Mr2 Mk3 Post Face Lift - Suspension Parts - Useful Info?

[virginpaul]

Hi all,

just wanted to post some part number info in case anyone is thinking of refreshing their suspension with OE compatible parts - I've seen lots of debates about what fits etc so here's my lists:-

Shocker / springs / mounts - enough to pre-build complete legs prior to fit:-
I have quoted what I paid as a guide only - you may well find it cheaper elsewhere, but this is just my guide:-

Front
Autodoc.com

#    Part Number  Description        Quantity Price per unit £ Total price £
1.   SM0059       Top Strut Mounting   2       £ 18,09         £ 36,18
2.   AK-735303    Dust Cover Kit shock absorber
                                       1       £ 40,43         £ 40,43
3.   TSD-002      Mounting, shock absorbers
                                       2       £ 3,78          £ 7,56
4.   35301        Coil Spring          2       £ 34,51         £ 69,02   
5.                Safe Order           1       £ 3,95          £ 3,95
Subtotal:   £ 153,19
Delivery:   £ 0,00
incl. 20% VAT    £ 26,19
Total amount:   £157.14

MR2Ben.co.uk
1 Front suspension Spring top cup seat Toyota MR2 mk3 1999-2007 (Amount: x2) x 1 £50.12
2 KYB Front Suspension Shock Absorber Toyota MR2 mk3 1999-2007 (Pair Front) x 1 £158.00
3 Front spring top cup insulator Toyota MR-S MR2 mk3 1999-2007 (Amount:Pair) x 1 £35.64
Shipping £15
Total £258.76

Rears
Autodoc.com
#  Part Number    Description        Quantity   Price per unit £ Total price £
1. SM5799         Top Strut Mounting 2          £ 31,58           £ 63,16
2. GOM-2724       Top Strut Mounting 2          £ 3,61            £ 7,22
3. 2241948        Coil Spring        2          £ 48,60           £ 97,20
4.                Safe Order         1          £ 3,95            £ 3,95
Subtotal:   £ 167,58
Delivery:   £ 0,00
incl. 20% VAT    £ 28,59
Total amount:    £ 171,53


MR2Ben.co.uk
1 KYB Rear Suspension Shock Absorber Toyota MR2 mk3 1999-2007 (Pair) x 1 £138.00
2 Suspension Shock Boot Dust covers & bump stops Toyota MR2 mk3 1.8L 1999-2007 (Rear - pair) x 1 £25
Shipping £15
Total £178

For the Rears, I did end up with 2 spare "collars" (OE 90387-15024 / GOM 2724 from buycarparts) as it wasn't clear that these come already with the top mountings SM5799 - but at £7.22 I'm not going to die in a ditch over them)

I had all this lot replaced by a mate who owns a garage in Brighton - he also replaced front and rear drop links which had to be cut out!
Front rods 632820335 £54 pair
Rear Drop Links 63280859 £56
Trade labour to assemble, cut old rods off, remove old and install new shocks- not telling! (sorry).

I forgot to get a pic of it all on my kitchen table, but did take a snap of it all boxed up and in the car to take down:-

Img_5685 by virgin_pabs, on Flickr

My mate commented on the amount of rust on all the suspension components - the springs were really bad and then when I got under her, the rear anti-roll bars and the rearmost rods (rear and #1 rods) looked really bad, as did the front wishbones.  The car itself is near mint and I suspect they may all be like this - I read once that even for export cars, the Japanese don't go big into under sealing for salted/gritted roads - hence the state(?) don't know how true this may be - she's only done 65K miles and garaged.  Purchased from Colchester, but "may" have been a seaside  town car?

Anyway, here's the breakdown of where I sourced the bits:-

Anayama (Japan)
Title                           Quantity   Price, GBP
Toyota 90119-12154 - BOLT    6   18.60
Toyota 48190-32010 - CAM ASSY, CAMBER ADJUST;CAM,
                                 2   6.72
Toyota 90119-12099 - BOLT       2   6.54
Toyota 90179-12127 - NUT        4   4.00
Toyota 90178-12013 - NUT        4   4.48
Toyota 90178-12009 - NUT (FOR SUSPENSION LOWER ARM SHAFT)
                                  6   6.00
Toyota 48780-17050 - ROD ASSY, STRUT, REAR
                              2   101.64
Toyota 48710-17050 - ARM ASSY, REAR SUSPENSION, NO.1
                               2   101.64
Toyota 48730-17060 - ARM ASSY, REAR SUSPENSION, NO.2
                               2   120.58
Toyota 90119-12333 - BOLT   4   9.64
Hino 91612-61022 - BOLT         4   4.00
Hino 91611-60822 - BOLT         4   4.04
Toyota 48824-12040 - BRACKET, STABILIZER, FRONT
                                 2   5.00
Toyota 48824-20100 - BRACKET, STABILIZER
                                 1   8.02
Toyota 48198-32040 - CAM, CAMBER ADJUST, NO.2
                             2   10.34
Toyota 48824-20100 - BRACKET, STABILIZER
                                1   8.02
EMS International (17 - the 18th of February)    12.2 kg    95.73
Total      £514.99

