LexusSara

My brother spoke with Tanabe yesterday and some people with 250's AWD are using the NF210 for the 350 on their 250 with great success.

The reason most of these west coast spring manufacutures don't have the 250 AWD spings yet, is becuase they don't have many AWD on the west coast for testing.

My brother is a wiz at this say, they will work fine for a moderate drop.

I love my IS250 AWD, but I am tired of the 'scared cat look' - I wil post pics when done.

frylai

Theres a guy here that install the GS Tanabe springs on this AWD, I think it's in the aftermarket wheel post on a white car done by LexFx (Bob baker), have a look and you'll get your answer with pics too... good luck.

Matt =)

LexusSara

I saw this, thank you.
was told the NF210 are better for the AWD by Tanabe. The GS ones are to much of a drop and have problems.

uschardcor

you can go after the 2is springs...you'll get a nice looking drop on the 250. problem is the spring rate is significantly different between the 250 and 350. it will probably ride fine and look fine though. when your car starts bouncing too much over bumps, or doesn't react fast enough is when you have serious spring rate issues (upon a fresh installation of course).

basically i'm not trying to talk you out of it, but do your wallet a favor and maybe wait till proper springs come out? i mean i want the lms true dual exhaust but i dont want the canister style mufflers, but i'm not gonna go buy it anyways just because it has the most HP gain so far, you never know what someone else will release. and given the fact that blitz dev'd up a s/c 3 months after the release of the car i think we'll have some nice parts for the 2is as the future unfolds.

LexusSara

Why do you feel the rates are that much different. The weight almost the same 150lbs thereof.

should the 350 be slightly stiffer.

rys

Hi Sara,

I just wanted to let you know about a problem I was experiencing on my Daily with the Tanabe NF series springs.

My daily is a Scion tC, I have larger tires, and wheels with a smaller offset than stock. (causes the wheels to stick out more).

The NF series from Tanabe is supposed to be "Natural Feel" (I think.). Meaning that the spring rate is only 10% greater than stock. This spring rate is VERY soft for the amount of drop that these springs provide. Once I had the Tanabes installed, my fenders would contact the tires over bumps, dips, and pot holes.

Right now, I'm in the process of overhauling the Scion's suspension with a coilover suspension system.

I'd probably wait for proper springs to come out for the AWD, or atleast go with something with a higher spring rate (Eibach perhaps).

Good luck,

-Brian

LexusSara

Hi Brian
The is350 oem spring are slightly stiffer from the factory, with only a 5% difference and only a .8 front and 1.0 in the rear, I would not see a problem. Now. a 1.5 drop yes,

even if the nf210 are softer, it would be the same as the is250's oem rate.

rys

That's exactly the problem, you don't want lowering springs that have the same rate as OEM, because if they are too soft, you will slam the wheels into the wheel wells over bumps.

Softer springs + lower ride height = wheels hitting the wheel wells

On my Scion it was exaggerated because the lower offset wheels were actually contacting the inner edge of the outer fender over bumps, dips, and pot holes.

-Brian

^saint

What would be the problem with using Eibach's with the AWD?

jcreech

Does NF stand for anything?

rys

I had previously posted "Natural Feeling", but it's "Normal Feeling".

http://www.tanabe-usa.com/springs/nf210.asp

In my opinion, they should be named "ridiculously soft springs".

-Brian

Tanabe USA

Hello Brian

To clarify for those reading the thread, you are saying that springs you used are the NF210 for the Scion tC, and not the IS250/350 and that you have wheel and tire sizes on your tC that do not conform to OEM sizing or offsets. Scion tC and Lexus IS250/350 are two very different vehicles.

The NF210 is a factory ride, comfortable lowering spring. They are tested on US production vehicles to fit and function on cars that are stock, and are fully compatible with any vehicle that has proper wheel and tire sizing that conforms to OEM.

Regardless of the spring or suspension, any time you run an odd tire width/sidewall height or an odd wheel offset, you run the risk of having the tires rub components of the suspension or body. This is not the fault of the spring, but an issue with the wheel offset + tire selection being exacerbated by lowering springs.

While everyone is free to run any particular setup they choose, certain combinations can conflict with each other.

conekiller

Which spring would you recommend going with on an IS350 with sport suspension? I'd like just a little drop (the OEM sport drop is almost ideal for me) and as close to the same spring rate as possible. How much of a drop should I expect from the sport ride height?

rys

While I do not have the resources to custom manufacture my own springs, nor provide my own research and development into the matter, it is my personal opinion that a 5% increase in spring rate for the amount of drop you provide is far too low.

When TRD releases lowering parts for their vehicles, they do not even release springs with such a little increase in spring rate to prevent issues as I have stated.

-Brian

^saint

Ok to the matter at hand though...there are many of us IS250AWD guys that want to lower the car. What kind of springs can we use? Or would it just be better for a full coilover set?