Daneway

.... Feel a trifel embarrassed for asking the quetion now. Although I haven't yet fitted the new one, the job's easy peasy if anyone's gonna 'ave a go ..... . Providing you count the screws you take out of the trim panels!

Anybody out there have any tips and wrinkles when replacing front seat belt? Seems easy just looking at it. Are there any chasms waiting to swallow me whole? Cheers, MARTIN

There are cam adjusters on the no.1 and no.2 suspension arms on the inside mounting points to adjust both camber and toe on the rear wheels. Cheers, MARTIN

How do I know it's sh&gged? The workshop inspection and the rather "jaunty" angle the RNS wheel is poised:

I had the grave misfortune to sh&g the rear nearside suspension on the Soop last weekend after walloping a kerb. The poor beastie is now with a local garage sorted by the insurance company. After a totally unhelpful local Toyota dealer tells the garage that "everything is different on imports" (come on guys), I need to find out if we can use UK components on my J-spec. Are the rear suspension arms etc and wheel hub assy a straight swap from a UK car? (I now the springs/shockers are different). If they are it means repair time is measured in weeks rather than months!! Thanks in great anticipation!!

Hi there! I have just posted a pair of J-spec bare light units and they were just a tad under 4.5kg each with original Toyota boxes and "airbags". Cheers, MARTIN

Hi m8, Just popped out to get the numbers off the lights. I have included everything ..... LEFT: 14-185 SAE AIR 2 S 2 T92 JAPAN KOTTO DOT L 3249 RIGHT: 14-185 SAE AIR 2 S 2 T92 JAPAN KOTTO DOT R 3249 Doesn't look like a proper part number to me. Tried my copy of EPC but it crashes, so couldn't check the part numbers for you. If you need me to take the clusters out and have a look, let me know. Cheers, MARTIN

Hi m8, Just popped out to get the numbers off the lights. I have included everything ..... LEFT: 14-185 SAE AIR 2 S 2 T92 JAPAN KOTTO DOT L 3249 RIGHT: 14-185 SAE AIR 2 S 2 T92 JAPAN KOTTO DOT R 3249 Doesn't look like a proper part number to me. Tried my copy of EPC but it crashes, so couldn't check the part numbers for you. If you need me to take the clusters out and have a look, let me know. Cheers, MARTIN

Welcome to the board! There is a fabulous Excel s/sheet in which you can plug all sorts of wheel and tyres sizes to give you a feel for what does and doesn't fit on the Soop. Let me have your email address via PM and I'll send it to you. From my experience, get the offset right. Handling goes right out the window if this is wrong. Keep your offset 42mm and above (dependent on wheel width) and don't be tempted to go for the typical offset of 35mm to save a buck or two. Cheers, MARTIN

Thanks Adam. I think you're right. I am a fussy sod and I don't like spending all that money and losing the feel of the car! Just to make sure that this is what a car feels like with, as you said "miniscule sidewalls", I am going to try and meet up with Lovatt and compare notes. If it is me being "particular", then the 19s will go and I'll then be debating whether to go down to 18s or even 17s. I'll be a gibbering (and pot-less) wreck by the end of this!! All the best, MARTIN

I am having a similar problem with my new 19 inch Pacifics with Bridgestone Rainsport 1s. It's been suggested that it was my tyres, but I didn't think it was possible until I saw your post! Best of luck! It'd be good to hear the outcome. MARTIN

Scott, make your choice very carefully on those 19s. Have a read my recent post "Wheel and tyre combo" describing the grief I've had when moving to Pacific 19s from my stock 16s ... and I still haven't sorted it.

Glad to hear your happy with them m8! I have asked Paul Whiffin for a few options in 18s. Feel it comin' on stronger now ...... ! Just gotta get rid of these Pacifics! BTW: What width and offset are your TGFs and what tyre sizes are you running? Cheers, M.