There was NO DUTY levied on delivery

I originally was quoted for:
Toyota 48812-17150 - BAR, STABILIZER, REAR 1   £71.49
Toyota 48818-17150 - BUSH, STABILIZER, REAR 2   £17.40
Toyota 48811-17100 - BAR, STABILIZER, FRONT 1   £81.83
Toyota 48815-17130 - BUSH, FRONT STABILIZER BAR, NO.1 2   £8.10
But the Postage went from £95 to £287 because of their size, so I got the Anti Roll Bars (and bushes as they are oversize and included in the kit) from:-

ukwhitelineperformance.com

BKT004   Front & Rear Anti-Roll Bar Kit Toyota MR2 Spyder ZZW30 2001-2006  1 £277
(Includes 22mm front and 18mm rear adjustable bars, oversized bushes, and grease)

Front Wishbones
There's been alot of debate around the lounge about the suitability of these, but at the price, I took a punt!
Via Ebay at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351007624127
TRQ Front Lower Control Arm Left LH & Right RH Pair Set for MR2 Scion xA xB
Unit Price $94.95  Shipping $33.67 Import Duty (at source) $31.23 Total $159 (at current exchange Rate £117.24

I will ask my garage mate to recover the old wishbones (for refurbishment by myself) and rods - as spares.

Herein a couple of pics of the goodies:-
IMG_5927 by virgin_pabs, on Flickr

Wishbones with new bolts
IMG_5928 by virgin_pabs, on Flickr

Rear Rod Set (with new bolts/cams/nuts)
IMG_5929 by virgin_pabs, on Flickr

New ARB's and bushes (aftermarket) & new brackets & Bolts (OE)
IMG_5930 by virgin_pabs, on Flickr
IMG_5931 by virgin_pabs, on Flickr

I will report back if there are any issues with the fitment of the wishbones - Anecdotal info on the forums is that the Ball joints as fitted to the US wishbones may not be robust enough?  We'll see - if I have to replace them, it's still an excellent price.

Paul

[Iain]

Good info.

[virginpaul]

Update.

All the parts as listed and pictured were fitted today.  Wishbones had to be angle ground off so I have no spares back to rebush and sell.  They fitted just fine (these were eBay parts from the US - TRQ Scion).  The removed rear rods I do have and they will need a good bead blast, spray and new bushings before they can be reused..

Old rear rod set. by virgin_pabs, on Flickr

The arbs were a pig to remove, and a couple of the bracket bolts sheared in the chassis (nightmare to remove).

The car, now with a full new standard set of shockers, front wishbones, arbs and rear rod set and arbs is like new.  No more clunk rattle bang going over rough or potholed surfaces.  Thoroughly recommended.

[Paianni]

Five years on and standard FL rear springs seem to be unobtainium, and I don't want a lowering kit atm. Some suppliers still have pre-FL rear springs but presumably these are incompatible.

So do I change everything else and hope that my old springs won't be an issue down the line, or do I give my car up for someone else to use on track days or something.

[Carolyn]

Five years on and standard FL rear springs seem to be unobtainium, and I don't want a lowering kit atm. Some suppliers still have pre-FL rear springs but presumably these are incompatible.

So do I change everything else and hope that my old springs won't be an issue down the line, or do I give my car up for someone else to use on track days or something.

Do some serious shopping around - you'll find them.

[Joesson]

Seek and ye shall find!
One search and above found on eBay!!

[Paianni]

Seek and ye shall find!
One search and above found on eBay!!

Those are for the pre-facelift cars.

[Iain]

I have a pair of basically new KYB rear facelift in my shed, £20 delivered.

They were on my facelift car for only a few miles before i took them off for lowering springs so are as new.

[Joesson]

Those are for the pre-facelift cars.

