Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
Post Reply
User avatar
Kozuto_98
Top Notch Member
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 3:45 pm
My tercel:: 1987 SR5 Wagon
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Kozuto_98 »

So after a few months of driving on AE82 front springs and AE86 rear springs I've come to a verdict on using these.
While these springs to fit and "work", they're defiantly not ideal.

20210414_183044.jpg

It might be hard to tell from the picture, the front of the car sits up higher than the back, it's more noticeable when looking at the wheel arches.
The problems I've noticed this causing is wind really likes to move the front end around, and in the rear heavy bumps makes the suspension come
really close to hitting the bump stops. Having the front sit higher than the back has also resulted in a bit extra positive camber which I had to correct.

Good news is I held onto the springs that came with the car so I'm going to give them a fresh coat of paint and put them back in.
Personally I wouldn't recommend using AE82 and AE86 springs, but if you're in a pickle for replacement parts they do at least "work".
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1987 Tercel Wagon SR5 4WD
1998 Honda Accord Coupe V6 J35 swap
1997 Acura CL (Sold for 4A-GE money)
RIP 2016 Civic (wrist pin recall)
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Petros »

I am considering installing some front struts and springs from the all-trac corolla, they have the same travel, but are much larger dia. shock/strut, and it comes off a heavier car, so the spring should give a bit of lift.

I have a set i got at a picknpull some years ago, they are just in a pile of spare parts, both need new inserts, I will also have to swap out the upper mount, and likely make a few other minor tweaks.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Kozuto_98
Top Notch Member
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 3:45 pm
My tercel:: 1987 SR5 Wagon
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Kozuto_98 »

Interesting. That's something I might look into when I get around to doing the Monroe rear air shocks.
I've seen a couple all-trac Corollas in a yard not long ago so I'll have to see what's left of them. My mom used to drive one so I'll have to see if any
of the parts from it got saved.
1987 Tercel Wagon SR5 4WD
1998 Honda Accord Coupe V6 J35 swap
1997 Acura CL (Sold for 4A-GE money)
RIP 2016 Civic (wrist pin recall)
User avatar
Kozuto_98
Top Notch Member
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 3:45 pm
My tercel:: 1987 SR5 Wagon
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Kozuto_98 »

20210415_191502.jpg
Swapped over the original springs and I noticed that my sway bar wasn't connected.
The mount on the body is fine, but the rubber is pretty much done. The nut and threads are also pretty rough so I guess my next project will be
making new sway bar links from scratch.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1987 Tercel Wagon SR5 4WD
1998 Honda Accord Coupe V6 J35 swap
1997 Acura CL (Sold for 4A-GE money)
RIP 2016 Civic (wrist pin recall)
User avatar
simon84
Top Notch Member
Posts: 306
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:18 pm
Location: Banff, Alberta, Canada

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by simon84 »

I recently did a bunch of work on my rear sway bars. The end link mount bolt snapped on me so I welded a bolt on there. I got new bushings for it from Rockauto. They only had bushings for the end links though.
Driver: 87 Tercel SR5, white, 4ac, weber carb (aka the Tercedes)
Road Tripper:95 Mitsubishi Delica L400 2.8L Turbo Diesel
Motorbike: 94 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6
Project Car:Red 68 Plymouth Sport Fury III
Previous Tercel:Orange 84 Tercel 4wd (aka the pumpkin)
User avatar
Kozuto_98
Top Notch Member
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 3:45 pm
My tercel:: 1987 SR5 Wagon
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Kozuto_98 »

I sadly can't find anywhere to get the bushings I need for where I need them. I'm gonna try making a set of bar to body links from some steel plates,
bolts, and hockey pucks I've got laying around. These seem fairly straight forward to fabricate. I'll be sure to post some measurements and what not.
1987 Tercel Wagon SR5 4WD
1998 Honda Accord Coupe V6 J35 swap
1997 Acura CL (Sold for 4A-GE money)
RIP 2016 Civic (wrist pin recall)
The Professor
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 650
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 6:38 pm
My tercel:: 1987 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon
Location: Western Washington
Contact:

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by The Professor »

SuperPro carries bushings for both the front and rear anti-roll bars on AL25s.
1975 Subaru SuperStar wagon
1984 Subaru Turbo-Traction wagon & hardtop
1987 Subaru RX 3-door
1987 Subaru RX Type-RA 3-door
1987 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon
1999 Subaru Forester S
2002 Subaru WRX sedan
2019 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
User avatar
Kozuto_98
Top Notch Member
Posts: 229
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 3:45 pm
My tercel:: 1987 SR5 Wagon
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Kozuto_98 »

The Professor wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:02 am SuperPro carries bushings for both the front and rear anti-roll bars on AL25s.
I'm assuming this is the site.
Very nice parts, I am for sure going to try the 4-link bushings they're selling as mine are shot.

Thanks for pointing this out, never heard of SuperPro.
1987 Tercel Wagon SR5 4WD
1998 Honda Accord Coupe V6 J35 swap
1997 Acura CL (Sold for 4A-GE money)
RIP 2016 Civic (wrist pin recall)
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by Petros »

an aftermarket supplier of polyurethane bushings makes generic replacement "doughnut" bushings I was going to try out when mine wear out. they have various sizes, and one of makes a sway bar link ready to go, that can be adapted to the rear sway bar on the T4wd. I have seen the in Autozone, but others have them too.

you might look here:

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/shop/sus ... s~6-16-580

or here:

https://www.summitracing.com/search?Sor ... 20bushings
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
The Professor
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 650
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 6:38 pm
My tercel:: 1987 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon
Location: Western Washington
Contact:

Re: Verdict on AE86 & AE82 Springs

Post by The Professor »

Kozuto_98 wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:04 am
The Professor wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:02 am SuperPro carries bushings for both the front and rear anti-roll bars on AL25s.
I'm assuming this is the site.
Very nice parts, I am for sure going to try the 4-link bushings they're selling as mine are shot.

Thanks for pointing this out, never heard of SuperPro.
No problem!

I like to use urethane bushings in any joint that doesn't rotate (they'll eventually squeak without regular lubrication.) Anything in a compressive installation is fair game for me, otherwise it's rubber or a spherical bearing.
1975 Subaru SuperStar wagon
1984 Subaru Turbo-Traction wagon & hardtop
1987 Subaru RX 3-door
1987 Subaru RX Type-RA 3-door
1987 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon
1999 Subaru Forester S
2002 Subaru WRX sedan
2019 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
Post Reply