Suspension FAQ

Cross member Assembly (1)
Power Steering Link Assembly (1)
Stabilizer Bar (or sway bar) (1)
Stabilizer Bar Bushings/Brackets (2)
Stabilizer Bar End Links (2)
Ball Joint (2)
Tie Rod (2)
Axle (2)
Front Suspension Member Reinforcement (2)
Strut (2)
Spring (2)
Bump Stop (2)
Strut Mount (2)
Control Arm (2)

Rear Suspension Componets:

Solid Beam Axle (1)
Shock (2)
Spring (2)
Rear Coil Spring Insulator Upper (2) Lower (2)

Types of Upgradeable Suspension:

Coil over
Spring Strut Shock
Air Suspension
Hydrualic Suspension

Types of Upgradeable Suspension Componets:

Control Arm Bushings
Stabilizer Bar Endlink Bushings
Solid Rear Axle Bushings
Motor Mounts
Stabilizer Bar
Strut Tower Bar
Front Suspension Reinforcement (H Brace)
Roll Cage

Coil overs:

Coil overs are a adjustable suspension. There are a few different types of a coil over suspension, but all do the same essential thing. All of them are designed to allow for ride height adjustment with the turn of a wrench or spanner wrench. The best coil over can be debated for years upon years. It all comes down to what the driver wants.

A fully functioning coil over will allow to adjust the ride height, with out effecting the spring pre-load. This is done by raising and lowering the mounting position of the lower suspension mount. This does not effect the travel amount of damping the shock can have, or the pre-load on the springs. A fully functioning coil over will also allow you to adjust the rebound of the shock, and the pre-load on the springs. A stiffer damper or stiffer pre-load will result in a stiffer ride. And just the opposite for a softer damping. It takes some playing to figure out what is best for your driving style.Most brands also come with Pillow block front mounts. Which allow for a more solid ride, and camber adjustments. Brands that are available for this option on the xB are Tein, D2, K-Sport, STD, Blitz, Cusco, Tanabe and a few others. These are just the more popular brands Scion Owners seem to go with.

A semi-adjustable coil over will only provide you with a ride height and damping adjustment. In adjusting the ride height, you are also adjusting the pre-load on the springs. The lower you go, the stiffer the spring rates. The higher, the softer. Some may also come with a damping adjustment. But not all. Read product description before purchasing. Popular brands that Scion Owners seem to go with here is Progress and Tein.

A basic adjustable coil over over is a spring, with 2 hats. It mounts on your OEM or aftermarket strut and only allows you height adjustment. You are limited to what type of shocks you put these on. If you pay high dollar for a set of Koni Yellows then you will have adjustable shocks. But the TRD, Monoroe, Tokico, Tokico OEM, and others will NOT give you adjustable struts/shocks.

Spring Shock Struts:

Springs:

Many of choices to pick from. But the amount of drop and stiffness you look to achieve is up to you. TRD, Road Magnet Tein H-Techs, Tanabe NF210 are mild drops. The Road Magnets however are great in the rear for those who have extra weight in the car (such as a heavy speaker box). They built the springs around that, and to allow the car to sit at a even height even with the extra weight. DF210, Tein S-Tech are the top two selling springs for the xB with one of the best drops. They bring you down around 2"s. There are many generic springs on the market thanks to a website called eBay… So do your research and read your reviews before you dedicate your self to a CHEAP spring.

The Monroe Shock Swap

Monroe Sensa Trac Shocks will provide your xB with a 1/2" drop on top of what springs you choose for the front. The rear shocks, will not lower it more, but provide a better ride. The Monroe Part Numbers are: (rear)Shocks #5987, (front) Struts #71575. These are for a Toyota Echo, but work with our chassis because they share the same platform. The reason they sit 1/2" lower in the front, is because the spring pearchs are mounted 1/2" lower than the xB’s OEM struts.

Other brands Such as KYB GR-2, Tokico, and Koni are also good choices for your OEM struts. Each offers their own ride comfort. The Koni Yellows and some high end models of the Tokico’s are adjustable.

