Best lowering springs?

[InnerStaytes]

I'm sure someone here will have the answer to this question.....

Is there any appreciable difference between the Toyota lowering springs and the Teins? (apart from the price: Teins £120 / TTE £136 from Burrows)

They both seem to lower the car front and back by 30mm.

Thanks

[1979scotte]

Both are good options.
Some prefer tte as they are a toyota product.
Perhaps a change of shocks at the same time to maximise the benefits.

[AndyM]

Both are well used here and I think the net results are fairly similar.

The TTE are (I think) is made by Eibach which are a solid spring manufacturer, they are single rate springs which give a similar level of comfort to the stock setup but lower, and as 'Toyota' option parts (as Scott says) they suit those owners who like to keep things OEM.

I have Teins on mine. They are progressive springs (i.e. they get firmer the more you push them) but at normal driving loads they also feel close to stock/TTE. I have found fast cornering (especially with cambers involved) you can notice the springs load up and stiffen to flatten the ride which I like

I would personally go for the Teins again (a top 5 mod in my opinion) unless I went with full coilovers, but for balance, while I've driven a TTE sprung car I've not pushed it on really hard to be able to give a proper performance comparison.

You can't really go wrong with either though. Hope that helps?

[stupink]

Hoping to add to the thread, Does anyone know the highest RATING spring? which are the strongest without going "coilover"?

[s12vea]

Tein springs get my vote

[shnazzle]

Tein for the reason Andy mentioned. Gotta have progressive if you're going lower

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[Ardent]

What AndyM said.

[Thetroublemaker]

I have gone for the teins as i have seen very good things about them in the past, although their "house feel" is in general thought to be very stiff compared to some other makes.

Eibach are also solid - i have some on my mondeo ST220 which are progressive and very comfy yet fantastic at car control.

The other brand i would throw into the mix would be H&R - i have used these on a couple of cars in the past and been very impressed with them indeed.

[InnerStaytes]

Many thanks to everyone for all the excellent info. You always learn a lot here.

Progressive springs seem to be the way forward and I'm not worried about keeping it OEM. I am definitely thinking about replacing the shocks (end other bits) at the same time although mine have just gone through an MOT, but are original and done 82k.

Which springs is another question. Looking around I have found 14 different lowering springs for the Roadster! Everything from Pi or Lo at around £75 for the pair to Eibach Pro at around £200. Most seem to lower 30mm front and rear although FK High-Tec lower 35 / 40 and Kilen 25 / 25.

Tein's own website say that the S-Techs lower 36mm front and 31mm rear. Does this tally with people's actual experience as most sites quote 30 / 30 for the Tein's (although I have seen 33 / 29).

Troublemaker you've got me wondering now - do most people go for the Tein's because they are readily available and a good price or are they pretty much the best?
Has anyone else fitted the Eibachs or H&Rs to a Roadster and if so can you tell me - are the Eibachs really worth the extra money? Are the H&R (33mm / 30mm) as good / better than the Teins?

Stupink - looking on the websites for each make of springs they don't seem to publish the rates very often. Teins are 1.9kg/fmm front and 2.9kg/mm rear (110lbs/in / 160lbs/in).

[1979scotte]

Eibachs are what Toyoa fitted under the guise of TTE springs.
At 82k your suspension is well past its best. MOT pass or not.
Its a sports car not a family wagon.

[InnerStaytes]

Ah, I see. No wonder the wife was so unhappy when I tried to fit her, the dogs and the children in the MR2 for the family holiday!!

Eibach say that all their pro kits are progressive which wouldn't fit with the TTE springs being linear. Is it possible Eibach made the springs for TTE, but the pro kits are different?

You are quite right. My shocks are no doubt past their best. Just working on finding the best springs before I replace them.

[AndyM]

Yep, you are exactly right.  s:) s:)  Eibach manufactured the TTE springs on behalf of Toyota, however their own "Pro" range springs for the Roadster are a higher spec (progressive and twice the price). My assumption is Toyota gave them a brief to make a spring that lowered the car and gave it a more sporty look and feel - but suitably not too hardcore for mass-market.

Popularity wise, you are right that the Teins are readily available and therefore well used (and people that use things generally like to say positive thing about them). However I bought mine based on a chat with someone who had run three different types (Teins, TTE and I think FK) and recommended the Teins, I've nothing bad to say about them  s:) s:)  Drop wise, the Teins do procide a slightly different front/back drop as I understand it but it's not something you obviously notice even with the cars side-by-side.

[Ardent]

+1
Vey happy with mine. Car looks right. Feels right.

