Compendium of Lowered Solara's - A Case by Case Study

[unbalancedwood]

Well after seeing a number of questions about lowered Solaras, and what problems this may endure I thought of doing something like 'Dat's Boosted Solara Study'. Feel free to go back and update though, I myself havent had mine installed for long. Lets keep this STRICTLY ANSWERS THIS IS NOT A Q&A. But if you think i missed something, send me a PM and I'll add it

Year/Generation: 99' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 112,500K
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Gold-Line (1.25")
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No then Yes
Which Kit Did You Purchase: Didn't
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 1,500mi
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 1,400mi
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: Not Yet, but again its early
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): About 75lbs of CarAudio
Are You Happy With Your Setup: Oh YES!

What Are You Riding On?
Wheels: Stock
Offset: Stock
Tires: Stock-like
Shaved fenders?: Nope
Rub?: I wish

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc?

[Akfahad]

I'll add mine.....

Year/Generation: 99' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 60,000
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Eibach
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: Didn't
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 45,000
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 2,000
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: Yes, only because I never did an alignment after the install....stupid
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): About 75lbs of CarAudio
Are You Happy With Your Setup: At the time, Yes....now, No. Don't like the uneven drop the Eibach's give. The struts are shot and need to upgrade to coilovers.
Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc? Do it right the first time, save your money and go with coilovers!!

[Sentinel]

Tokico struts

Eibach springs

at about 110,000 miles? 150k now

I replaced the strut hats once... and probably need to do it again.

I would have stuck with just the RSB if I knew what a beating my car was going to take with the tokicos, and all the scraping I get with the lowering springs. It does corner properly now (no more grandpa boat action)

2000 SLEv6

[funboy102]

Year/Generation: 99' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 105,000
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Tein
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: Didn't
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 1,000
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 950
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: nope
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): subwoofer in the back, no idea on weight
Are You Happy With Your Setup: Yes, very nice compared to stock.
Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc? No problems, stiffer and firmer than stock, but not as hard as coilovers. Getting coilovers isn't a matter of "right or wrong" people!!! It's just a matter of what you're gonna use your car for and how firm you like your ride. (no offense but i doubt that half of you guys with C/O's actually track your car or go driving aggressively on the mountains... (I know Castro (John) goes to the track, props to him)) If that is what you do, props to you, but if you don't, might as well save your money and get a spring/strut combo

[NRDriver]

Year/Generation: 00' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 0
New Struts: trd/bilstein
New Springs: trd/eibach
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: no
Which Kit Did You Purchase: TRD
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 74,000
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: ?
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: nope
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): subwoofer in the back, no idea on weight
Are You Happy With Your Setup: Yes, i scrape with the trd kit all the time. but that was expected

[minchman]

Year/Generation: 00' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 20K
New Struts: trd/bilstein
New Springs: trd/eibach
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: NOPE
Which Kit Did You Purchase:N/A
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 80K
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: ? 80K
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: nope
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): subwoofer in the back,
Are You Happy With Your Setup: VERY

excellent thread! you should also include wheel/tire size, wheel offset.
Wheels: 18x8
Offset: +35
Tires: 225/40/18
Shaved fenders?: Yes
Rub?: Nope

[Ruski]

Year/Generation: 00' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 75,000
New Struts: Monroe.. Just came in >>Tokico Blues
New Springs: Vogtland
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: dont know yet Havnt got it done
Which Kit Did You Purchase: Didn't
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 10,000
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 10,000 Haha
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: Yes, only because I never did an alignment after the install....stupid
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): About 45lbs of CarAudio
Are You Happy With Your Setup: At the time, NO Everything is screwed... But soon the Tokico will be in
Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc? flippin DO it right the First time. DOnt be cheap and spend some money... & DO NOT BUY MONROE SHOCKS

[solaraheno]

Year/Generation: 00' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 105,000
New Struts: KYB GR2
New Springs: Tein H-Tech
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: NOPE
Which Kit Did You Purchase:N/A
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 1,500mi
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 1,400mi
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: Not Yet, but again its early
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): No
Are You Happy With Your Setup: Hell YEAH

[**PoshPepper**]

I know this is in the Gen1/1.5 section, but I think it applies to Gen2s as well...

Year/Generation: 04' Gen2
Engine: 3MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 20k
New Struts: N/A
New Springs: TRD
Miles Before 2nd Suspension Change: 30k (miles driven with TRD springs)
New Struts: Tein Coilovers
New Springs: Tein Coilovers
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: N/A
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 10k for the Teins
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 9K
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: Yes!
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): Yes - some subs
Are You Happy With Your Setup: The TRDs were good, but the Teins are GREAT!

