[TECH] Suspension Components For Your T-series(1986-1999) Celica

**Adrian Avgerinos** · 12-09-2004

Abstract
I am starting this thread to inform and to provide a central location for parts manufacturer listings. This is not the holy grail of suspension FAQs, and I am not completely aware of all the manufacturers of all the parts for all the Celica's so the success depends on everyones help. Keep in mind this is not a thread to post your opinion on which setup is best. This needs to be an unbiased listing for the uninformed to consult.

The T series Celica suspension utilizes a McPherson Strut with a wishbone suspension in the front and a multi-link independant suspension in the rear. More information on these designs can be found here:

http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_s...nsion2.htm#Mac
and
http://www.users.bigpond.com/jack_st.../struts_1.html

http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_s...on21.htm#Multi

The front and rear also have anti-sway bars installed from the factory and a factory front strut tower brace.

For more information on suspension design I suggest picking up “How to Make Your Car Handle” by Fred Puhn. Another good book is Milliken and Milliken, Racecar Vehicle Dynamics

Suspension Terminology

Anti-sway Bar
Anti-sway bars distribute suspension loads from one side of the car to the other. Also known as sway bars, stabilizer bars, or anti-roll bars.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question432.htm

It improves tire grip by reducing lateral weight transfer. A downside to bars that are too stiff is that the independent suspension starts to act like a solid axle. The problem there is if one tire is upset by a bump, the other tire will also move.

McPherson Strut
As shown in the link above, a McPherson strut is a shock absorber and coil-over spring packaged as one unit and functions as an integral part of the suspension. The front struts on the Celica have a rebuild-able design where one can swap out the shock cartridge. On the rear the entire strut must be changed though one can modify the rears to be rebuild-able like the front.

Look to change out the shock cartridge or complete strut to gain performance. The shock absorber in the strut resists movement. This means it keeps the tire in contact with the road, minimizes spring oscillation, and reduces body roll. You want to match the shocks you purchase to the springs you intend to install. You also want to purchase a setup to match your driving style. Too stiff and the suspension will not "soak up" the bumps which can result in loss of traction. Too soft and the suspension will not react to those bumps fast enough causing loss of traction

Coil-over Spring
A coil-over spring sits around a shock absorber. In contrast, most rear truck suspensions have the shock absorber and coil spring located at separate locations.

Springs are designed to keep your car from bottoming out. The harder you drive the greater the force of the road is on your tires. You want to match the springs you purchase to the struts you intend to install. If your springs are too stiff for your shocks absorbers, you will have an underdamped(i.e. "bouncy") condition. If your springs are too soft, you will have an overdamped(i.e. sluggish) condition.

Strut Tower Brace
Structural support piece mounted to the strut towers. It reduces chassis flex making handling more predicable.

Suspension Bushings
On all the wearing surfaces of the suspension are rubber bushings. Rubber reduces the transmission of road noise to the chassis, lasts a long time, and is cheap. Aftermarket bushings like the polyurethane ones from Whiteline produce similar results as a strut tower bar; handling becomes more predictable.

**Adrian Avgerinos** · 12-09-2004

Suspension Parts Brands Listings for 1986-1999 Toyota Celica

Format:
YEAR, TRIM MODEL -- BRAND, MODEL, PART NUMBER

Anti-sway bar

McPherson Strut

Coil-over Spring

Strut Tower Brace

Suspension Bushings

**Mr E** · 12-12-2004

Probably should mention that the Superstrut setup is a bit different - and doesn't use the same parts.

I have the bills to prove it. :|

**Adrian Avgerinos** · 12-13-2004

Originally Posted by Mr E

Probably should mention that the Superstrut setup is a bit different - and doesn't use the same parts.

I have the bills to prove it. :|

If you have any information like spec details and who makes aftermarket struts I can have that information posted. I have no idea what makes the superstrut design different.

**alltracman78** · 02-25-2005

Originally Posted by Adrian Avgerinos

If you have any information like spec details and who makes aftermarket struts I can have that information posted. I have no idea what makes the superstrut design different.

Superstrut

http://gtfour.supras.org.nz/superstrut.htm

ignitedceli · 01-06-2005

http://www.bulletproofautomotive.com...p?category=121
various suspension parts for the 5th and 6th gen

http://www.185performance.com/
offers many whiteline products for the 4th and 5th gen

http://www.andysautosport.com/produc...at=Sway%20Bars
has the suspension techniques swaybar for the 5th gen

ignitedceli · 01-06-2005

not sure whether the strut or sway bars for the st185 will work with all models or not. i believe that smbius (radcastro.com) had them installed on his car but still not sure if they are the same part #'s as the ones in the links i posted. if anyone can confirm whether these parts fit i would appreciate it. thanks

Drag0n · 03-31-2005

www.tirerack.com for springs, struts, swaybars, etc.

**Gurr** · 05-08-2005

What about more options on the st165? or are there no more out there?.

**cruehead123** · 06-06-2005

im looking for polyurethane shock/strut bushings for my 95 ST and can't find them anywhere. can anybody help? thanks

**banshee3388** · 09-11-2005

polyurethane for 70-91 celica and other toyotas

AllOutRed90 · 11-13-2005

I heard somewhere that 935 motorsports isnt a good site to buy from.... wiat... was it 185 performance... im not sure... does anyone else know what im talking about?

**KoreanJoey** · 03-09-2006

Anyone have any idea who makes camber plates for our cars?

**Adrian Avgerinos** · 03-09-2006

Good quality ones? Nobody. Crappy ones? I think Cusco makes a a set of front plates. You'll have to pay through the nose to get them though.

