Standard N/A EP91 - where to start with handling?

[Xpect]

Hey guys,

I've got a fairly standard EP91 from 97 and I want to have a better handling. Where should I start? It has to be German street legal so I can't lower till the wheels rub, but would be a lowering of like 35mm bring me a bit of better handling? And then what's next? I really don't know what to get first.

[dazzariley69]

a upgrade in suspension will help mate, front and rear arb's, front and rear strut braces will all stiffen the chassis rite up and improve handling. slightly wider tyres, lower profiles, softer compound. depends what your allowed to do over there and what your willing to do and spend rele mate

[Xpect]

The tyres need to be roughly the same in ... erm... you know, the distance they're rolling in one turn of them. Is it diameter? I don't know. But I know 15inches are allowed at 195/45. Otherwise I can spend a 140€ maximum a month. Would allow for some lowering coilovers if I used the stock shocks. Or a front OR rear strut brace I think, even the good one from Ultra Racing out of the US.

It's a matter of fact, I need more money to be able to spend more on my beloved car.

[StuDoc 72]

Well at 195/45/15 they are good enough tyres make sure you have some good quality ones people tend to go with toyo t1r, or yoko pradas. Get some lowering springs and lower it the 35mm your allowed. U can easily pick up a standard glanza strut brace cheaply and a cheap aftermarket rear one on here id imagine. Get good front and rear anti roll bars on there. And an anti lift kit im not sure how good these are maybe some one else can help. None of these mods are overly expensive and can easily be done on your budget.

[5T4R7ET N/A]

starlet with a good rubber on the some alloys. 195/50 would be best in my opinion in term of handling and comfort.

Apexi spring lower by 35mm but they are pretty soft for lowering springs, so you will need uprated shock absorber with them as well, otherwise in hard cornering the car will rub.

if you lower the car you will need a adjustable panhard rod because lowering will knock rear axle out of line. anti-lift kit and polybushing will help tighten the handling as well.

Most member will say miester's are the best coilover in terms of handling and comfort, as they have a big variety in settings( ride height and damping). but if your willing to spend that amount of money is up to you and what you want.

[neilsmith]

lowering the car does not make it handle better mate also very low profile tyres do not improve handling, look at formula 1 cars they have a huge profile on the tyres, the reason for this is that tyres need to be warm and sticky to get them best performance and grip from them, the bigger the profile then the longer period of time the tyre can hold the heat, also the lower the profile of the tyre then the less flex you have which would be good on a perfectly flat and level surfave but public roads are not perfectly flat and level so the tyre needs to have flexibility and movement to adjust to the road surface, i myself used to think that low profile tyres would make the car handle better but it just doesnt.

I've got meister coilovers on my car and i cant fault them but best to get them set up properly by someone who know what there doing with them

They improved the overall handling and road control when i fitted them, I've also got the whole car polybushed, i cant say if a noticed a difference with this because i done it bit by bit but its should have stiffend up the ride a fair bit.

[Xpect]

I'm lucky, in the German Toyota Forum there is a group by from your parts, so I'll get myself front and rear strut braces and a C-Pillar bar to start with. I think that will stiffen the car up quite a bit, am I right?

[Amjad]

Stick with the braces but leave the C-Pillar bar for now. Then go for a Whiteline ALK and Rear ARB, polybush the front ARB or buy a thicker Whiteline one. If you have the cash I'd definitely recommend a set of Meisters and an adjustable panhard rod

[Xpect]

Why not take the C-Pillar bar?

[Jozinobi]

The C Pillar Brace would be the one component that has the least amount of benefit or difference in feel.

Your hard earned money will be infinitely better spent elsewhere first

Follow Amjad's essential recommendations and you can go no wrong in your na suspension tuning.

Joz

[Xpect]

But to get the credit for buying that stuff I need to get together parts for more than 200€. And just the front and rear strut braces are at 160. With the C-Pillar I'm at 240. What else would you suggest from the your store?

/>http://www.ultraracing.com.my/Catalog.asp?Brand=Toyota&Model=Starlet%20EP%2090,91&page=1

Here's a link. I would really appreciate if you could say what else you would say I should get. Except the Anti-Roll Bars, they are 160 or 170 alone, that's too expensive for me at the moment.

[morgey]

What about front brace and rear ARB? I think the rear arb would be more noticable than rear brace?

[WallaceGlanza]

The rear arb will be the one bolt on part that will make the biggest difference, decent tyres, lowering springs and a rear arb and it will handle nice.

A front lower arm brace is cheap too and tightens up the front nicely, out of all the braces I'd say it's the one to get first

[Xpect]

Waht about a rear lower brace? although on the pricelist I have here it's the same as on the EP80/82, will that still fit?

[morgey]

You dont get rear lower braces as our cars have a rear beam, or do you mean the lower of the 2 rear braces, being the strut top brace? I fitted one to mine and tbh cant say I've noticed it

[daniel_g]

Cant you buy used parts off members on here? It should work out cheaper for you.

[Xpect]

No, I meant this lower bar: http://www.ultraracing.com.my/Bars.asp?ID=2614

I think it doesn't fit as it's not listed for the EP91 on the your website, but according to the group-buy pricelist I have here it shall fit Oo

@daniel_g: acutally, yes, I could buy stuff from the members here. But I'm talking with a member here about a frontbumper to be shipped to me and he said the cheapest shipping he could get was 80£. So that won't be that much cheaper, except I get to know someone on here better that I can trust to have different parts shipped to him first and he ships them to me once a while, e.g. after I bought like 4 parts for each like 50€ or stuff like that. THEN it might be cheaper. But to be honest, I don't know you lads much as of now. And I don't know anyone in the UK, sadly. I once met a guy in the US that was from UK, but that was 7 years ago and we don't have contact anymore. He must be 19 by now....

[StuDoc 72]

I wouldnt waste my money on that lower rear bar mate.

[mech5107]

Tires and rims, lower control arm bar, front strut bar, coilovers, rear strut bar, rear arb, polybush the front arms, anti-lift kit, floor bar, c-pillar.

[m1n1man1275]

I'm in the same boat i have N/A starlet and my first mod was springs and new standard shocks, it made a difference but not enough to stop the car rolling about though. next on the shopping list is rear anti roll bar if i can find one for the right money!(anyone have one lurking they dont want please PM) after that will be front ARB to either a standard Glanza/GT(bigger diameter than standard N/A) item or Uprated(bigger still) whiteline one .

[Guest Enzo]

sorry ive not read most of the replys in this thread. but my responce will eco theirs.

to feal the biggest difference per pound id go for these mods in this order.

rear arb

front anit lift kit

shocks + springs

then front and rear braces.

ul get the most out of whatever tyres with that arb, makes an amazing difference even on a standard suspension setup. best mod per pound for an ep..