Shocks for AE101

[dennisdreams]

just remove your rear seat and look at the top, where's there's a cap, remove it, if not you will saw a round metal cap with a nut in the middle where it's surrounded by rubber (that's the mounting) Now call your friends to press your car's tail, it you saw the metal cap moving up and down like more than 3mm, it's worn. There's two more item at the rear which could produce such sound as well, one is the stabilizer link, and if you had change your rear disk hub to japan spec with ABS, check if the abs sensor's pin was broke off and fell into the brake hub.

 

[FGT]

just remove your rear seat and look at the top, where's there's a cap, remove it, if not you will saw a round metal cap with a nut in the middle where it's surrounded by rubber (that's the mounting) Now call your friends to press your car's tail, it you saw the metal cap moving up and down like more than 3mm, it's worn. There's two more item at the rear which could produce such sound as well, one is the stabilizer link, and if you had change your rear disk hub to japan spec with ABS, check if the abs sensor's pin was broke off and fell into the brake hub.

that is very very useful bro..thanks! :D

 

[YUZZRAY]

I'm using GAB sport adjustable, made in JAPAN.. 2 years alredy.. still O.K.. item bought from chop shop...(super strut)

 

[FGT]

Hey bro..sorry but i tumpang my question here..

I drive an AE111.. whenever I go around 130-140kmh or more and depress the pedal, i can hear clunking sounds from the back. I can confirm that my shocks are still good and wheel bearing has no freeplay (using the good old jack n shake method).. How can I confirm that the absorber top mounting is failing coz usually they last much longer than the front ones? My front ones are still good..

thanks!

Just updating my previous post last time.

After sending my car to my usual mech, he asked me to go to a tyre shop to check where sounds are coming from because he reaffirmed that it was not the top mountings. Now i'm wondering why didnt i go to a tyre shop??? LOL.

So yesterday went to one and found out the bushings need to be replaced - front lower arms and crossmember (no sound yet but got free play), rear control arms and also ARB linkage! The linkage is the loudest one making noise when I go above 130kmh. This weekend kasi bikin! :D

 

[sammizai]

Hei bro, good to know that the problem is found. ^^

 

[FGT]

Hei bro, good to know that the problem is found. ^^

thanks bro! did the rear first last weekend - changed ARB linkage and control arm bushes.. now no more noise and the car is more stable at high speed and corners

i saw the old linkage = pecah thru the back. i saw the old rubber bushes = soft like eraser dy.

noob lesson learnt: noise from suspension system - go to tyre shop..hahaha

I'm fixing the front one next weekend and see if it will eliminate the noise from the front. it seems that the crossmember bush is loose. (didnt know that the crossmember got bushes). My car has the tyre coming out a bit on the right side - most toyotas do - and i hope by changing the bush, maybe it will also solve that problem..

 

[ahaw]

bro, kindly add details about your bushing replcement such as price, parts, pic etc. most toyotarians in learning stage oso.

 

[FGT]

bro, kindly add details about your bushing replcement such as price, parts, pic etc. most toyotarians in learning stage oso.

Sure thing but I have not done the front ones.. the parts just arrived a few days ago but I havent got the time to bring my car there.. Anyway, here are rough prices for the rear parts..I don't have the receipt with me now..

ARB/swaybar link is RM100++ per pair
Control arm rubber bush is around 50-60 per pair
Of course labour and alignment not included in prices above...

All the best :D

 

[Kiwi-Corolla]

I've got Monroe Gas Reflex shocks on my 7th Gen AE100. Definite improvement over stock and great value for money. Would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to upgrade their shocks.

 

[FGT]

Sure thing but I have not done the front ones.. the parts just arrived a few days ago but I havent got the time to bring my car there.. Anyway, here are rough prices for the rear parts..I don't have the receipt with me now..

ARB/swaybar link is RM100++ per pair
Control arm rubber bush is around 50-60 per pair
Of course labour and alignment not included in prices above...

