Touring Suspension Parts Research

What is "Tuned" suspension? I have a suspicion it is 10 percent tires and 90 percent marketing hype.

Remember the old "Bell Curve" they used to grade you on in school?

This curve is a standard distribution that represents variations in almost any variable.

So I'm thinking all of the stabilizer bars, torsion beam, springs and shock absorbers are coming off the same assembly line. Then they are graded like this and lop off whichever end of the curve they need for Touring (the softer side in the case of the rear springs) and mark them with the Touring part number.

 

Warning: I know very little about anything useful. But that's never stopped me. So here's my two cents:

Ken wasn't saying the Touring had softer suspension -- just that the rear springs are softer. Ken didn't have data on the struts/shocks or the stabilizer bars.

I don't know if disharmony or discord is created by running higher tire pressures. I see it as a change in one of the factors in the suspension calculus. And probably a change for the better. Out of the three things I've done so far that affect my Prius' handling -- increased tire pressure, wider and better tires, and BT Tech Stiffening Plate -- I think the most noticeable improvement (less body lean and body roll) came from the increased tire pressure.

 

To complete the package though, you would need the larger rear spoiler, the 16" rims, and the touring badges...[/quote]

the tires too, i think the touring tires are different
touring models do not come with badges


back in 07 the price difference was 895.00 i think its more now

 

Me too.
The tyres have to be different, kind of goes without saying as they are on 1 inch bigger rims and have a 1/2 inch lower profile giving the same rolling diameter, roughly anyway.

 

I also believe the tire function is the major difference.
I think a poor man's Turing conversion is just replacing tires with 195/55R16 ones.

Ken@Japan

 

I've owned both, and the Touring is clearly a more controlled suspension with less body roll. Best guess from the feel is higher damping, larger sway bars and slightly stiffer springs. I'd like to see some documentation that rear spring rates are in fact softer, it sure doesn't feel like it. Even with my 15 inch snow tires on the car the touring is noticeably stiffer and corners flatter.

Also, I think the difference in price between equivalent 2007 package 6 Prius and Touring versions were only around $200 US, but my memory may be off here.

 

OK, I'll bite....

If performance is what you are after in this, you can easily upgrade to 195/60 higher performance tires on your stock rims and get a very large improvement in handling.

From my seat, the main handling issue with the Prius is understeer. You *could* adjust alignment and tire pressures to help with this, but it is likely to affect gas mileage. The next easiest way dial out understeer with little to no impact on ride quality is to add a larger rear sway bar or smaller front one.

I haven't even looked at what's out in the marketplace, but this is the approach i would take. it would be interesting to know the diameter of the touring front bar...I wonder if it is smaller.

Here is an interestign article covering his subject, although for a gen 1 Prius:
Prius Sway Bar Article

 

It's possible to have softer springs but more aggressive dampers/shocks and get a stiffer vehicle feel.

 

BerkshirePrius,

You know, I now think your research conclusions are 100% right.

I was initially thrown off by the parts website you linked. Notwithstanding that the Touring Edition came out in 2007, the parts website doesn't start making non-Touring/Touring distinctions unless you plug in 2008 as the model year that you are researching. When I finally tried plugging in 2008, I got the same results that you did, and when I went to another Toyota parts website, I also got the same results, namely:

To convert the non-Touring Prius' suspension to a Touring Edition suspension, you need to get the Touring Edition's (1) front stabilizer bar, (2) rear shocks, (3) rear springs, and (4) rear stabilizer bar.

And this conclusion is buttressed by Ken's data regarding the springs.

 

Does anyone have a factory service manual to determine what's involved with replacing the sway bars? A chilton's is probably not detailed enough for this. I do my own suspension work as a hobby (ie fabricate my own bracketry and suspension arms for offroad vehicles in particular) so I'm not afraid to tackle a project such as this. However without looking under the Prius (I'm at work at the moment) I'm just trying to picture all the junk that could potentially be in the way getting the sway bars out.

Mike

 

In addition to the costs cited above, consider also the cost of the larger tires/wheels which are 16" and not 15". The touring edition also comes standard with the HID headlights, which is why I bought the touring edition in 2007.

Since then I've averaged 47.3 MPG in 16,531 miles of mixed driving over seventeen months since new. My daily commute is less than 10 miles to the office, but with traffic it's about 15 minutes long. Longer drives would get even better mileage.

The handling is FAR better on the touring version, and my mileage has been achieved with no special driving technique with standard pressure stock tires - 35 front/33 rear. Take one for a test ride and see for yourself, but to my mind it's an easy decision, especially if you like to drive (my wife's car is a BMW, and my other ride is a sport motorcycle).

To get the HID upgrade in the standard Prius at the time I would have had to get a package 5 or 6 car, which was higher than the price of the package 2 touring edition that I bought which includes the HID lights along with the upgraded suspension.

I've been happy with the choice, and would make it again.

 

Hi there ya'll. I'm resurrecting this thread, because I think it would be a good source of information for someone looking to upgrade a standard to a touring. My information on parts and pricing comes from david maus toyota parts, whom I have emailed, but have yet to hear back from. So the following is basically what I've figured would be needed, however, I could be wrong and there could be some other parts I've missed. Also, the final total uses the prices I found, which are much higher than the ones Berkshire found. I used the higher prices in order to arrive at the final figure, to show just how expensive a project like this could be. Of course it is totally possible that it could be done much more cheaply.

