Prius suspension

Ocean, welcome to the forum and congrats on the '07!

Short answer: nope.

Longer version: There are a few things you can do. This is a good time to get some practice with the search functions on this forum. This topic doesn't come up often but there are a few nuggets out there.

To stiffen the springs, the only thing I know of is the TRD Sportivo suspension kit. This stiffens the springs' response. It's a racing mod, though, so I don't know if it helps load-carrying. Hmm, guess I should ask that over on the mods board. <_< This kit lowers the car, so I haven't really given it much attention since dicovering there is no way to prevent the lowering.

The touring edition may also have stiffer springs than the standard edition. I hear it has a different suspensioin but I don't know if the springs are stiffer. Hmm, that would be a good question to pose on this forum... <_< Anybody know this one?

One big improvement would be the auto-leveling headlights in the touring edition. This wouldn't raise the rear but would stop the worst effect of the load lowering: blinding the oncoming traffic at night. I haven't seen any retrofit kits for standard-edition prii.

I'm contemplating oversize tires to help clearance (25" diameter in front, up to 26.5" diameter in the back). This would not help stiffent anything, but would give me +0.25" front, +1" rear while only messing with the speedo to the tune of 2%.

Also considering run-flats to remove the spare and jack. Taking 30 lb out of the rear would help compensate for the load the hitch-mounted carrier presents.

Beyond that, I've found nothing. Can't find stiffer replacement springs, stiffer or adjustable replacement shocks, spring helpers, air-bag kits, or even rubber blocks that anyone will say has a chance of working with the Prius.

At this point there seems to be several of us looking for this kind of mod, so I'd say our chances of success are on the rise. Welcome to the hunt!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oceanaction @ Jul 5 2007, 08:42 AM) [snapback]473404[/snapback]</div>

I very recently (past week or two) read of two or more people here on the PriusChat that bought a brand new '07 TOURING and installed aftermarket suspension and were SELLING thier "practically brand new" TOURING springs/shocks..... this might help you out, giving you a stiffer spring rate to not "lower" the rear of the prius as much, as well as giving you a "sportier" suspension as the Touring has, in a non-touring Prius as you have.

 

Hmmm, I wonder how long before someone posts that the BT stiffening plate solves this problem, too!