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc?
Hindsight is always 20/20, and so with that in mind I would have to say that if I could do it all over again I would have just gone with the Tein Coilovers from the start.

[Jai_Jai_Binks]

Year/Generation: 01' Gen 1
Engine: 5SFE (i-4)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 58,000-60,000
New Struts: none - still on OEM struts
New Springs: TRD Springs
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: Not yet!
Which Kit Did You Purchase: n/a - doesn't need one yet!
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 47,000
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: Alignment done every 3 months or 10K miles
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: No
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): no
Are You Happy With Your Setup: YES!

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc? Despite the common SG rhetoric, i'm on trd springs and stock struts. I've had this setup for almost 50K miles. Thus far everything's still good. The car's not bouncy and doesn't bottom out (indication of worn struts). I know its only a matter of time, but then again 50K miles in my personal proof that this is doable - provided your struts were in good condition to begin with! Just watch your roads and incline your ingress/egress on driways and slow down for road humps.

[Solarafreek]

Year/Generation: 00' Gen 1
Engine: 5SFE (i-4)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 110,000
New Struts: tokico
New Springs: Tein S tech
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: n/a
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 300
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: n/a
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: Not yet *crosses fingers*
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): audio (50 lbs)
Are You Happy With Your Setup: YES!

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc? What a difference!

[Smoothro]

Year/Generation: 99' Gen 1 SLE
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 85,000
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Eibach
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: N/A
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 30,000mi
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 800mi
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: No
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): About 40bs of CarAudio
Are You Happy With Your Setup: Yes

What Are You Riding On?
Wheels: BSA 304, 18x8
Offset: +35
Tires: 225/40/18 had 235/35/18 before
Shaved fenders?: Yes
Rub?: in the front occasionally on real sudden bumps at high speed

Additional Comments:
I got my springs put on right after I installed my rims about 3 years (34,000 miles) ago. The stock struts were ok, although the ride was a little bouncy. I just put on tokico blues about a 1,000 miles ago because I was getting tired of the bounciness, and got a TRD kit installed and didn't want to take the chance of bottoming out. I am very pleased with my strut/spring combo.

[bassthrive]

Year/Generation: 2000 Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 60K
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Tein S-Tech
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: Yes (passenger side)
Which Kit Did You Purchase: unknown
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 30k
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 100
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: No
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): 10" sub and amp, weight unknown
Are You Happy With Your Setup: YES

What Are You Riding On?
Wheels: 17"
Offset: Stock
Tires: 215/50/17 Yokohama AVID V4S (love these tires!)
Shaved fenders?: No
Rub?: No

[hari-bhari]

Year/Generation: '00 Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 28K
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Tein
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: Didn't
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: No
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 25k
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 25k
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: No
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): About 40lbs for sub
Are You Happy With Your Setup: I *WAS*!!

What Are You Riding On?
Wheels: 18s
Offset: 40
Tires: 225/40/18
Shaved fenders?: Nope
Rub?: No

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc?
I was til I took a roadtrip with 5 ppl plus luggage and my struts blew. Now ride is like crap. I think I'm gonna go with TRD next, seem stronger.

[Solorange]

Year/Generation: 99' Gen 1
Engine: 1MZ-FE (V6)
Miles Before Suspension Change: 80K
New Struts: Tokico Blues
New Springs: Tein S-Tech
Did Your Alignment Call For A Camber Kit: No
Which Kit Did You Purchase: Didn't
Did You 'Upgrade' Your Strut Mounts: Yes @60k when I bought the car. Just replaced the front with 2000 and on mounts.
Anything That Damaged Your Suspension Before Hand: No
How Many Miles Has It Been Since You First Installed: 23kmi
How Many Miles Has It Been After Alignment: 23kmi
Did Uneven Tire Wear Occur: No
Any Unnecessary Weight (Car Audio): None
Are You Happy With Your Setup: Im happy with the drop, but the suspension is too soft still. Does not improve handling that much.

What Are You Riding On?
Wheels: Enkie Evo-5's
Offset: 45+
Tires: 225/40/18 Kumho SPT
Shaved fenders?: Rolled fenders halfway only in back
Rub?:Yes before I rolled fenders.

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your current setup, problems, opinions, etc? Very good reliable setup but as others have said before and if your budget can afford it go for coilovers if you are looking to improve handling.
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