due to a bad spring rates front to rear ratio choice...the increase in % at the rear is too high relative to the front increase and makes for a very nervous car, with the car maybe a bit too eager to turn and oversteer, giving, I agree, a somewhat scary unstable feel at high speed. Great for the track and autocross, but not for everyday commuting on the highway! But as you pointed, this effect should be attenuated with passengers in the rear...so that could explain...

[whitegt01]

that's just not true. you've had a boatload of problems with your coilovers, i know, but i don't believe your comments for a second. the trd supercharged gt has almost the exact same suspension setup as me(trd coilovers, full sway bar set, trd rear strut bar, and hotchkis rear endlinks), and in magazine testing, it pulled a 1.04g on a 300ft. skidpad. (the springs btw are rated 200lbs front, 350lbs rear).

i have a daily driver on horrible roads, there isn't a day that goes by that i dont abuse my suspension due to the various bumps and potholes on crappy nj roads. but it has held up extremely well. and i really can't complain for a minute about my purchase. i like the fact the struts are beefier than other coilover units on the market, the ease of installation considering i've never installed any suspension parts beside simple strut bars here and there, i dont have to worry about toyota dealers giving me crap on aftermarket parts, and it works, i dont know how i could go back to a stock setup now. i dont like that the strut, i wouldn't call it rusting, since it isn't rusting, but its definitely losing its shiny silver coating a little(but that's just maybe because i never clean it, and that's really the only complaint i have). considering the price i paid for it, i dont think there is much to complain about. i'm very happy with my coilovers, and it has enough performance, and it looks decent. the plus far outweighs the minus.

the trd coilovers are not meant only for the gt, they can be used for the gts, and various corolla and matrix applications as well i believe(all except awd matrix). my car handles very well, and i have passengers in my car maybe 5 times a month only. i dont think it has anything to do with weight. you either got a bad coilover from the start, or something went wrong during your various installation/uninstall/and reinstall. anyhow, good luck with your car. but i dont think what you're posting is true, not a word of it.

one last thing, i hit 100+mph every single day on my commute to work, and i feel no signs of any instability at high speeds. i believe that as the car is traveling faster, the stability actually feels increased. now i'm not taking 90 degree turns on highways, but it isn't a straight highway either that i'm traveling on, and on the twists and curves on the highway, i feel the car definitely "planted," and that is a reassuring feeling to say the least, and i know that my car didn't feel like that when it was on a stock setup.

again, good luck with your car. but just to let people know, that the trd coilovers are not in any sense of the word an inferior product. its a shame that trd never offered more actual "performance" parts for the celica(even if they didn't manufacture it themselves), and that they're discontinuing everything for the celica.

[DopeCelicaGT]

that's just not true. you've had a boatload of problems with your coilovers, i know, but i don't believe your comments for a second. the trd supercharged gt has almost the exact same suspension setup as me(trd coilovers, full sway bar set, trd rear strut bar, and hotchkis rear endlinks), and in magazine testing, it pulled a 1.04g on a 300ft. skidpad. (the springs btw are rated 200lbs front, 350lbs rear).

i have a daily driver on horrible roads, there isn't a day that goes by that i dont abuse my suspension due to the various bumps and potholes on crappy nj roads. but it has held up extremely well. and i really can't complain for a minute about my purchase. i like the fact the struts are beefier than other coilover units on the market, the ease of installation considering i've never installed any suspension parts beside simple strut bars here and there, i dont have to worry about toyota dealers giving me crap on aftermarket parts, and it works, i dont know how i could go back to a stock setup now. i dont like that the strut, i wouldn't call it rusting, since it isn't rusting, but its definitely losing its shiny silver coating a little(but that's just maybe because i never clean it, and that's really the only complaint i have). considering the price i paid for it, i dont think there is much to complain about. i'm very happy with my coilovers, and it has enough performance, and it looks decent. the plus far outweighs the minus.

the trd coilovers are not meant only for the gt, they can be used for the gts, and various corolla and matrix applications as well i believe(all except awd matrix). my car handles very well, and i have passengers in my car maybe 5 times a month only. i dont think it has anything to do with weight. you either got a bad coilover from the start, or something went wrong during your various installation/uninstall/and reinstall. anyhow, good luck with your car. but i dont think what you're posting is true, not a word of it.

one last thing, i hit 100+mph every single day on my commute to work, and i feel no signs of any instability at high speeds. i believe that as the car is traveling faster, the stability actually feels increased. now i'm not taking 90 degree turns on highways, but it isn't a straight highway either that i'm traveling on, and on the twists and curves on the highway, i feel the car definitely "planted," and that is a reassuring feeling to say the least, and i know that my car didn't feel like that when it was on a stock setup.

again, good luck with your car. but just to let people know, that the trd coilovers are not in any sense of the word an inferior product. its a shame that trd never offered more actual "performance" parts for the celica(even if they didn't manufacture it themselves), and that they're discontinuing everything for the celica.


Ok so you are calling me a liar LOL along with all the other people that have had problems with their TRD coilovers??? Did I mention that I got a brand new one out of the box that was bad, yeah take that for quality. I like the coilovers as well but there is definitely something wrong here. You can call me a liar or whatnot all you want but I can tell you with 100% honesty that it handled perfectly when people were in the car vs without them. I have no freaking idea as to why but that is the truth and I have let more than one person drive it this way so they can tell you. Yes, I have had a boatload of problems with these and my car and I tell you that I never had a problem until I put these things on. Yes they have been put on and taken off several times but it has nothing and I mean absolutely nothing to do with the install. I have been doing this crap for about 10 years off and on so that means I have quite a bit of experience doing this crap and you said in your own words that the install was easy as hell and anyone could do it so I highly doubt your skill level, no offense, of putting on parts and whatnot magically surpassed mine with the install of 1 set of coilovers, not going to happen. Now I am sorry for being a ****head but it seems to me that you kind of came across as one in your previous post and actually I am being nice about this.

There are a lot of variables that could be wrong with my car causing the set-up to seem wrong or messed up. I mean it could be a number of things such as tires, alignment, struts could be bad, something bent, all kinds of things. I am slowly one by one alleviating all of those scenarios. Now when I get to the point where I have replaced or 100% double checked everything that I think it could be and it still handles like ass then it can only be one thing, your beloved coilovers. Another scenario is that it could just be that I have had better set-ups and then all of a sudden I reverted to something that was insuperior to the old set-up. I don't think TRD coilovers are bad and I have said that many times but there is def. something going on with my car. Hell you can come over here and drive it for yourself if you want because there is no denying something is not right. Later. By the way you need to ask yourself this, "Why in the hell would I lie about all of this crap?" Do you think I just sit around at home and at work just coming up with ways to bash TRD all day long? I have nothing against them but I am not happy with these thusfar. I mean WTF?? Why would you think I would be makin this up? What does it do for me? You need to sit around and think about some things before you go posting your a liar, I don't believe your comments, blah, blah, blah.

[autxr]

Just set your ride heights to where they were with all the passengers in the car, that will result in the same alignment and ride height(duh) settings. Car shuold handle virtually the same.

I doubt the 40-50 lb difference between the GT and GTS is enough to make a car handle noticibally different (mine handles great with and without passengers).

Scott

[dmaxd03]

^^^It might also have somehting to do with the pre load on the springs due to the height of the perches. Its a stretch but might be it.

[2way]

A slight change in the rear camber perhaps?