GrizzyDuo

Hello, i bought my 1998 ES300 just a week ago and it seems to be in really good condition except there is one thing that bothers me which is my suspension system. Every time i hit a small bump or a crack on the road i hear clunk/thunking sound from everywhere. I searched this forum and this seems like a common problem with my car that's this old... I am thinking about replacing the entire suspension system which i think will be worth it considering the condition of the car which i think should last me another 100,000 miles or more. I can't afford to spend $2000 on original parts at the dealer so i looked for alternatives and found these:

Eibach
KYB
HR
Tein
d2
Ksport
JIC
B&G
Tokico
Intrax

My question is, which one of these suspension system is the smoothest??
I'm not looking to lower my car, race or anything, just looking for something that can work as good as stock suspension with the smoothness that can stand tough potholes and cracked roads here in nyc. Thanks in advance.

AJ

From what i know , Tein CS is the softest .

Maxx941

iTrader: (1)

Probably need to replace your shocks. closest I think to being to stock suspension is the KYB GR2. Probably slightly firmer ride than stock. Many are stocked on ebay, check for parts there.

Leets

Those are nice, but Tein doesn't currently offer those for the ES.

My suggestion is to go with some Eibach springs (you'll have to go with the Camry set), KYB GR2 struts, and KYB upper strut mounts. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Eibach springs. Their products are of excellent quality, but they're way too soft and too conservative in their drop for my tastes. They are perfect, though, if you're looking for an aftermarket replacement for the stock springs that will still be reliable and comfortable. KYB makes the OEM struts so just order up those and get "stock" struts for a fraction of the price. (and a little industry secret for you: if you get the US made ones you'll find they ARE the OEM struts, with just slightly stiffer valving). The KYB strut mounts are also a great alternative to the OEM sets because the quality is just as good for a fraction of the price. Plus, the KYB strut mounts come with new bearings as well.

Hope that helps

GrizzyDuo

Leets, sounds like KYB struts and Eibach springs are perfectly what I'm looking for.
How much do these sets go for? Of course i'll be digging myself on ebay and google for places where i can find these but are there any places recommended?

swong

im thinkin about gettin a new suspension too. and i also want to lower it by few inches. which one should i get or should just get a air ride one?

Leets

For all 4 struts and Eibach springs you're looking at about $600. Another thing you might want to consider, though, is the new Tein H-Tech springs. They offer less of a drop (1 inch compared to Eibach's 1.2 inch) and are about $50-$60 less than the Eibachs. I have no personal experience with them, but from what I hear they're a really soft, comfortable ride. Just something to consider.

Also, I noticed you listed H&R springs. From my experience, I much prefer H&Rs to Eibachs. H&R springs are slightly stiffer, but they're a nearly perfect mix of performance and comfort when used on poorly maintained city streets. I'm not sure about current pricing because where I work now we don't carry H&R, but last time I checked they were cheaper than Eibach. I guess it just comes down to how much of a drop are you looking for?

Leets

You really need to decide how much of a drop you want first. I would recommend not going any more than a 2 inch drop. After the 2 inch mark you'll start running into so many suspension issues that you'll never stop having to work on the car.

My suggestion for a good drop without compromising safety and reliability would be the Tanabe DF210 spring kit. It'll give you a 1.8 inch drop in front and about 1.2 inch drop in back. The drop is noticeable, but not so much that the car looks slammed. The difference in drop lengths helps level out the wheel wells to give the car a more "flat" look, and you still have plenty of room to fit some good size wheels in there.

Pheonix

Get on ebay.
There are springs & KYB / Tokio struts on all day long for ES/Camry's.

GrizzyDuo

Which camry model do i have to look for?

GrizzyDuo

Also, I'm really not looking for any drop.. Are there any other options without drop?

Smitty

iTrader: (1)

Leets how is the drop in the rear. I currently have a 1.6 drop all around and the rear is too low so I was lookin to change out springs. And I also have 2 15inch subs in the trunk so I have some weight in the back. I dont currently have $1200-$1400 for full coilovers so I'm lookin at springs for now.

Leets

If you want to replace the springs then you've either got the choice of new OEM from Toyota, or aftermarket lowering springs. If you want to "rejuvenate" your suspension without resorting to new springs then I'd suggest just switching out the struts and keeping the stock springs.

Personally, the stock springs are way too soft for my taste. You might want to consider the Tein H-techs if you want noticeable improvements without dropping the car. With only an inch all around you'll hardly notice the drop from the H-techs. However, they are slightly stiffer than the OEM units. You'll get a tighter suspension feel, but you'll still have a plush ride and plenty of ground clearance.

And here's the part numbers for the Eibach and Tein kits:

Eibach - 8249.140 (1.2 inch drop Front/Rear)

Tein - SKL20-BUB00 (0.9 inch drop Front/ 0.1 inch drop Rear)

Leets

In my opinion, the rear drop is perfect. It gets rid of the saggy rear end look and perfectly flattens out the car. Even with my trunk and back seat loaded up with wheels the car still didn't hide any of the rear tire.

I love slammed cars... as long as I'm not driving them. The stock ES ride height is so ridiculous that even with the 1.8 inch drop in front the lowering isn't drastic. In my opinion it's perfect for daily driving in an area where they seem to have forgotten how to repave roads. It gives the car a clean, lowered stance without sacrificing driveability.

Just go with the DF210s... you won't be disappointed.

Smitty

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I could defintely go 2 more inches in the front but I rub sometimes in the rear and if someone is in the back seat I'll rub taking corners real fast and going over humps. I eventually want to move up to 19 x 8.5 in the rear and I defintely cant do that with the springs I have now. I'm only @ 18 x 7.5 all around. So I guess I'll try the Tanabe. I've heard nothing but good things about them. The only thing that sucks is having to put them on.