HELP!! with lowering in general

HELP!! with lowering in general

alrite.. so im new to this whole lowering thing. i got an 03 corolla S. i got 17 inch rtx rims on 215/45 tires. i want to lower my car 1.25 drop, 1.5 is the lowest i'd go. my car is an all season car so which means i'll be using it in winter..so which means that i'll be switching back in forth with my stock tires in winter and my 17s during summer...what springs are good? and how low should i go? im lookin at b+g sports springs.?? what do i need to be looking for when i lower a car? alignment? struts? i dont know anything...remember im new to this topic..PLS HELP

Please use the search button.

I've been wanting to use this photo:





YEAH! Welcome to the forums bro

and in reply to DOT.'s post

get tein h-tech

HAHAHA Good one DOT.

I'm currently running TRD springs with Tokico HP struts and shocks. When I first installed them, I was running on the stock rims and tires (195/65/15) and I had no alignment/camber issues. When I went from the stock tire and rim package to 215/35/18s, I still have no alignment/camber issues. Now anyone out there who nows can correct me on this, but I believe that TRD produced there springs for use in dropping your car 1.25" front and back without creating any differance in camber/alignment change from stock. I believe the term for this is, "user friendly".

Now as far as what springs and struts/shocks are best, it all depends on what you want to do. Do you want to race on track/carve up a windy road occasionaly, or all out track, or street? Also, you have to decide how you want your ride to feel. Do you want a bumpy harsh rider, bounce about, stiff and crisp or soft and plush? Do you want a spring and strut/shock set up or a adjustable coil over set up? These are things that you really have to look at in order to have a good set up. You need to search around in the forums and see what other people are using and then do a little research on it and make your decision. I went with the set up I have now (stated up top) and added Energy Suspension bushings, front and back, a TRD rear sway bar, and a TRD front upper strut brace just to make the ride feel more stable and planted when going into corners at high speed. I'm also looking at adding the TRD rear suspension brace, but have yet to decide if I want to drop $370.00 + tax and shipping from Japan and then you have to wait about 3-4 months to get it, if your lucky. I've probably gone in depth or off track on this reply. If I have, well I hope it contains some sort of info that might help out...lol. But to tell you the truth, I chose TRD springs because I felt that they were better due to being created by a company (TRD) that knows nothing but Toyotas and therefore can focuse all there creative energy and research on Toyotas. Plus, I've used TRD items in the past and had no problems at all with them. I also chose Tokico struts/shocks because, after doing a lot of research and talking with a lot people who are using these, I decided to go with them and I feel I made a good decision. But like I stated, "it all depends on what your looking at doing." So like rollatuner110 said, "use the search button". I'm not trying to be an a** but that's how you do your research and trust me, it works!! Hope this helps.

Generally you could get away with not buying new shocks since your car is fairly new and 2003+ by default have KYB struts which are pretty good. I'd stay away from n name brand springs, last thing you want to have is going 90 on a highway when one of them breaks you loose controll and take out a minivan full of kids in the process. Good springs are - Eibah, H&R and Tein. How low? Depending on how and where you drive. 2003+ models are pretty high and you could prolly drop it by 2 inches and still have clearance where as if you look at AE101 (93-97) dropping it 1.5 inch puts it pretty low. With 17' inch rims I'd say 1.25 - 1.5 is good and you still won't have any rubbing or need to roll the fenders.

JIC, TEIN, Cusco... But if you can't afford those, try Ksports.

alrite. so i've deiced to go with coilovers for my 03 corolla. What would be the best brand? do i need to buy anything else (struts etc..), cause everything on my car is stock. i dont really know much about lowering so.......

i also recommend buying eibachs

and dont buy fake springs, be careful
if ur car crashes down, then it wont be worth the money

If you get the good coilovers, JIC, Tein, etc., they should already come with the strut attached and be fully adjustable.

alrite..thanx for the brands guys....do you guys consider buying anything else?? shocks maybe? or the stock shocks i have now is good enough? i need to know what else to buy...or is the coilovers straight up good enough nothing else?..