TTE lowering kit

Anonymous · January 13, 2006, 13:03

Hi everyone

This is my first post on this site although i'm also a member on the w www.mr2oc.org w which is full of mk1 & 2 owners. I've found this is a far better site for obvious reasons.

Anyway, I digress...

I'm interested in fitting a TTE lowering kit, and just wanted your opinions on it, as well as asking what sort of cost I'm looking at. My mk3 is an 05 plate, so it has 16's on the back and is totally standard at the moment - although that will change in the future!

I read somewhere that the actual kit costs £160-odd from Toyota but then there's fitting on top. Does it have to be fitted by a main dealer to keep the warranty intact?

Also has anyone had any problems with speedbumps once the kit is fitted - they're like the north face of the eiger round where I live!

Thanks in advance!

kanujunkie · January 13, 2006, 13:13

Firstly, Welcome to the club! s:D

s:D

Quote from: "robp"I read somewhere that the actual kit costs £160-odd from Toyota but then there's fitting on top. Does it have to be fitted by a main dealer to keep the warranty intact?

basically yes, i invalidated my warranty by haveing an outside motorsports company fit them to mine, but if i went to another garage then i'm sure i would get away with it if there were problems at a later date, mine were fitted at a cost of £130

Quote from: "robp"Also has anyone had any problems with speedbumps once the kit is fitted - they're like the north face of the eiger round where I live!

yep, you will scrape the bottom on some of the bigger ones, but generally its not a problem unless your going too fast, i just crawl over them and say sod it to the jam behind. The big long flat speed bumps are fine, its the triangular plastic ones that generally play havoc

Anonymous · January 13, 2006, 14:14

Thanks for that, very helpful.

If anyone else has some comments on this, I would be pleased to hear them!

ninjinski · January 13, 2006, 14:26

Quote from: "kanujunkie"The big long flat speed bumps are fine, its the triangular plastic ones that generally play havoc

I agree - however these are few and far between and with care can be crossed easily. The benefits far outweigh any (if there are any) negatives!

I believe I paid 300 last year to Mr T incl fitting here in London!

GET 'EM makes the car look far ore purposeful especially since they raised the car from 03 onwards the standard car looks way too high without!

kanujunkie · January 13, 2006, 15:25

Quote from: "ninjinski"I agree - however these are few and far between and with care can be crossed easily. The benefits far outweigh any (if there are any) negatives!

totally agree as well, both from a styleing and performance point of vew the make a big big difference

Anonymous · January 13, 2006, 15:35

Lowering springs is definately the best visual modification you can do. With a plus that the handling also improves.

I fitted my own. Then had a full wheel alignment done.
I do not envisage any warranty troubles with MrT as at service time they carry out a safety check which includes a visual inspection of the suspension which on both occassions has passed with no comments and noted as such on the paperwork. This inspection sheet was sufficent for Toyota Insurance when I told them I fitted the springs, so it must carry some weight.
But if you want to be sure then get MrT to do it.

Anonymous · January 13, 2006, 19:02

if you are thinking of lowering it i would also go for the front strutt brace.it makes the car feel more 'planted' to the road.
there is also an antiflex plate but i think they changed the bracing on the later cars to be a bit more sturdey than the earlier models.

Anonymous · January 13, 2006, 20:11

Fitted mine on a Saturday afternoon with no real probs. Loads of speed bumps around my way but no trouble with them. The only times I manage to scrape the bottom are going fast over deep bumps when the rear nappy touches down.

MR T never said a word about it being lowered on the last two services. So they either havn't noticed or don't care.

Gazz · January 13, 2006, 22:11

Had mine fitted by MrT today, £121.74 for springs + £109 labour.