Air Suspension:

A system where a Strut has a Air Bag placed where the spring would be. You are able to adjust ride height at the flip of a switch, or push of a button. This system is a little more complex, and will cost you about $2000 or more to do. But it will allow you to lay your bumpers on the ground, then raise them up to keep them safe. There are many tricks as to achieving a lower stance by modifying the air suspension assembly, but CAUTION. Do so at own risk. Typically any modification will void any warranty given with the product. Things included on a Air Suspension kit are the Air Bags (2 strut bags which is a bag over strut, and 2 air bags for the rear that replace the rear springs.), air line, valves (4-8 in different sizes from 3/16" to 1"), fittings, air tank, air compressor, pressure switch, control box (switch box), and air pressure gauges. The most commonly used on a Scion xB are the Easy Street/Air Lift kit, and a Do it your self kit from Universal Air Suspension (UAS).

Hydraulic.

Hydraulic is essentially the same as an air suspension. Except where you are using compressed air to inflate a bag, you are using Hydraulic Pressure (a oil) built up by a pump, and feeding it threw a high pressure hydraulic line, and pushing it into a Cylinder. In doing so, it raises and lowers the car. Using this method, you can typically raise higher and faster than a air suspension. However the down sides are, if a line breaks, or seal gives, you have a big mess to clean up, and there is no quick patches. As well as it takes batteries to power the pumps. The batteries remain separate from the vehicles charging system, and you must charge them when they run down.

Suspension Component Upgrades.

There are ways to improve your suspension further after a lowering your car on any of the suspensions covered above. When it comes down to bag for your buck, the Energy Suspension Sway Bar end link bushings take the cake. To do these you need to buy a universal bushing set from Energy Suspension, and a 4" grade 8 Bolt, grade 8 nylon locking washer, and 4 grade 8 washers for EACH side. (so two 4 inch bolts, 8 washers, and 2 nylon locking nuts.)

Another great purchase for little money is the Energy Suspension Control Arm Bushings. These reduce a lot of control arm deflection from bumps, smooth out wheel hop, and reduce body roll. I personally run these, and they are a wonderful Product.

Sway Bars. Companies like Hotckis, TRD, Whiteline and Progress offer upgraded front and rear sway bars. The Scion xB did not come with a rear sway bar from the Factory, unless the original purchaser of the car brand new, asked for the option. In which case a TRD rear stabilizer bar would be installed on the rear. These do a good job of helping the rear of the car stay in geometry and reduce body roll. Another good part to buy. Most go for $100-200 on the rear, and packages can be found for a front and rear upgrade. If you wish to upgrade the front you can do so, but replacing the OEM bushings with Energy Suspension Bushings would be a good option. They offer a stiffer polyurethane bushing which holds the bar in place more, which reduces body roll.

Front Suspension Member Support Brace (H-Brace): These can be found from a vast number of company’s. They reduce the flexing from the Suspension Member Support to the Body. The main downside to these is, they are not low car friendly. They have been known to shave down speed bumps, and remove concrete from driveway entrances (like mine).

Strut Tower Bars: These have become more of something to dress up the engine bay with. Only under extreme body stress and flex will these become helpful. If you look at the strut towers (where the top of the strut meets the body), you’ll notice that the towers are connected to the firewall. In some cars, there is about 1/2" to 1" gap between those two points. On our cars, they are connected. This helps reduce vehicle flex, body roll, and stress. The front Strut Tower bar may also reduce some vibrations in the suspension. Brands are vast from JIC, Tanabe, TRD, Meagan Racing, ect.

Solid Rear axle bushings. These will help reduce flex, and deflection from the rear wheels hitting bumps. Providing a more solid suspension, less body roll, and less wheel hop (which would only likely to be seen under very hard cornering).

Motor Mounts. These will reduce weight transfer from the motor under hard acceleration, and shifting. This is more a benefit to make up for hp lost at the wheels. HP and TQ can be lost from motion transfer. These will help to reduce that, and reduce front lift, rear squat during hard acceleration and shifting. A second option is a Engine Strut. Which mounts to the top of the motor, to the Strut tower. It is a pressurized gas strut (like a strut for your springs/suspension), and is designed to help hold the engine in place. Weapon R is a producer of these, and the motor mounts you can find from Energy Suspension.

Roll Cages: A roll cage will really stiffen up your chassis, as well as make your car safer (if properly done) in event of a roll over. The more points threw out the car, the stiffer the chassis will become. By tying in multiple points in the car, you make the chassis more rigid. Triangles make for the strongest points. A basic roll cage is a loop which is two points, and mounts behind the drivers seat. They also get into 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 point cages. The more points, the more your chassis is connected. There is currently NO bolt in, or weld in pre made roll cages for the Scion xB. So this is a custom built item you will have to have done, or do your self.