Suspension question

[Taylor95]

I want to lower my 2008 Sequoia to increase mpg and handling, but I have not been able to find any lowering kits specifically for the Sequoia. There are some kits out there for the Tundra though (they have the same front end as the Sequoia). Will only lowering the front end by 2" yield similar benefits to lowering both front and rear?

[M_a_t_t]

Are you trying to avoid lowering the rear?

[Taylor95]

Originally Posted by M_a_t_t

Are you trying to avoid lowering the rear?

I would like to lower both front and rear. There are no kits I can buy to lower the rear of the Sequoia. I would have to use a Tundra set for the front. So I want to know if lowering the front only would still be worth it.

[freebeard]

dz310nzuyimx0.cloudfront.net/strapr1/74c1414c76b621ca5bc09eb16c0073fd/6bf14d98ed1931baf18b5d5f30fc2653.png

Is there a red or blue air bag inside the coil spring? What's #18?

With coil springs the options are to cut the coil or use a spring compressor to strap two coils together.

[Vman455]

You'll have to define "worth it"; that varies from person to person. You should also define your goals: what, specifically, do you want to change aerodynamically or in the handling?

Then you need to gather some data. Are the lowering springs for the front stiffer than the stock springs? How will that change the balance with the stock rear springs? What are the natural frequencies of your suspension, front and rear, now? You can find out very easily with just your smartphone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XliC...el=JulianEdgar

Will lowering your vehicle decrease drag? Will it decrease drag enough to show up as an improvement in fuel economy? Unfortunately this is harder to answer, as you can't really test ride heights without an adjustable (air) suspension. Based on everything I've read (which is a lot), cars usually show a drag decrease with lowering but not always; there's no guarantee yours will, and none of us here can say one way or the other.

For what it's worth, if I was starting out with a new car or SUV I wouldn't bother lowering it unless I was changing the suspension for some other reason. But if you do, an interesting experiment might be to identify a 200 mile or so freeway loop, run it and record fuel economy; immediately swap the springs and then fill up and run the same loop again at the same speed. If there's a difference in drag it might show up in a test like that.

[Taylor95]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Is there a red or blue air bag inside the coil spring? What's #18?

With coil springs the options are to cut the coil or use a spring compressor to strap two coils together.

The sequoia comes with 2 different suspensions. It looks like you found the more complicated one with airbags. Mine is much more simple than that. I could possibly cut the springs, but only if they are the right kind to cut. Straps are out of the question for me.

[Taylor95]

Originally Posted by Vman455

You'll have to define "worth it"; that varies from person to person. You should also define your goals: what, specifically, do you want to change aerodynamically or in the handling?

Then you need to gather some data. Are the lowering springs for the front stiffer than the stock springs? How will that change the balance with the stock rear springs? What are the natural frequencies of your suspension, front and rear, now? You can find out very easily with just your smartphone:

Will lowering your vehicle decrease drag? Will it decrease drag enough to show up as an improvement in fuel economy? Unfortunately this is harder to answer, as you can't really test ride heights without an adjustable (air) suspension. Based on everything I've read (which is a lot), cars usually show a drag decrease with lowering but not always; there's no guarantee yours will, and none of us here can say one way or the other.

For what it's worth, if I was starting out with a new car or SUV I wouldn't bother lowering it unless I was changing the suspension for some other reason. But if you do, an interesting experiment might be to identify a 200 mile or so freeway loop, run it and record fuel economy; immediately swap the springs and then fill up and run the same loop again at the same speed. If there's a difference in drag it might show up in a test like that.

Very interesting video. One of the main reasons I want to lower the car is to improve handling. The sequoia has quite a lot of body roll. Improving mpg would be nice too; some here have claimed a 5% mpg gain after lowering their car.

[freebeard]

I want to lower the car is to improve handling

Establish the front and rear roll center heights. The line from front to back wants to be level.

[M_a_t_t]

What is the stock sway bar setup? Adding a rear or upgrading to a stiffer bar could get you what you are wanting. That's what people do for Astros anyway. Should be similar weight distribution. I haven't put my rear bar on yet, but the stiffer front makes it handle a lot different.

[Taylor95]

Adding a rear sway bar is something that would definitely improve handling. I believe Toyota makes a TRD rear sway bar for the Sequoia that works well.

I will probably still try to figure out a way to lower the Sequoia for additional handling and possible FE benefits.

It is a pretty tall vehicle that I have no intention to take off road ever. I don't really need all the ground clearance it has.