Lowering Help/advice needed for gen 1 xb!

[diknaBox]

I just got my gen1 a couple months ago. Have started modding the easy things first but now I want to lower about 2".

looking for advice all around from perfered products to get or stay away from also (not to sound stupid) but what all do i need? Is it just the lowering spring? sorry i'm not the most mechanically inclined!

:help:

[diknaBox]

by the way this is a daily driver!

[cyclotron_burst]

yep all you need is a good set of springs....depending on the drop you want you could go with the TRD springs which are only about 1.2 to 1.5 drop or you can go lower with the Tanabe NF210's or even lower than that with the Tanabe DF210's....but a word to the wise the lower you go the rougher the ride.

[MONKEY_CHEESE]

but possibly the less money youll spend. for some like me...low is a lifestyle. and theres no such thing as too low. lol im just sayin.

but Stephen is right, the lower the rougher

[St Uriel]

Mine is down around a 2.5 drop (an xD with slightly altered TRD springs) but those things ride super high as it is. All you really need is a set of springs, a spring compressor that you can get from schucks (or your local equivalent, O'Reillys, Checkers w/e) to borrow. Basically you give them a deposit they give you the tool and you get your money back when you bring the tool back. I understand if you don't wanna spend more on a set of new shocks but I strongly suggest it if you're lowering the car. And prepare to get an alignment after the job is done. I know at Firestone they offer lifetime wheel alignments for around 100 bux. Also I don't know what size socket you would need for the bolt holding your shock to your shock tower but you're going to need that. There's nothing worse than starting a project then getting stuck halfway from not having a specific tool.

Good Luck!
Rob

[Resolve]

From a person that has lowered a first gen a few times. yes and no on the lower you go being rougher. Yes they lower you go can be rougher on some bumps since you are closer to the ground and you may rub or bottom out. But no because I had a first gen with Tein S-techs with no bumpstops in the front and it rode to me a little better than stock for the most part.

As for a 2 inch drop go with Tanabe DF210 or Tein S-Techs. I rode with the s-techs for like 2 years with stock struts and shocks with no issues. Then I had to get rid of the xB.

Also a spring compressor helps but is not needed if done right. If you can get one since you are new to this it will make getting the old spring off easier. as for shocks and struts. if you get new ones. Get Toyota Echo struts for the front. There is a shock for the back that also is smaller that you can get but cant think of vehicle or part number but if you search you can find it. That is if you decide to swap out your shocks and struts. but for time being you should be fine without swapping them out.

hope that helps

[diknaBox]

From a person that has lowered a first gen a few times. yes and no on the lower you go being rougher. Yes they lower you go can be rougher on some bumps since you are closer to the ground and you may rub or bottom out. But no because I had a first gen with Tein S-techs with no bumpstops in the front and it rode to me a little better than stock for the most part.

As for a 2 inch drop go with Tanabe DF210 or Tein S-Techs. I rode with the s-techs for like 2 years with stock struts and shocks with no issues. Then I had to get rid of the xB.

Also a spring compressor helps but is not needed if done right. If you can get one since you are new to this it will make getting the old spring off easier. as for shocks and struts. if you get new ones. Get Toyota Echo struts for the front. There is a shock for the back that also is smaller that you can get but cant think of vehicle or part number but if you search you can find it. That is if you decide to swap out your shocks and struts. but for time being you should be fine without swapping them out.

hope that helps

Thanks for the advice! this helps a lot! I think you hit on what i was wondering. I didn't want to replace the shocks and struts for now or for awhile if possible. I'm looking for a low enough look with out trying to scrape! In the next few years I want to go with air ride but costs wise that doesn't fit in the budget right now. Plus the tein s-springs are less than $200 shipped!

Thank you all for the advice!

[Resolve]

NP.. and if you leave the bumpstop in make sure you cut the bump stop down. The s- tech should have instructions for how to cut.

[diknaBox]

Just from your experience with them... would you leave the bumpstop in or not?

[Resolve]

I would say leave it in. just because it will keep the strut from bottoming out. not that I had that issue very often just on massive bumps if not careful. But will also help with keeping the tire from rubbing inner fender on sharp turns. just cut the bumpstop as instructed so the car is not resting on the bumpstop.

On my I had the bumpstop removed and it actually allowed mine to sit about 1/4 to 1/2 lower in the front than a friends with the same spring set up on a first gen.

But the problem i had (not that is was a problem for me. I liked it) is on sharp turns the tire would rub the inner fender. I am used to stuff like that with most of my vehicles and it didn't bother me. but it was low enough to be just that little bit lower then others but just high enough for me to enter and exit place with decent slopes and just scrape the front bumper on the bottom of the front bumper. but not enough to rip the bumper off or catch the front of it and break it.. and I had stock bumpers and skirts

[aalbertson3]

If your looking for around a 2" drop I would recommend Tanabe DF210 lowering springs. Easily the most popular springs on the market for the gen1. :up:

[diknaBox]

If your looking for around a 2" drop I would recommend Tanabe DF210 lowering springs. Easily the most popular springs on the market for the gen1. :up:

Thanks I have heard these mentioned before to lower the gen1. What about would you leave the bumbstop in and cut it or just remove it?

Also just curious for my sciko's that encounter snow... do you have issues in the winter when lowering just the 2"? Just curious because our snows here in indy can be deep at times!

[MONKEY_CHEESE]

I first cut my bump stops in half when I lowered mine. And then upon cutting my springs (WOULD NOT RECOMMEND) I cut the half that was left down to 1/4 of what was left. So I had about 1/8 of the original bump stop left. But I'm on coilovers now. With about a 5" drop over stock. :up:

And as for snow, you just have to be careful with it, just like anything else. You get enough snow on the front, it will rip off the bumper.