All the best :D

Just an update to my previous post:

Changed the front lower arm bushes - 4 pieces. RM25/piece
Labour might be a bit expensive depending on the difficulty to get the bushes out. They took a few hours to take out mine because they are soft, koyak and also has gone out of shape. So I was charged quite a bit there.
After that, send for alignment and changed my front tyres because left side is done due to the uneven wear which was caused by these faulty bushes.

Results: No more vibration at high speed and steering feedback is awesome! :) There's a slight pull to the left when flooring from zero to 2nd gear but it's fine if I accelerate normally (rpm below 2.5-3.0k). Torque steer perhaps???

I'm a happy man......................till the next fix. LOL

 

[m|ng]

Guys, The rear of my car is still lower than the front even after changing absorbers.
Is this the design of the car? Or are my springs going weak? I've noticed that a lot of AE101 and AE111 sags at the butt.

What can I do to make it the same height with the front?
I've already put a thicker piece of rubber before seating the springs on the absorbers.

 

[xMika]

Use stiffer springs :) My ST171 also sags when i carry 3 to 4 passengers ... my springs and absorber nvr change for over 10+ years already ...

 

[FGT]

Guys, The rear of my car is still lower than the front even after changing absorbers.
Is this the design of the car? Or are my springs going weak? I've noticed that a lot of AE101 and AE111 sags at the butt.

What can I do to make it the same height with the front?
I've already put a thicker piece of rubber before seating the springs on the absorbers.

Hey bro..i forgot to mention that I also installed the rubber spring buffer. Yup, decided to go for the rubber rather than silicone to see if this thing really works. After trying several sizes, I decided to go for the highest one which is size A. It's 37mm thick if i'm not mistaken. The seller mentioned that it should last around 2 years which I think it not a bad deal for RM60 a pair. I think this is a cheaper option as you won't need to take out the absorbers. Re-alignment is optional but I do recommend you to do it because the camber of the wheels will be slightly different because the springs are sitting at a different height.

I haven't got it really tested, ie carry full load, but i can see the gap between the guards and tyre has been raised from 1 inch to about 2 inches (about 4 fingers). Also, I noticed that my exhaust, which have really been "intimate" with parking ramps, is now not rubbing anymore. Even if it rubs, it definitely sounded less abusing.

Handling wise, cornering is slightly sharper and have a bit of oversteer so might take a day or two to get use to that. (I go through a lot of fast corners to and fro my work place). But I think this will slowly reduce as the rubber softens as time goes on until you need to change them again.

Hope that helps! :D

 

[ayathu]

guys,
it will be good to have a list of comparison of absorber(non adjustables) here

MAKE PRICE MADE IN RATING(5 Star) cons

Kayaba RM150 malaysia *** Leaks after a Yr
Tokico RM? Japan *** Too Soft
Bilstien RM? Germany ***** Expensive
Monroe RM? ? ? ?
APM RM? malaysia ? ?
GAB RM? Malaysia ? ?

please fill in

 

[lkeong88]

Tokico japan RM175. Bought 2 months ago at PH auto. Is it too soft? For me I feel its harder than kayaba

 

[m|ng]

guys,
it will be good to have a list of comparison of absorber(non adjustables) here

MAKE PRICE MADE IN RATING(5 Star) cons

Kayaba RM150 malaysia *** Leaks after a Yr
Tokico RM? Japan *** Too Soft
Bilstien RM? Germany ***** Expensive
Monroe RM? ? ? ?
APM RM? malaysia ? ?
GAB RM? Malaysia ? ?

please fill in

Make : Paraut
Price : RM 155
Made : Japan
Rating : ***** (5/5)
Cons : none I can think of since it went soft after a good 4 years.

 

[ayathu]

MAKE- PRICE- MADE IN-RATING(5 Star)-cons

Kayaba- RM150- malaysia- ***- Leaks after a Yr
Tokico- RM175- Japan- *** -some Soft/some hard
Bilstien -RM?- Germany- ***** -Expensive
Monroe- RM200+ -USA -? -?
APM RM120- malaysia- ?- ?
GAB -RM?-Malaysia- ?- ?
Paraut-RM155-Japan-*****-no complaints