10th gen. owner here H-Town

[osgu2378]

Hello amigos,

Just bought my first Yota; a 09 Corolla in June/2011. I recently added a set of OEM Enkei wheels to treplace the ugly steel wheels and upgraded the stock head unit to a Kenwood KIV-700 Media Reciever and Pioneer A-Series 6.5 3way and 6x9 3way loudspeakers for the front doors and rear deck panel.....HUGE difference!! and I'm not running an amp. Recommend this set up. I did it my self and spent about 325.00 total

Other than these small changes the car is stock and I really enjoy it, espacially the MPG. Have averaged beetween 390-410 miles per tank in mostly city driving. Just posted a thread to see if anyone here can recommend a good set of coil spring to lower this slug by 2" and get good, to above good ride quality. Thanks for reading and I'll post some pics in my album soon.

Peace!

 

[trlhiker]

Welcome, most go with the TRD springs and while you are at it, replace the rear sway bar with a TRD one and add a TRD front strut brace.

 

[mariohere]

Hello Osgu,
lowering the car may improve your cornering, but will likely reduce the overall comfort of your ride quality.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

How many gallons of fuel does your tank hold? The total mileage traveled means nothing without knowing how many gallons it takes to travel that far.
No need to waste money on lowering springs. Just use the stock springs and cut 1/2 coil for better results and less money spent.

 

[osgu2378]

Re: E140 Loweringsprings

Thanks for the feedback guys, but.....

People still cut springs?? I thought that went the way of the Dodo Bird?...the last vehicle I drove that had cut coils rode like total crap. I mean on glass-smooth surface would be no problem,... but the roads here in Houston, in some places, are very crappy. I was researching the Eibach,Tein, H+R springs.....so I guess no one on this forum has had a chance to put these their rides? O well ill keep looking for more some input

 

[osgu2378]

Hey Scott,...

I last checked at fill up and the pump stops at 13.0-13.5 gallons.....sometimes.
The basic average for me is about 31 mpg so it sort of adds up...not bad I guess seeing how I drive the average speed. What are your averages?

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Certainly people cut coil springs. It's the best way to go. Cutting coil springs doesn't have anything to do with the ride of the vehicle. The ride is handled by the struts/shocks and tires.

The high performance Pontiac Trans Am with the WS-6 handling package was designed by the revered suspension engineer Herb Adams and he recommends cutting coil springs, as the results are superior to replacing the springs and save you money too. If you like the idea of new springs, just paint the car's current springs any color your heart desires and, "Voila!", new springs!

The rip off lowering springs are merely shorter than the stock springs, so make the stock springs shorter too and achieve the same effect for less money. Herd Adams recommends cutting 1/2 coil to lower a car. Use a cutting torch to make sure the heat is localized to where the cut is being made only.

Beware that if the roads you drive on are not very good, lowering a car can result in the car bottoming out over potholes, etc., and damage the car, i.e. having the exhaust system damaged or even ripped from the car, etc.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

I last checked at fill up and the pump stops at 13.0-13.5 gallons.....sometimes.
The basic average for me is about 31 mpg so it sort of adds up...not bad I guess seeing how I drive the average speed. What are your averages?

To get correct/accurate mpg figures, fill the gas tank to the brim and record the mileage/odometer reading, then drive the car for whatever distance you desire, then refill the gas tank to the brim again and divide the miles traveled by the gallons it takes to refill the gas tank to the brim and this will provide the correct mpg's for the car. Anything less isn't accurate.

 

[mariohere]

Coil springs

Scott,
Doesn't cutting the coil springs reduce the suspension travel? Isn't suspension travel one of the main components of ride of the vehicle, especially on bumpy terrain?

Certainly people cut coil springs. It's the best way to go. Cutting coil springs doesn't have anything to do with the ride of the vehicle. The ride is handled by the struts/shocks and tires.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

A shorter spring does the same thing. However, removing 1/2 coil isn't anything drastic.

 

[mariohere]

cutting coil springs

So removing half a coil isn't drastic. Why do it? I suppose just so one can say that they have modified suspension? yes, I can understand that! I would likely spend the extra $75.00 on LRR tires just to save 1-2% on my fuel economy. Same thing i suppose.