Get Low...

[LittleRed4wd]

I realize lots of people on here are probably going to hate me for this, but I set up a low suspension for my T4. I had it on the bumpstops but wanted something even lower that actually had springs. So, after some cutting and junkyard runs here's the car!

[SynthDesign]

Diggin the drop. It so reminds me of when I tried to pick up 20 50lb bags of concrete from Homedepot.
What's the height of the rear fender well arch to the ground?
Hows the ride?
What did you end up sorting out for suspension?

[larry mcgrath]

I realy like t.he look But hows the ride and cornering what did you end up doing to get it down.I realy like the look

[ARCHINSTL]

I kinda hate to admit it, but it makes the car look more aggressive - I think the dark color has something to with it, and especially the black matte hood.
I think the Topaz (aka gold) or white would not look as mean.
I would wonder about the handling as well.
Tom M.

[LittleRed4wd]

It's 19.5 inches from the top of the rear arch to the ground.

For the front I ended up with a set of struts from a Hyundai Ascent (1995). The slot where the steering knuckle goes in was a bit too narrow, so I had to grind down some of the metal. I was a bit worried about the strength, but after about 500 miles on them nothing has showed signs of wearing. For springs I just cut down the tercel ones. I'm currently running the inserts that came with the Hyundai struts, but they have too much travel-- The spring is so short that it pops out whenever I jack the wheel off the ground, so I'm looking for a shorter travel insert.

The back is a lot more simple- just cut springs and cut bumpstops. Stock tercel shocks for now.

The ride is okay, really stiff due to increased spring rates. Plus my shocks are all pretty much dead so that's not helping. I think the proper way to do this would be to get some standard strut mount coilovers with a spring that is the right strength and a nice insert for the front, and for the rear a shock coilover that hooks up to the shock mounts and doesn't need a rear spring. That or shorter shocks and nice shorter springs for the rear.

Or even better someone should fork out a couple grand and bag their T4!

[Petros]

The purpose of lowing the car is to lower the CG, that should improve handling. But with the stock narrow 13" wheels and tires, there should be better improvement to be gained, as well as better shocks. Otherwise it will only marginally help handling.

Turning the Tercel into a ricer? might as well go all the way and do the 4age swap. You would be a killer on the drag strip since you can get power down to all 4 wheels, doubling the traction even in a drag race.

[hberdan]

Was that your Tercel down by Boulder Creek at some point over the weekend? Looks like someone used your hood as a chalkboard! Or it was another red T4wd with a black hood...

[Petros]

I think all cars look better lowered, the Tercel4wd is no exception. The problem with where I live is I would scrap bottom on the 4 miles of gravel road I drive daily to get home. and in the occasional deep snow we get I would be completely stuck.

So, do you have a back up car to drive on the days it snows in Boulder, or are you counting on global warming to solve that problem?

[LittleRed4wd]

Yeah, I did this more for laughs than to make it handle way better. I kinda like the slammed look though. If it were 1-2 inches higher from where it is now with all the suspension mods, bigger engine and wider tires it would be killer- plus it'd actually drive through town without bottoming out every time I pull into a parking lot. The tercel is my only driver for now, so the setup is very impractical- It's only gonna be like this for another week or two until I get the parts together for the version 2 of the lift. Then it'll be time to hit the trails!

hberdan- Yes that was me! And yeah, the hood is covered in chalkboard paint so it has crazy drawings on it sometimes!

[toughtercel]

I like it as long you're not doing any four wheeling drive .

[SynthDesign]

I like it as long you're not doing any four wheeling drive .

Except wet summer roads!

[LittleRed4wd]

Except wet summer roads!

You have no idea how cool I felt when I put my slammed car into 4wd for a wet drive up the canyon hahaha.


I pulled everything off the car, the lift is going back in. Found areas worth addressing if anyone else tries to slam a T4:


The axles bumped against the frame, you can see the line on the axle itself. I'm not sure if the notch was in the frame before or not.


Looks like I needed an adjustable panhard bar. Once again saved by the parts car!


And here's the strut setup in case anyone wanted to see it.

[terceldude]

Diggin it! But it now requires several things if you have the financial funds to consider them:

- Full restore
- RIMS ************************
- Low-Profile tires
- Audio Upgrade
- Some Styling Upgrades or some accessories added on!
- Put an NOS tank on the engine

That Tercel will go flying and the urban crowd will drop their jaws in shock at the beauty of it! Good luck! Definitely makes my T4 jealous that yours is a lowrider! That's so Hood!