Suspension and Brakes Springs, shocks, coilovers, sways, braces, brakes, etc.

Sways before Strut bars?

Old 05-30-03, 10:19 AM
  #1  
00GS400L
Driver
Thread Starter
 
00GS400L's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Washington
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Sways before Strut bars?

I currently have H&R's and was wondering if I should get the Sway bars before the tower braces. Where would be the best place to get these and how difficult is the install?
Old 05-30-03, 10:58 AM
  #2  
FutureGSorIS
Lead Lap
 
FutureGSorIS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

It all depends on what kind of output you are looking out of these mods...Sways are def. the best bang for your buck in terms of handling mods. However you will most likely need to have the sways installed by a shop unless you have access to a lift and are very handy. With the stb's they are very easy to install by yourslef. You can pick up up the TRD front and rear sways or most stb's at:
Carson Toyota by calling (800) 90-TOYOTA and ask for the retail parts dept.
Old 05-30-03, 11:49 AM
  #3  
RON430
Lexus Fanatic
 
RON430's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: California
Posts: 6,084
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

If you have a jack and jack stands and some hand tools, sways are about an hour driveway job. Hardest part, after the car up in the air, is taking out the numerous screws on the plastic under engine tray before doing the front bar. Rear bar is a snap.
Old 05-30-03, 03:24 PM
  #4  
rominl
exclusive matchup

iTrader: (4)
 
rominl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Lovely OC
Posts: 81,670
Received 183 Likes on 142 Posts
Default

sways give the most noticeable changes to handling. brakes and stb they are not that noticeable actually. i would get the daizen or trd sways, good stuff, both are about 500 bucks. trd sways, you get it from steve (supratrd on this forum). daizen you can get it from tmengineering (www.tmengineering.net)
Old 12-11-03, 01:17 PM
  #5  
engin_ear
Everything in Moderation
iTrader: (1)
 
engin_ear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: East of Philly
Posts: 2,747
Received 10 Likes on 8 Posts
Default

I'm planning my Daizen sway upgrade. Ron says this is a driveway job. Is this even true for someone who's never played with any suspension parts before? (Geez, I have 2 engineering degrees and have taken the whole interior apart and I do my own brakes, but suspension stuff makes me squeamish...) And am I correct in assuming a re-alignment is NOT required?
Old 12-11-03, 01:44 PM
  #6  
RON430
Lexus Fanatic
 
RON430's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: California
Posts: 6,084
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

No realignment with sway install. You don't get close to anything affecting alignment. Daizen rear bar is a little more work than the TRDs but not much. Just follow the instructions.
Old 12-11-03, 02:28 PM
  #7  
engin_ear
Everything in Moderation
iTrader: (1)
 
engin_ear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: East of Philly
Posts: 2,747
Received 10 Likes on 8 Posts
Default

Thanks, Ron!
Old 12-11-03, 03:40 PM
  #8  
KVA
Lexus Champion
 
KVA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: CA
Posts: 2,702
Received 15 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

I agree with Ron...hardest part aside from getting it lifted and properly secured so it doesn't fall on you and ruin your day is taking off that damn engine tray...probably like 300+ bolts/screws (at least it seems that way!) Good luck...personally I would be MORE afraid to take the whole interior apart then the exterior.
Old 12-11-03, 04:06 PM
  #9  
PHML
Master Thread Closer!!
iTrader: (33)
 
PHML's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Waipahu, Waikele, HI
Posts: 9,859
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
Default

Sways or Strut Bar.....it doesn't matter which one you get first.....both will help your ride.

Strut Bar is easier to install because you don't need to lift the car.

As for the Sways....I bought ramps from Pepboyz....about $20 for a set. Install was straight forward and easy (I agree....too many screws to remove) for the front. For the rear....it was easy until I ran into the endlink (need to be reversed for the Daizen sways). In order to reverse it, you need to loosen the lower bolt that holds the strut shock in place. I would suggest an impact wrench for this one.

Pete

Last edited by PHML; 12-11-03 at 04:35 PM.
Old 12-11-03, 04:45 PM
  #10  
RON430
Lexus Fanatic
 
RON430's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: California
Posts: 6,084
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Don't remember the torque setting for the lower shock bolt but it does need to be released (not removed, just backed off so that control arm spreads a bit) to get the link out for the Daizen install. Impact wrench would make short work of the loosening but I just used a half inch drive ratchet and it wasn't that bad.

Last edited by RON430; 12-11-03 at 04:46 PM.
Old 12-12-03, 07:55 AM
  #11  
engin_ear
Everything in Moderation
iTrader: (1)
 
engin_ear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: East of Philly
Posts: 2,747
Received 10 Likes on 8 Posts
Default

Originally posted by KVA
I agree with Ron...hardest part aside from getting it lifted and properly secured so it doesn't fall on you and ruin your day is taking off that damn engine tray...probably like 300+ bolts/screws (at least it seems that way!) Good luck...personally I would be MORE afraid to take the whole interior apart then the exterior.
Yeah, but most of the stuff in the interior won't kill you if it falls apart while driving... :-)
Old 12-12-03, 08:33 AM
  #12  
KVA
Lexus Champion
 
KVA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: CA
Posts: 2,702
Received 15 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Good point.
Old 12-14-03, 11:16 PM
  #13  
rex_racer
Driver School Candidate
 
rex_racer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: California
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

if u drive hard u might wanna invest in the strut tower bars first, at least the frt one. remember that flexing and bending the strut towers can and does happen over time. most bang for the buck deff comes from the sways though, but don't get overconfident in them...
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
GTSLEX
Suspension and Brakes
28
04-09-13 06:03 AM
GS4
Suspension and Brakes
7
02-07-06 04:01 AM
kam1996
Suspension and Brakes
17
11-10-03 07:10 PM
David GS400
GS - 2nd Gen (1998-2005)
4
03-10-01 08:00 AM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Sways before Strut bars?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:36 PM.