If you've lowered your Prius, then this thread is for you...

My 2012 GIII with TEIN Street Advance,Tanabe bars ... etc.

 

Nice. How do you like the street advance? I'm hoping full soft setting is close to stock. Still haven't gotten around to installing mine yet.

Nexus 5

 

Thanks. I haven't actually checked the "full soft" setting but set it at about 2/3 hard which allows me enjoy its handling. As it is 16 section hardness adjustable, you would like to do a lot of test drive to find the setting suits your driving style most. It is simply preference.

 

I am wondering why coil overs aren't being used to lower these cars and control the rebound better? My fear of using stock struts with lowering springs is that the cars end up prematurely wearing the struts out and the cars then tend to bounce. Thoughts?

 

That was my thinking...

 

Me too. Coil overs would be the best approach with adjustable compression & rebound dampening. My reason to have what I have today is I wanted to order something bone factory stock and not have to turn a wrench on it other than maintenance. I have had my fill of mod cars and wanted to get something decent without out all the work.

Mike

 

I have coilovers on mine; its quite a bit stiff but I like my ride to be more dampened vs oversprung.

 

A person could run with any spring rate that suits them from soft to stiffer than a board

Mike

 

Finally decided to drop the Prius with the TRD Springs. Letting the springs settle. I will have the alignment done next Tuesday. The car drives straight and no play on the steering wheel. I am still worried about the alignment. I hope everything are within specs and can be adjusted to within specs if not within range.

 

My Prius is low enough. I keep scraping the front spoiler and I'm really concerned about getting around in the snow this winter. I'd like to have an easy way to raise it, actually.

 

Definitely a concern. I live out in California. We are currently in a drought and as long as I stay out of Lake Tahoe in the winter when snow comes down , I will be okay. With the TRD, drop was minimal but enough to fill in that annoying gap.

 

I drive a Kia Soul in the winter. Plenty of ground clearance

Mike

 

I can't recall if I posted this video here yet but here is my '13 Prius before and after lowering:

 

Hello. So How are your springs holding up? Are your struts still holding up okay with the extra stress of the lowering springs? Are your alignment still within specs after you lowered the car? Any alignment problems? You did not have to use any kind of camber kits or shims to correct any alignment issues if you had any did you? I would like to know what I am getting into. Let me know. Thanks.

 

None of those issues at all so far. The Prius Plus kit is made to work with the stock struts etc.

 

Thanks for the quick response. Did you wait for the springs to settle before getting the alignment? If so how many miles did you drive it before getting the alignment. Also did you have everything retorque to specs before getting the alignment done? I have searched but the answers I found were not consistent. Thanks.

 

I didn't worry that much about it. I think I did alignment a few days after having the springs installed. The shop said they usually just do it that same day even.

 

Thanks. Good to know. I have already installed the TRD Springs. I am having the alignment done this coming Tuesday. I am crossing my fingers that everything can be adjusted back to or close to the alignment tolerance specs. Good to know we have a few northern california prius owners modding their priuses. Maybe we will all see each other on the road someday and see our mods in person. Thanks again for your help. I'm sure the video you made has helped a lot of people make up their minds if they want to lower their car or not, including me.

 

I installed the TRD lowering springs and the TRD rear sway bar and what a difference! Totally worth the money!

 

Finally had my alignment today. Front alignment were within the given tolerances. Left rear was also within tolerance. The right rear toe was outside the higher end tolerance of .28 degrees. It was at .29 degrees and obviously it was non adjustable. So right rear toe off by 100th of a degree. Dealer says it was nothing to worry about because it was minimal and insignificant. They believe it came out of the factory this way. They said tires should still wear normally.