All I can say is that I put the Registration no. of a FL car in and these were came up, I just checked again and the same result.

[Gaz mr-s]

The difference is negligible. If it wasn't there'd be a helluva' lot of cars around with the wrong stance.

[Carolyn]

Parts numbers are often different for the same part.

[fawtytoo]

I thought both PFL and FL were the same mechanically, apart from the gearbox.

[Joesson]

I thought both PFL and FL were the same mechanically, apart from the gearbox.

The difference in wheel/ tyre size PFL/FL may mean some difference in suspension position and maybe spring length, I know not.

[fawtytoo]

I thought both PFL and FL were the same mechanically, apart from the gearbox.

Or it that it? The gearbox is a tad heavier thus different rear springs?

[Gaz mr-s]

Don't quote me on this, but I read in the past that the change was due to the difference in the rear wheel/tyres.
Supposedly the rear spring was different. Length or stiffness?  But the height difference it was amending was 14mm.

With the confusion of the Mk3's parts listings, when you buy springs now do you know if you're buying pfl or FL-spec?

If there are suppliers who really make different ones, TCB might know.

[fawtytoo]

Don't quote me on this, but I read in the past that the change was due to the difference in the rear wheel/tyres.

I suppose then because of less flex in the tyre wall.

[Gaz mr-s]

I suppose then because of less flex in the tyre wall.

No, the 15-16 diameter difference.

[Paianni]

So pre-2004 fronts are 348mm, post-2004 fronts are 382mm.
Pre-2004 rears are 360mm, post-2004 rears are 345mm.

Luckily post-2004 fronts are still available, but presumably the difference in rears isn't enough to be concerned about.

[Gaz mr-s]

The 2004 -on cars got more bracing for safety, but if the springs are the same rates, 34mm extra is a lot.  There's also been internet talk about light-heights, whether true or not I don't know.

If I were you I would want the info to be 100% dead true before putting on that length of spring.  A high front end and wheel-arch gap looks horrible.

[Paianni]

The 2004 -on cars got more bracing for safety, but if the springs are the same rates, 34mm extra is a lot.  There's also been internet talk about light-heights, whether true or not I don't know.

If I were you I would want the info to be 100% dead true before putting on that length of spring.  A high front end and wheel-arch gap looks horrible.

It's the length of the part quoted by the OP (Suplex 35301) https://www.autodoc.co.uk/suplex/8313544

Very minimal specs on the original, but the stated weights seems to be within a margin of error (about 30g).

[Beachbum957]

There seems to be some confusion on springs, but the part numbers tell a story.  Springs in Japan were unique to that market.

Front All markets other than Japan
48131-17690    ( - 01/2004)
48131-17710    (02/2004 - 12/2004)

Rear All markets other than Japan
48231-17890    (12/1999 - 07/2002)
48231-1R350    (08/2002 - 01/2004)
48231-17A10    (02/2004 - 12/2004)

So any MR2 (other than Japan) prior to 02/2004 used the same front springs.  Measurements between actual rear 2000-2002 (48231-17890) springs and 2003-2004 (48231-1R350) springs indicated the only differences are the 48231-1R350 has 1/2 more coils (7 vs 7 1/2) and is slightly longer off the strut.  Calculations indicate the later spring would be about 8-9% softer than the early springs.  While the free length of the later spring is slight longer, the actual ride height is almost exactly the same when tested on the same car.

There seems to be almost no reliable information on the springs for after 02/2004. The few specs available for those springs from aftermarket suggest the uninstalled spring length is longer.  However, information from an owner in the US with a car built after that date indicated the actual ride height front and rear was almost exactly the same as the earlier models. 

Looking at aftermarket OEM replacements, things get a bit more confusing. SACHS had 2 front springs for 2000-2002 and another for 2003+, a rear spring for 2000-2002, but only one rear for 2003+.  KYB options were different, with 2 front springs options with the same date split as OEM, and only 2 rear, before 08/2002 and 08/2002 - 01/2004.

While it can be all confusing, it would seem you could switch springs between years with no adverse effects.

[Paianni]

Turns out that although my vehicle was registered in 2004, when I put the VIN into amayama it comes up as having been manufactured in November 2003, and refers me to the pre-Feb. 2004 part.

I'm not looking forward to checking everything else...

[Nomad]

I've got the same on my MR2. 02 plate but 2001 production. The guy at GSF told me it used to take a long time for the cars built in Japan to reach UK.