Ae92 corolla front suspension

[gzesedan]

Hi there,

I was hoping to get some expert advice on how to solve a "nose diving" problem.

About 12months ago I fitted a supercharged motor + accessories to my corolla sedan. I have King 1" low coils fitted and I'm founding that when under heavy breaks and corning, the wheels are scrubbing on the guards - BADLY!. The car is sitting at a great height - looks agressive etc and I don't want to lose the appearance, however I can't drive the car on the road or track with the current setup.

My initial thoughts would be to get a coil with slightly thicker tubing but maintain the height, or to go for the standard height, heavy duty coils but they lose the lowered stance. I have also been advised to look at adjustable shocks but I feel that that is the more expensive option.
I have Monroe GT gas shocks also with whiteline front and rear h/d sway bars.

How can I solve this problem without breaking the bank?

Regards,

Tim

[Case]

Hi there Tim,

Regarding the front wheel scrubbing, a couple of questions.

Whereabouts on the guards do the tyres actually contact, at the rear, the top or the front?

Was the scrubbing worse since the engine installation, or was it previously non existent?

Are the wheels, bigger than standard?

Is the wheel offset different to standard?

It is possible the shock absorbers you have installed are not up to the job in your driving situation.

Whiteline also manufacture a number of alignment products, that may help reduce this effect, and improve your cars handling.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Regards

Case Sinclair

(BSc. Hons)
case@whiteline.com.au
Go flat out with Whiteline Automotive
See us at www.whiteline.com.au
Buy online at www.whiteline.com.au/store

[gzesedan]

Thanks for your reply Case...

Whereabouts on the guards do the tyres actually contact, at the rear, the top or the front?
On the top, on the plastic guard in the wheel arch - it does not rub on the guard itself.

Was the scrubbing worse since the engine installation, or was it previously non existent?
Worse after the installation & previously non existant. My thoughts are that the king coils are not designed/handling the extra weight?

Are the wheels, bigger than standard?
Wheels are bigger than normal - 16x7 with 205/45/16 rubber (normal profile for this size)

Is the wheel offset different to standard?
I believe so (only slightly) on the front as the front brakes have been upgraded to larger size from a later series of corolla

It is possible the shock absorbers you have installed are not up to the job in your driving situation.
The shocks are still very new however they aren't spectacular. They probably should be upgraded to whiteline/KYB or similar but for the moment I think they are substantial

Have you got any advice on how this problem could be fixed? Can custom coils be made and if so by who?

Cheers,

Tim

[Case]

Hi there Tim,

One more question.

Have the springs currently installed in the car been "Chopped" ie angle-grinder enhanced at all?

Regardless, it seems your ride height/spring rate is not upto the task, but it is quite possible that the shocks installed have been rapidly worn by use with heavy , lowered springs.

Perhaps the best idea will be to try new springs, then shocks, but if you are DIY'ing, you might want to do both a the same time, to avoid another weekend lost to the wonders of the garage floor!

I will give further info on your reply, or alternatively email me at
case@whiteline.com.au

Regards

Case Sinclair

(BSc. Hons)
case@whiteline.com.au
Go flat out with Whiteline Automotive
See us at www.whiteline.com.au
Buy online at www.whiteline.com.au/store

[shaundrake]

Specifically, you need a higher front spring rate. If those springs sag that much with only a 1 inch drop, you should try a different brand.

If you are serious about handling then you should get some real dampers. They are the most important suspension component for traction.

I previously owned a AE92 sedan with a 20V swap. I had Eibach prokits which still allowed too much body roll and were not enough drop, and KYBs that were an excellent match for the springs but not aggressive enough for track.

[gzesedan]

Thanks for the replies.

The springs have not been modified at all. Its all out of the box.

What can Whiteline offer?
I've read about the "control" range of springs but there is still no way of knowing if that will solve the problem. A custom coil is probably the way to go.

Appreciate your help

Tim

[Case]

Hi there Tim,

With regard to Whiteline springs, I agree that we cannot guarantee that "Control" springs will solve your problems, but it does seem strange that what must be a relatively small increase in sprung weight over the front wheels should cause such problems, It could have somehting to do with the softness of the progressive rate of the springs you have. Unfortunately with this custom set up that you have, solving your issues may be difficult without an expert seeing the installation.
I would suggest visiting one of our dealers , they should be able to give you some options.

Regards

Case Sinclair

[gzesedan]

Case,

Visited Dr Shocks yesterday. They are big fans of KING!

They reckon my shocks are too soft and recommend new, heavier duty shocks. They suggest leave the coils in.

They recommended BOGE shocks, and then KYB and KONI ..... price increases accordingly.

Have you got any insight on these brands (more so Boge)?
Do you reckon it will do the trick?

Cheers,

Tim

[Wojtek]

Hi Tim,

Excuse me butting-in...
...but I would like to know what your ride height is. Can you advise your current ride height, measured from centre of wheel to guard at all 4 wheels on a level ground... please.

Cheers,
Wojtek.

[Case]

Hi there Tim,

Whiteline don't generally deal with BOGE shock absorbers, but we do reccommend the use of KYB and Koni. In a general sense, as with most things, you get what you pay for, so the more performance you wnat, the more you should consider it worth spending the extra bucks. With koni you will get adjustability, which might make for a better all round effect. By the time you factor in either your own time, or a workshop to change suspension components, it really makes sense to get the best you can afford, as you dont want to have to do it again.

I will leave the door open for Wojtek to help you with the ride height issues at the moment.

Regards

Case