This is all good, my additions are in italics (the prices came from David Maus parts list):

FRONT SUSPENSION

Front suspension, Stabilizer bar and components, Stabilizer bar, W/touring (1) $74.63 - $99.51

Stablizer Link Back
(2?) @ 95.80 each = $191.60

REAR SUSPENSION

Rear suspension, Stabilizer bar and components, Stabilizer bar, W/touring, (1) $48.77 - $65.02

Rear suspension, Suspension components, Spring, W/touring,
(2) $37.66 = $75.32

Rear suspension, Suspension components, Strut, W/touring,
(2) $92.96 - $123.94 = $185.92 - $247.88

WHEELS

16" Touring $366.75 each (need 4)

So obviously the prices are different, and I don't know if this has to do with the model year, or some other factor. The prices I have are for a 2008, and the total is $2,146.33, NOT INCLUDING TIRES.

Touring starts at $23,770 and Standard starts at $21,500 (source Toyota.com). That thar's a $2,270 difference. So by doing the conversion yourself, you could potentially spend more than just buying a Touring outright.

My total also includes what is called a linkback. I do not know if that part is necessary. It could be that only the very basic parts are needed, and the other parts are on the standard prius already. I really hope that david maus get's back to me. I basically emailed them and asked them (nicely...on Thursday 7/17/08) if they would send me a list of everything I would need to do a standard to touring conversion, and an estimate.

Also, like lencap said above, this does not include a HID upgrade (not necessary), again, tires to fit the 16's (necessary), and last but not least, a spoiler upgrade (which is not really necessary, I mean c'mon, it's not an f-1). : )

Dave

 

not at all surprising that they're different- the brake line clips are on different sides. the $10 price difference is a little weird.

 

yes, very. Thank you for noting the brake line clips! Worth noting here that the Standard and Touring use the same front struts/springs.

Dave :nod:

 

Hi Dave,

Hope you've been well.

The Touring price has always been a bargain -- one cannot convert a Standard Prius to a Touring Prius for less than the price differential between comparably equipped Standard and Touring Priuses.

At the option package #5 level, which is the lowest option package where you can really compare the two, the price differential is only $520 MSRP. For that $520 you get the Touring tuned suspension, plus the larger and wider Touring wheels and tires, plus the larger Touring spoiler.

The prices Berkshire Prius gave were only for the suspension parts, not the wheels and tires. He was well aware of that. New wheels and tires of any sort cost a lot. BTW, the Touring wheel price you gave was for one wheel. The cost of the Touring OEM tire is expensive too -- about $110 each. Altogether, 4 new Touring wheels and tires would run about $1900.

I have serious doubts that the front struts and springs are different on the Touring than the Standard Prius. When Berkshire Prius and I independently did our parts research on different Toyota parts catalogues/websites, we could not find different Touring front struts and springs. I also just checked the David Maus Toyota Parts website and did not find different Touring front struts and springs listed.

Did I misread the website? How did you find the different Touring front struts and springs? The David Maus website makes no distinction between the Standard and Touring Prius front struts and springs. Compare, e.g., the rear shocks and springs where it gives parts and prices for "w/o Touring" and "w/Touring".

 

"Did I misread the website? How did you find the different Touring front struts and springs? The David Maus website makes no distinction between the Standard and Touring Prius front struts and springs. Compare, e.g., the rear shocks and springs where it gives parts and prices for "w/o Touring" and "w/Touring"."

Yes Boo, you are correct. The only distinction between the two for the front is a stablizer bar. I have corrected the above post...
And I'm doing really well here!

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

I'd still love to know what other minor parts (if any) are needed.

I've asked my Toyota dealer parts department several times exactly what parts I would need to convert the Standard suspension to the Touring suspension, but I've gotten no response. This is about par for the course -- my dealer is truly horrible!

My biggest regret about buying my Prius is not having test driven it first. If I had, I would have known instantly that the Standard Prius' handling was not for me, and that Touring was the only way to go.

Still wonder whether Berkshire Prius has converted his Standard suspension to the Touring suspension. Last thing I heard he was waiting for his economic stimulus check.

BTW, I believe that Brian of BT Tech thinks that the Standard Prius equipped with the BT Tech Front Strut Tower Brace and Rear Stiffening Plate, will handle better or have less turn-in lean than the Touring Prius. From what I've read about strut tower braces, that wouldn't surprise me.

 

Hey Tom, yep, I'd love to know what minor parts are necessary as well! Still have not heard back from David Maus Toyota parts department. It's ok though.

Personally, I really do not think anything other than the front and back stabilizer bars, the rear Touring struts/springs, and a 16" Toyota Prius wheel upgrade is necessary. When those parts are ordered, they usually come with all the hardware needed for installation.

I'm basing this conclusion on the assumption that the cars are basically the same underneath, and all the same holes in the frame are used, and any extra holes needed for installation are already there from the factory for the upgrades. It wouldn't be very efficient for Toyota to make two different frames/chassis, one for Standard, one for Touring.

I'm going to take pix of the underside of my Touring later on in the week while it's on a lift, and will post them. I wonder if anyone on here could do the same and take pix of the underside of their Standard? It would be nice to compare the two.

BTW: I also made some changes to my totals above, and you are absolutely right. In the end, when all the parts are totaled up, it's clear that it would be no drop in the bucket. This is a expensive endeavor!

Dave

 

Hi Berkshire,

Holy Cow ... I was stunned and am truly sorry to hear that someone shot out your hatch. But I'm glad that you're OK.

Now, with your story, on top of my having seen Easy Rider and Deliverance, I'm never going to the country again. With the exception of "Death by Crane", life is safer and more peaceful here in New York City.

Looking forward to hearing about your installation of the Touring parts and other modifications.