DISCLAIMER: This writeup is intended for those looking to improve car handling. None of the things mentioned below will touch on comfort improvement.
I have been playing around with a few suspension setups on my AE101, I have to tell u guys that I am absolutely in love with Short Strokes. My first Short Stroke experience was a full set of Cusco Coilovers (Adjustable Hi-Lo) with the spring rates of 6Kg Front and 4Kg Rear, those Cusco were magnificent! but the low side is that I have to sacrifice comfort a lot, with such limited travel in dampening highway travel can be a nightmare - and hitting potholes can be bone and teeth jarring - but what I get is an extremely stable ride even at high speed corners and ultra responsive steering geometry - I can live with that hahahaha. Our resident Corolla Sifoos and SSO/GRA champions GT20V (Cusco Coilovers), Tom's (TRD Short Strokes) and QIW (TEIN Coilovers) are using this setup.
Now, I am still in the middle of experimenting with TRD Short Strokes, thanks to Ah Choi of Goodspeed Kepong, CorollaGTtouring and Tom's (Alvin), I have been able to piece up a full TRD setup comprising of TRD Short Stroke Catridges (Front, Yellow) + TRD Stage 2, 8Kg Rallying Springs and TRD Short Stroke Rear with 4Kg TRD Springs - all for less than RM1000 combined (used of course). These are non adjustable type and they use the normal sized coil wound and spring plate. The immediate feel that I can reveal is that they are not as harsh as Coilovers primarily due to wide springs wound - but the handling effect is Superb nonetheless.
Now that my aim is to combine my rear Short Strokes with an even stiffer 6Kg TRD Rally Springs - I have already fitted the front, so my rear is a bit imbalanced (softer). With this setup I expect to be able to reduce understeering on high Gs cornering but sacrifice even more on comfort - hey! I found comfort in top-notch handling hahahahaha.
And in the process I have also discovered the secret to make Short Stroke absorber even shorter when I "revised" my front set to have it lowered by another 1 inch. The Bonus is, not just that I get lowrider look, the steering response is even more agile and Camber offset become much more Negative now.
If you are looking for Short Strokes, most Japanese Coilovers like TEIN, TRD, Cusco, JIC (this one is ultra stiff), HKS, GAB Japan, Kayaba and Tokico have them. Most of them are manufactured by Tokico anyway. Speaking of Tokico, if you come across some Blue coloured Short Stroked absorber - those are the legendary Tokico Illuminas - most sougt after by serious Track, Drift & AutoCross enthusiasts. And if that is not enuff, you can call TODA for set of TODA Fightex dampers - RM12000 only......
How to know if those dampers are short stroke? well very easy - on the outlook they are short of course - the tubes looked short the shaft short everything oso short. And if the absorbers are already fitted, when you jack up the car, the wheels would not drop much.
Again, please take note that Short Strokes are designed for performance and competitive use! do not expect them to give u that extra comfort if you are looking for one.
All in all, personally I would never revert back to Normal Stroke suspension, once you are there you would not want to go back hahahahaha
I have been playing around with a few suspension setups on my AE101, I have to tell u guys that I am absolutely in love with Short Strokes. My first Short Stroke experience was a full set of Cusco Coilovers (Adjustable Hi-Lo) with the spring rates of 6Kg Front and 4Kg Rear, those Cusco were magnificent! but the low side is that I have to sacrifice comfort a lot, with such limited travel in dampening highway travel can be a nightmare - and hitting potholes can be bone and teeth jarring - but what I get is an extremely stable ride even at high speed corners and ultra responsive steering geometry - I can live with that hahahaha. Our resident Corolla Sifoos and SSO/GRA champions GT20V (Cusco Coilovers), Tom's (TRD Short Strokes) and QIW (TEIN Coilovers) are using this setup.
Now, I am still in the middle of experimenting with TRD Short Strokes, thanks to Ah Choi of Goodspeed Kepong, CorollaGTtouring and Tom's (Alvin), I have been able to piece up a full TRD setup comprising of TRD Short Stroke Catridges (Front, Yellow) + TRD Stage 2, 8Kg Rallying Springs and TRD Short Stroke Rear with 4Kg TRD Springs - all for less than RM1000 combined (used of course). These are non adjustable type and they use the normal sized coil wound and spring plate. The immediate feel that I can reveal is that they are not as harsh as Coilovers primarily due to wide springs wound - but the handling effect is Superb nonetheless.
Now that my aim is to combine my rear Short Strokes with an even stiffer 6Kg TRD Rally Springs - I have already fitted the front, so my rear is a bit imbalanced (softer). With this setup I expect to be able to reduce understeering on high Gs cornering but sacrifice even more on comfort - hey! I found comfort in top-notch handling hahahahaha.
And in the process I have also discovered the secret to make Short Stroke absorber even shorter when I "revised" my front set to have it lowered by another 1 inch. The Bonus is, not just that I get lowrider look, the steering response is even more agile and Camber offset become much more Negative now.
If you are looking for Short Strokes, most Japanese Coilovers like TEIN, TRD, Cusco, JIC (this one is ultra stiff), HKS, GAB Japan, Kayaba and Tokico have them. Most of them are manufactured by Tokico anyway. Speaking of Tokico, if you come across some Blue coloured Short Stroked absorber - those are the legendary Tokico Illuminas - most sougt after by serious Track, Drift & AutoCross enthusiasts. And if that is not enuff, you can call TODA for set of TODA Fightex dampers - RM12000 only......
How to know if those dampers are short stroke? well very easy - on the outlook they are short of course - the tubes looked short the shaft short everything oso short. And if the absorbers are already fitted, when you jack up the car, the wheels would not drop much.
Again, please take note that Short Strokes are designed for performance and competitive use! do not expect them to give u that extra comfort if you are looking for one.
All in all, personally I would never revert back to Normal Stroke suspension, once you are there you would not want to go back hahahahaha