[ChrisGB]

Stupink - looking on the websites for each make of springs they don't seem to publish the rates very often. Teins are 1.9kg/fmm front and 2.9kg/mm rear (110lbs/in / 160lbs/in).

That is the same rating as the stock springs if I remember correctly.

[InnerStaytes]

An update

I emailed Eibach and asked them what the spring rates are for their pro kit. They wouldn't tell me ("we don't reveal our designs to the end user"), but they did confirm that the springs are LINEAR, not progressive (front and rear). On Spyderchat there is an estimate of the Eibach rates as 80-88 lbs front and 117lbs rear which puts them very close to the stock springs measured at 75 front and 120 rear by Silversprint on Spyderchat.

(The spring rate sticky on Spyderchat is worth a look stupink. The highest rated springs there are JIC Magic at 280 front / 392 rear!)

The TTE lowering springs are quoted at around 96 front and 157 rear so the Eibachs are possibly softer. However, I think that 1979scotte you are correct and the Eibachs and the TTEs are the same spring with a different price.

The Tein S-Tech and H&R Sport have the same rates of 106 front / 162 rear. The Teins lower the front by another couple of mm. So, the Teins would seem to be the best value progressive spring if you are happy to lower 36 front and 31 rear (which I am) so they are what I shall get.

Now just got to assemble all the other bits.....

Many thanks to all for your help / input.

[vx220]

Sorry to take this off topic slightly, but what's the cost difference between a complete set of coilovers and a complete set of new OEM dampers and some Tein springs, including top mounts?

[1979scotte]

Not sure exactly but with top mounts BC, meister R and maybe yellow speed will work out cheaper.
Certainley did last year when i changed mine.

[InnerStaytes]

I priced it up on another thread (Complete suspension overhaul in maintenance).
KYB shocks, Tein springs, bumpstops and droplinks comes to at least £487 (no labour). Top mounts adds another £228 which brings it up to £715.

[kentsmudger]

TTE £136 from Burrows

Not been on here for ages, but looking into refreshing suspension - Who is Burrows?

[AndyM]

Burrows Toyota... they've always been a fairly good source for official extras, etc...

 m http://www.burrowstoyotaparts.co.uk/mr2 ... 0-i64.html m

[kentsmudger]

Burrows Toyota... they've always been a fairly good source for official extras, etc...

 m http://www.burrowstoyotaparts.co.uk/mr2 ... 0-i64.html m

Thank you!

  s:D s:D

[Mark A]

I bought Apexi's when Euro Car Parts had one of there 25% off flash sales and happy with them, also fitted new KYB shocks from Ebay at the same time.

[andyno12]

I'm waiting on Teins being fitted at the min. From looking into a lot I decided these are the ones to go for judging by the long standing members reviews. Plus I found a set brand new unopened for £50

[Cailsey]

Many thanks to everyone for all the excellent info. You always learn a lot here.

Progressive springs seem to be the way forward and I'm not worried about keeping it OEM. I am definitely thinking about replacing the shocks (end other bits) at the same time although mine have just gone through an MOT, but are original and done 82k.

Which springs is another question. Looking around I have found 14 different lowering springs for the Roadster! Everything from Pi or Lo at around £75 for the pair to Eibach Pro at around £200. Most seem to lower 30mm front and rear although FK High-Tec lower 35 / 40 and Kilen 25 / 25.

Tein's own website say that the S-Techs lower 36mm front and 31mm rear. Does this tally with people's actual experience as most sites quote 30 / 30 for the Tein's (although I have seen 33 / 29).

Troublemaker you've got me wondering now - do most people go for the Tein's because they are readily available and a good price or are they pretty much the best?
Has anyone else fitted the Eibachs or H&Rs to a Roadster and if so can you tell me - are the Eibachs really worth the extra money? Are the H&R (33mm / 30mm) as good / better than the Teins?

Stupink - looking on the websites for each make of springs they don't seem to publish the rates very often. Teins are 1.9kg/fmm front and 2.9kg/mm rear (110lbs/in / 160lbs/in).

I've just measured the ride height on my car. Its a 2006 with standard dampers and no other suspension modifications just the Tein Springs fitted last week. Although I guess they will settle a little bit more, on standard wheels, tyres and tyre pressures, the height from the ground to the highest inner point of the rear wheelarch is 613mm and the front is 600mm. The height between the jacking points and the ground is 140mm rear and 130mm front. The height from the bumpers (lowest point) to the ground (with GB spats fitted) is 195mm rear and 145mm front. APPROX wheel arch gap between tyre and arch is 28mm rear and 32mm front.