Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 05:09 pm, by: Nathan Grech(Aerthorn)
I love the V8, i love the leather, sunroof, chrome trim, EMV, Moving Steering wheel/ mirrors, everything about the car except the suspension!(im sure im not the only one>>?) Anyway... can i convert the Airstruts to springs and remove all unwanted/needed components? How much work (read $$$) would i need? Or would i be better off buying a GT 4.0 V8 rather than trying to do all this work to a GT-L. Sorry if this has been covered a million times, i couldn't find anything. (PS-Can i get a GT with the same options as a GT-L?) Cheers.
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 10:25 am, by: Nathan Grech(Aerthorn)
Would peoples advice be to convert mine to springs, or buy a GT? i want something a bit sportier, but i love V8's (turbo's cheat!!!). Do the GT's have leather and electrics, that all i really want.
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 11:01 am, by: Peter Nitschke(Pen)
GT's don't normally have leather, but the velour seems to be nicer than the TT velour. I like it, no burnt bum in summer, or frozen bum in winter, and they grip you really well for the corners, no sliding around in the seat like you get with leather.
GT's also don't normally have the EMV either, but they do have electric seats, shaky mirrors etc.
Neil Griffiths Trader NSW 1 x JZZ30,2 x UZZ31,1 x UZZ32,1 x UZZ Track Car,1 x AeroCabin,1 x Crown V8,1 x Celsior
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 11:52 am, by: Nathan Grech(Aerthorn)
Does anyone have any recomendations on where to get this done? Or would anyone on here want to do it? I would want to get rid of the struts, lines, compressor, control unit, switches, etc. Payment can be in cash, or airstruts/parts, or both.
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 12:13 pm, by: Nathan Grech(Aerthorn)
Is this a job i'd want to get done by someone, or is this one of those "If you want something done properly, you need to do it yourself" type of things. I dont want to be getting ECU/Suspection CU errors etc. Im not a mechanic, this is a job that i wouldnt want to be doing myself. But I wouldnt feel comfortable taking it to any old suspension workshop and asking them to do it.
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 12:30 pm, by: Michael Sinay(Mikey)
I wouldnt mind getting the airbag suspension fitted to my TT, but im not sure if there is any problems with the computer/electrical side of it... Does anyone know if it can be swapped over fairly straight forward?
Daniel Lee TryHard Victoria Soarer GT Limited UZZ31 V8
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 08:14 pm, by: Jason Kingsmill(Jason_k)
Michael - no, not very straight forward at all. Easy to take the air suspension OUT, but putting it IN a non-airsuspension car is a totally different ballgame.
Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 08:21 pm, by: Roger Costello(Roger)
Another option is four new OEM Airbag struts + new suspension rubber, including roll bar rubber. The new factory bits are a revelation especially on trackday settings. The units Toyota is supplying now are a lot firmer damping than even the 1997 struts. Even on the normal setting they seriously firm up the handling without messing up the ride, sport is equivalent to the old trackday setting.
Friday, September 09, 2005 - 12:29 pm, by: Damien Smith(Damien)
After doing a trackday with airbags and then swapping to coilovers I'd recommend new airbags unless you're nuts about trackdays (as I am fast becoming). The coilovers I have are softer than Teins for example but they're still quite firm. With airbags the ride could be nice and comfy or harder depending on the situation and fitting a set of whiteline swaybars really helps with cornering.
My airbags needed replacing anyway and I'm happy with my coilovers but if it wasn't for trackdays I'd have stuck with airbags.
Best to take a ride in a car with coilovers and if you still like them it's an easy job to do with a mate.
Friday, September 09, 2005 - 12:55 pm, by: Peter Nitschke(Pen)
I have just been having a talk to Trevor (Manager) at Pedders, 108 Richmond Road, Keswick SA and he kindly gave me a copy of the notes that they have for converting UZZ31 air bag suspension to coils.
Read complete front and rear notes before doing conversion.
Notes: Conversion can be done from air suspension using 9254 and 2505 with 2nd hand mounts from a standard ZZ30 suspension.
[PEN - 9254 is a Gas Sports Ryder.]
Make sure the mounts are not from a vehicle with TEMS electric adjustable as holes for top pin are larger diameter but can use with sleeve if necessary. (12mm I.D. x 14mm O.D. x 11mm long)
OE. ZZ30 coils can be used for standard height (approx 605mm with 15") To disable air compressor remove 60 Amp "SUS" fuse from fusebox in front of left strut tower under bonnet. Will also require 36mm diameter rubber blanking grommet to seal airline holes in strut tower.
Don't ask me any more about it, as I don't have a clue, I just got the notes and typed them in.
Friday, September 09, 2005 - 01:03 pm, by: Nathan Grech(Aerthorn)
Thanks for all the advice everyone. Thanks for those notes Peter, they will come in handy. Might be a month or two off, but i reckon i might go ahead with this conversion (unless fuel goes above 1.70, then i will have to buy a pogo-stick). If anyone has a coil over soarer, and has always wanted to drive an airbag soarer and wouldnt mind swapping cars for about 15 minutes, i'd be only too happy to oblige, i really need to see what they are like before doing a conversion like this... Cheers.