Looks so much better now s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Do It s:!: :!: s:!:

ash1809 · January 16, 2006, 18:42

thats really cheap, I am in Luton phoned my local Mr T this morning and they told me £144 springs and £187 for fitting (2hrs labour), I think I will just buy it and get it fitted by a local mechanic

rmowbray · January 17, 2006, 08:28

Gazz,

That's a great price. s8)

s8) Where did you get it done? Bentley's??

I've been planning to buy a set of these and fit them myself, but at that price I think I'll let them get their hands dirty! s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Richard

philster_d · January 17, 2006, 09:01

Quote from: "ash1809"£187 for fitting (2hrs labour)

Ouch £95 an hour, bastids. They must use gold spanners or something. s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Philser.

Gazz · January 17, 2006, 14:27

Richard,

Yes Bentleys did it.

Because everyones saying the price was so cheap I'll check the invoice tonight just to make sure my post was correct.

I wonder if that's excluding VAT s:?: :?: s:?:

Gazz · January 17, 2006, 18:53

Oops sorry, You need to add the VAT to the prices I quoted in my earlier post s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

Anonymous · January 18, 2006, 16:14

I just ordered mine at a cost of £280 fitted in Belfast. He aslo was saying that they are not TTE but Toyota GB as the order numbers are different for the TTE and the Toyota GB ones Does anyone know if this is true or is he just talking dung.

markiii · January 18, 2006, 20:50

talking dung

Anonymous · January 19, 2006, 14:14

Excuse me, but I'm a bit confused!

How many cm's they lower the car?
Are you talking for Toyota or other make?

Anonymous · January 19, 2006, 14:43

Quote from: "SimosSpyder"Excuse me, but I'm a bit confused!

How many cm's they lower the car?
Are you talking for Toyota or other make?

TTE are 30mm lower

Darth Paul · January 19, 2006, 15:36

Here's a curved ball for you - what might happen/is it possible to fit lowering springs at the front only? The reason? Well, as I'm running 17s the rears are nice and tight in the arches with no rubbbing. The fronts, being a lower profile, have a fairly large gap. So if I fit spring at the rear I'll have loads of problems. Or is this a completely stupid, lameass idea? Flame away! s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

kanujunkie · January 19, 2006, 15:44

dont do this with the TTE's Paul, they're uprated on the spring strength and you'll find the handling will be affected. I'd have thought it would cause the front end to turn in to a turn harder and cause the back end to spin out easier. Why not try it though, still possible it may work and its not much work to try it?

Tem · January 19, 2006, 15:46

Quote from: "Darth Paul"what might happen/is it possible to fit lowering springs at the front only?:

It's possible, like mixing tyres. I wouldn't do either s:? :? s:? You'll end up with something that can surprise you when you least expect it.

filcee · January 20, 2006, 08:50

Quote from: "Darth Paul"Here's a curved ball for you - what might happen/is it possible to fit lowering springs at the front only?

By way of an example, a friend of mine once had a 'project' in the form of a Mark2 or Mark3 escort mexico (RWD version) prepared for auto-x and hillclimbing. When he bought it, it was high at the back and low at the front, and handled like a plate of sick. One of the first changes he made was to sort out the suspension (components and settings) to get the car sitting level. It was *a lot* better after that.

I suspect that fitting lowering springs at the front only, thereby making the front effectively lower than the back, would have the same effect on the '2 as my mates old escort. The balance is upset, by effectively permanently pitching more weight over the front wheels. I think this would mean the car feels and handles the same way as lifting off in the middle of a corner - only all of the time and not just when you decide/get caught out/feel daring. I would expect some 'interesting' handling anomolies, as hinted at by Stu. 'Tail happy' might be a good description s;-) ;-) s;-)

philster_d · January 20, 2006, 09:16

I have my 17's on the rear and stock 15s on the front and its not that badly affected.

Darth Paul · January 20, 2006, 09:31

Quote from: "philster_d"I have my 17's on the rear and stock 15s on the front and its not that badly affected.

That must look odd. s:? :? s:? Cheers for the replys guys – t'was what I suspected.