Ground Control makes a killer camber plate setup. However, they don't offer anything that will bolt on to our cars so you'd have to get creative with the mounting (i.e. drill new holes in your strut towers to mount like many race cars do)

**not12listen** · 07-04-2006

i know that WhiteLine makes suspension parts for the GT4/AllTrac.

poly bushings, springs, sway bars...

http://www.whiteline.com.au/

**Chuckanut** · 10-31-2006

Hi everyone,
A newbie here, just got a sweet 86 GTS yesterday (one owner, all orginal, all records, etc.) and want to do some suspension work. In looking around, there doesn't seen to be much available for gen4, but it sounds like gen5 will swap (or will they?)

My plan is get some Eibach springs and new struts, but the KYB GR2 are too soft for lowered springs (previous experience) and the Koni's are overkill. Will any gen5 struts fit and is there a specific part to get? In the road racing thread there's talk about mixing ST16x and ST18x struts, what's up with that?

Also, I realy want to get some strut braces. The stock front's OK, but I'd like to add one straight across and would really like to put on in the back. This cars got 180k and is pretty creaky. Is Whiteline our only choice? Will the ST165 braces fit or do they use different mounts?

Lots of questions, lots to learn...

Thanks,
Tom

**not12listen** · 10-31-2006

well, firstly, welcome.

secondly... i'd personally suggest that the idea of 'konis are overkill' be removed from your skull.

if you enjoy twisty roads, there is no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, that they are worth the price. yes, its a bit stiff on the wallet, but you will be happy with them. i know this from personal experience.

on my 86 NA MR2, i purchased eibach prokit springs & tokico blues (non-adjustable) struts. all new units.

because of my harsh driving, within less than 1 year, the tokico's were blown. they had nothing left to give.

i then purchased my konis. installed them, and its been 1 1/2 years on those suckers, and i've pushed it faster, harder and more frequently... they have yet to show ANY signs of abuse or wearing out.

as far as the eibachs... i've done some research. they spring rates (even on the prokit) are less than desireable for spirited driving. i'd honestly ask some local car guys if there are any shops that custom make springs.

if not, your options arent the greatest.

but, i'll help you however i can finding a decent set... just give me an idea of what sort of driving you do, and what you'd like to do.

**Trance4c** · 11-25-2006

here is a link to some information on the rear control arm outter spherical bearings on an alltrac.

http://www.planetcampbell.us/Spheric...placement.html

They say the part number is 42210-14010

Can anyone confirm this to work on the rear hubs of the FWD ST184 cars?

If this does work, the last bushing I need to source is the rear inner control arm bushings.

Thanks.

**Trance4c** · 12-01-2006

Ok, so I'm hitting this back up to try to get a definate answer on these rear spherical bushings!

There is a lot of people saying that the rear poly bushings (which are a no-no) are swap'able between the ST185 rear suspension and ST184 rear suspension setups.

Can anyone confirm this?

Below is an image of the poly bushings people should stay away from on the left, on the right is the spherical bearing that should be used.

Now.. even though we should not use the poly bushing, many say that even though this bushing is made for the ST185, its usable on the ST184 rear control arms.

This leads me to believe that diameter and length dimensions are identical so the use in both is very possible.

Funny thing though is that these are for the MA70 MKIII Supra, Part #42210-14010

What leads me further to believe that these parts are interchangable is that if you use www.1sttoyotaparts.com and look up the part number you will see these bushings are used not only in the MA70 Supra, but also the AWD Alltrac Camry.

If anyone can confirm that indeed the poly bushings are interchangable then it is a given that these will work. I currently have an email into Fensport asking if they're ST185 poly bushings will fit the ST184 by chance. If they confirm that yes you can, then we know these spherical bearing replacements will be interchangable as well and the replacement we have all been looking for.

All thanks to the MA70 Supra bearings available from Toyota that people are using on the Alltrac's.

Anyone?

**machsound** · 12-28-2006

Hey guys,

Alright this is the first time posting on here. My Girl just got an 1986 Celica gt. Not sure if it is a gts or what. Don't know much about these cars. I personnaly drive an 86 300zxt. So fwd is a little weird for me. The car has some decent power but the suspension sucks on it. It bottoms out big time everwhere. The shocks and struts are shot. I was looking around for some new ones. I am having a hard time finding anything for it, for as little as I possibly can. She doesn't have a lot of money to dump into it right off.

**KoreanJoey** · 12-28-2006

for good performance shocks look at Koni, for a decent OEM replacement look into KYB GR-2s.

**machsound** · 12-29-2006

Originally Posted by KoreanJoey

for good performance shocks look at Koni, for a decent OEM replacement look into KYB GR-2s.

I would like decent oem doesn't need to be anything crazy at all its here car she drives to and from work and school. If we want to play we go out in mine. Which one of the sites can I get them. And what Gen is the car anyway.

Sorry if this seems stupid to you guys. I just don't have alot of time to get on the computer these days with training for camp.

**KoreanJoey** · 12-29-2006

86 celica would be a 4th gen Celica. Just check on Ebay would be the best bet for a good deal.

**andy** · 02-07-2007

any answers on this???????????!!!!!!!!!????????????? CLAYTON!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Trance4c** · 02-12-2007

Originally Posted by andy10889

any answers on this???????????!!!!!!!!!????????????? CLAYTON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just and update- Andy had PM'ed me about this, right now I have no answers but he is planning on trying the above shown bearings to see if they will work as I had hoped.