2014 C suspension upgrades

The upgrades for the C are
1. lowering spring kit (Yaris)
2. disconnect the front antisway bar or add stiifer rear bar.
3. better wheels with as little as 40 mm offset.
4. better tires with diameter close to OEM, slightly less if the tire is wider.
None of those are strictly bolt-ons so just what are you thinking about?
You can buy 1/4" spacers (6 mm) to widen the track by half-inch and increase camber and thats bolt-on. At least the wheel still is.
PS do not exceed that half-inch.

 

I just bought one of the Rude person's mid-chassis braces on ebay. Monster difference for me in reducing felt impact from bumps, reducing sway/flex in turns. In short, car is more stable and no longer feels "loose"...can't help but imagine this car would have received higher comfort/ride ratings if Toyota had installed these at the factory. Probably the best $ I have spent on my car thus far.

 

Lol at wheel spacers adding camber. Absolutely wrong.

 

Adding spacers to increase track width will by necessity cause the wheels to lean in at the top as the axle length increases unless you change the springs. True its not a lot but it is an increase in the camber.
Its a matter of lever arm length increasing and no change in the applied force position of the springs. Try it.

 

Unless zero camber... But yeah does not increase camber

 

I have decided to add my bit, this is my first post.
I added all the braces for the Yaris onto the Prius C 2013

Biggest improvement was the rear sway bar, I put the 19mm on because of the laws around modifications and how much body roll a car should have. I thought It might be a little too stiff but if I was to do it again I would get the biggest bars possible.

I noticed another good improvement when the top front strut brace was added and minor improvements from the centre tunnel brace being added. Small improvements noticed after adding rear strut braces and lower front brace. If you where an average driver you probably would not notice where the improvement occurs. I found the Prius C suspension failed if you made a hard right and traversed into a hard left at even low speeds.

When I throw a car into a corner and I notice my hands frantically moving from side to side correcting a wobble, well this is what all these bars stop. I can throw it into the corner and the car will just go with no corrections needed.

With factory springs and shocks and tyres with all the braces and sway bars added it is well above the sports models in handling, eg no worry's doing a 90 degree corner at 70kmh.

If I put stiffer sway bars on and changed the shocks I think I might get away with 85kph.


Things to note the front upper strut brace will hit on the fuse box in the engine bay. However put some washers behind the fuse box and it is no longer an issue.

I wish I would triple read everything I write and then get someone else to do it, I hate going back to a post and finding so many grammar errors I suspect an Asian wrote it.

Having read some of the comments I can give you one of these bars and let’s see you break it, or better still make it go through the chassis

 

Hi all, I'd like to install a rear sway bar on my '12 C but, after multiple readings of several threads, I'm still not clear on what to get or where. People have mentioned Whiteline, Cusco, TRD, and Tanabe; but going to the company sites, I find only Cusco specifies a rear bar for the C, and it's $335 and only 16mm (whereas one writer here has a 19mm and would like to go still stiffer). Whiteline has a Yaris bar but says it's not compatible with the C (though I gather this may not be true).
If anyone would be so kind as to recommend a source for a bar that fits and is stiffer (if this is a good idea) and preferably cheaper than Cusco's, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Though it was originally designed for the Yaris, the Whiteline bar is adaptable, apparently. The C shares suspension components with the Yaris. On the MicroImage website (Whiteline 22mm Adjustable Rear Swaybar for Toyota Prius C), they sell it for the C, and give instructions on how to adapt it. It a 22mm, two-way adjustable bar. I am going to give it a try when I can afford to (cost: $235).

 

Thanks HarSherm! I appreciate it. Cheaper and, at 22mm, stiffer than Cusco's.
Stewart

 

why just not add camber kit? the set of adjustable camber bolts ~$20 and takes a few min to install. Of cause you'd have to toe-out after and check alignment.

You could also slot struts, that is free.

So.. did it work?

 

The whiteline bar will work on the C. a few people including myself reporting our results.

It's a really good bang for the buck. Plus it is an easy install.

 

I used to own 2012 Corolla and one of the big complaint was discomfort of driver seat.
Then I installed TRD torsion bar, they also called it their rear sway bar and this thing stiffened up the whole chasis big time!
One of the immediate benefit was the seat's comfort increased significantly!
Torsion bar took away the flexing on the chasis and the seat that was causing a lot of discomfort!!!

I'm hoping the TRD rear sway would show similar result on the C's stock seats... even though it's not a torsion bar.

 

Just installed one (TRD sway bar) on Sunday. Big improvement in handling understeer 80% cured. Seat comfort? Not so much.
Next time you go for service ask them to check alignment. Mine was off by big margin

 

Based on your photo, are we able to install 2 mid chassis brace?

 

There's multiple places for chassis braces/stiffeners. I have rear, mid and front subframe

 

There are only two weld nuts; one inside each rail.

You would hae to insert and "clinch" your own M8x1.5 rivent nuts to add additional mountings. Thatwouul be only for advanced mod individuals.

 

I have installed all the brace from Cusco except the rear. Also front and rear sway, the car handles so much better.

I asked because Rude person's avatar shows 2 braces which I thought theres another location to add a center brace.

 

That's some sort of front sub frame brace

 

Wrapped the sandpaper textured plastic steering wheel w/ genuine leather perforated from Wheel Skin... very nice, fit is 9/10 and not too hard to sew on by yourself. It's custom specific sized for Prius. Now it's a pleasure to touch and look at the wheel! Highly recommended. I should take a pic... $65 delivered

Added TRD rear sway bar, not too hard to self install, and the effect is good... not night and day. C chassis feels firmer on highway and little better in turns... for its cost and its sturdy solid chunk of steel construction... well worth it!.. about $160 I think.

 

Anyone on Tein Street Flex for their Prius C? Any comments on these shocks?