TTE Lowering spings

[ninjinski]

Hi all

Im looking to buy the TTE lowering spings and have a few questions:

1: Do they cause any problems over speed bumps?
2: What have people paid for them and fitting by Toyota?
3: Is it worth getting them and why?

Thanks

Ninjinski

[MRMike]

Hi Nijinksi

1. No never heard of a problem.  My drive is at a 40 degree angle and the car never has a problem getting up it.  Similarly potholes etc are simply not an issue.
2.  I paid in the region of £200 to have them fitted.
3. Improves the look of the car no end, also lowers the centre of gravity, and corners flatter. Have to say in performance terms I didn't notice a great deal of improvement. However  the ride quality actually improved witht he springs (with corky brace)

There you go an answer at 12:30 at night! Talk about service..

[ninjinski]

Cheers buddy - 1:20 now going to bed!!

[Slacey]

Speed bumps - dependant on the bump TBH, 95% are no problem, others will just scrape the the rear nappy, others will ground out on the chassis rails. The biggest problem I find is stopping well before kerbs, especially at motorway services - the first you will know about it if you don't will be the horrendous scraping noise of the front bumper being dragged across it!
Bear in mind though that my car is a Euro import, which seem to be slightly lower than a UK car to start with.

[Anonymous]

Speed bumps are fine, car park ramps and dodgy roads with ditches are the problem.

However it's more than worth it.

[Anonymous]

Speed bumps are fine....

Some aren't  s:( s:(

There are some near me that are the angular variety (rather than the curved ones) that scrape my bottom (   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  ) occasionally. Happens more when I'm 2-up due to the extra weight. If the road's clear, I'll drive down the middle so that there is no speed bump under the middle of the car and avoid the scrapes. I think they only just scrape it so shouldn't be too bad. Annoys the hell out of other drivers as well because I slow down to a snails pace to crawl over them  s;) s;)

[Anonymous]

TTE lowering springs have improved the look and feel of my 2. I was very reluctant to fit the springs at first as I thought the ride would be harsher. However they have improved the handling and there is no difference in the ride.
The only surface problems I've encountered are unmade up roads with ditches where your wheels follow the deep tracks and your middle hits the raised ground  s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  
Go for the springs you won't be disappointed.
I fitted the springs with the help of my brother-in-law in about 4-5 hours. It's not a big job reasonably simple if you've got the tools.
Then I had a wheel alignment check done.

[Anonymous]

My 2p advice   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

From an aesthetics point of view:

TTE springs will lower the car by about 30mm (just over 1"). That's perfectly reasonable.

Toyota TRD springs will lower the front by 25mm and the rear by 15mm. With that setting, the car will look "natural", the space between the wheels and the wheel-arches will be perfectly regular. TTE springs will probably go a little bit further than TRDs in lowering the car.

An interesting fact: if you look closely at the official Toyota MR2 prospectus, the car in the photos is actually "lowered" (i.e. you don't have the wider gaps between the top of the wheels and the wheel arches.) Compare it to a "stock" MR2 and you will see what I mean...

From a comfort view point:
TTE springs have more or less the same average "stiffness" as stock springs. However, they are shorter (so the car will not roll quite as much in bends) and they are progressive (good compromise between "comfyness" and "sportiness")

From a performance point of view:
"Coil over" springs will never give you the same performance improvement as a proper set of springs and struts (shock absorbers).

If you are mainly looking to improve performance, go for something like I fitted:

Toyota TRD WayDo 4-way adjustable shock absorbers + TRD Sportivo spring set (that includes special spacers that improves the roll-center and camber of your rear suspension).

There are plenty of other options from TRD, TEIN, KONI, etc.

If you want to improve the look of your car but not compromise on comfort, go for TTE springs (or the slightly stiffer H&R springs).

[Tem]

Toyota TRD springs will lower the front by 25mm and the rear by 15mm.

Quick note, TRD has two spring sets for us.

The one that's generally referred to as Sportivo is quoted to lower -20mm and has spring rates 1.6kgf/mm & 3.7kgf/mm (F&R).

The other set is quoted to drop -25mm and has 2.4kgf/mm & 4.7kgf/mm.

[heathstimpson]

I have been well impressed over the last few weeks after eventually fitting the TTE springs. I only have trouble on a steep drive with two up and luggage; 99% of speed bumps are fine  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[ninjinski]

Guys and gals = thanks a million for your replies - I am seriously contemptating them now - just need to race up to speed bumps and brake like a mother then smoothly over from what all are saying....  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[aaronjb]

just need to race up to speed bumps and brake like a mother then smoothly over from what all are saying....  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Nah, if you hit them fast enough, you just bounce right over!  s;) s;)   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

(Uh.. I'm kidding, don't try that at home, folks  s:) s:) )

Mine has trouble with the odd speed hump as it is, and won't go down my folks drive at all  s:( s:(  Don't think I'll be lowering it anytime soon..

[GSB]

Hang on, something just occured to me... This Ninjinski character, you used to be on the Yahoo list didn't you? If so, then you've come up conversation here before. This post is from a year ago...

Jemca Metro is a bit out of my way but it was recomended to me by a fellow ROC member about 2 years ago. (ninjinski2002, is he still around?) They did some sterling work, let me watch the guy working on my car, and later took and active interest in the Roadster Owners Club. Their parts man Ian Le Count was the guy who finally cracked the TTE exhaust supply problem for us, (back in the days when you couldn't get one for love nor money via toyota, Several members approached thier local dealers, to no avail. It was a very sorry state of affairs. Ian sorted it out in about 2 days...) and as far as I know they are still the only main dealer to offer an automatic discount to MR2-ROC members. Personally I think they're pretty good, they dont give me any BS, dont turn their noses up at my EU import like some dealers, and they dont seem to mind my H&S exhaust either. (In fact I think they quite liked it!) So I'm happy with them.

Welcome back! Any more tips? That last one has saved me an immeasurable amount of grief.  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[ninjinski]

Hi mate - Thats me - Glad you found jemca to be of value - Im still using them service is sterling as usual!

[LeeUK]

I paid in the region of £200 to have them fitted.

Is that Springs + fitting from a main dealer?  Once the builders have finished my road (new house) and made it up to the right level I'll be looking to get some.  I would have got some sooner but seeing Dan (ekona) struggle down my road I decided to wait!   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Just want to know what sort of price the dealer would charge, don't want to get ripped off!   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[MRMike]

I paid in the region of £200 to have them fitted.

Is that Springs + fitting from a main dealer?  Once the builders have finished my road (new house) and made it up to the right level I'll be looking to get some.  I would have got some sooner but seeing Dan (ekona) struggle down my road I decided to wait!   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Just want to know what sort of price the dealer would charge, don't want to get ripped off!   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Nope thats just fitting! They charge a rediulous amount of labour time for them

[LeeUK]

In that case it would probably be cheaper to go to R-tec and get some damper adjustable spax fitted.  Something for the track!  I don't want to be ripped off thats for sure.