Well, two and a half hours out of my life heavily engaged with the local tyre expert, balancing these damn Pacifics. They were out a bit (5-30 gms) and although the result is very slightly less wobble is nowhere near the fabulous handling I had with the stock 16s .... Tracking tomorrow. Still ..... I had the opportunity of spraying the suspension bushes with Lithium grease when it was on the ramps, to sort the squeaks out. At least that worked! I am reluctant to try the tyre change as that'll be another £250 quid down the proverbial if no improvement. Probably some new 18s. I feel it coming on right now .... Anyone with a passion for troubleshooting fancy some Pacifics with 100 miles on some Uniroyals .... ho-hum.

I am suffering very similar with new wheels and tyre combo! Frustrating as hell isn't it? And expensive on the dentistry!! Have you tried checking the pressures with another machine? Have you checked for concealed lumps/bumps or anything on the inside of the tyre? I guess your previous tyres were fine? Is it perhaps some ghastly coincidence where something else has happened triggered by your tyre change or "act of God"? Might be worth checking bolt tightness on f/susp and perhaps your tracking. Cheers, MARTIN

Thanks guys. I feel a little better about where I'm going with this now! Balancing tomorrow to see if that improves matters. Else I think I'll go for the Bridgestones. If still not right, I'll knock the 19s out and get me some decent 18s. An expensive lesson, but if I can get the handling back without resorting to my "mondeo" wheels then I'll be a happy man! Thanks for your support in my hour of need!!

Thing is, there are so many symptoms! The car feels reasonably stable at speeds below 50-ish, although very minor undulations in the road, (I know they're minor cos' I've stopped and take a look!), are felt as vibrations through the steering wheel. At speeds over 60 a more regular vibration is felt, which I am assuming is balancing. Also the front feels light and "edgy". On a very smooth surface it is better, but nowhere near as stable as my stock 16s with 235s and 255s! The car also tramlines which I have put down to the reduced offset these wheels have, putting a larger moment of force about the steering axis. Without taking the wheels off (a job for tonight), I reckon they have an offset of around 35mm. I think the tramlining is less likely to be the width (only .5inch increase on both ends), but the offset may be the culprit. I have tried the pressure at anything between 34 and 40, with the inevitable lightness felt at the top end. I've just had my old wheels returned to me so I may put these back on pending a complete swap out and going with my original idea of Blitz wheels and Bridgestones rather than launch loads of wedge at it and still get nowhere. Although reports of these wheels being fine from Lovatt fills me with hope! I'll get them balanced tomorrow and see ...

Thanks chaps. Does the Uniroyal have "history" then?

With all the various "Supe noises" we all report from time to time we should get and record them and post them for comparison ! Check ball joints on the top and bottom suspension arms. A pal's Supe exhibited a similar if less worrying "cracking/creaking" before replacement. Joints seemed completely solid, no amount of levering the joints with the wheel off would show any movement. In desperation he changed the joints anyway (both sides for consistency) and the noise went away! Best o' luck!

Thanks Lovatt, kind reassuring m8. Yup the rears are more dished than the fronts. Terminator, some more detail for you .... Pacifics: Rear 9.5 x 19 Front 8.5 x 17 (only kidding) x 19 Tyres: Uniroyal Rainsport 1 Rear: 265 x 30 Front 235 x 35 No spacers. All wheels clear bodyparts. Haven't had the wheels off again, but it looks like the offset is around 35mm so the outside faces of the wheels are nearer the outside of the body than the stock 16" with 50mm offset which the Pacifics replaced. Thing is, the stock 16s were fine. But maybe this change has highlighted some suspension/steering geometry problem? Thanks guys!

I think I risk everyone yawning massively and ignoring my post when they see I'm talking wheels and tyres ! .... Anyhow, I need some moral support and recommendations ... I recently had a set of wheels and tyres fitted by Wheelmania and have since had a whole bunch of symptoms which make what was a solid confidence inspiring drive into a nervous, twitchy vibrating shimmying ride. I actually went up to get a set of Blitz 03s fitted after finding them on eBay. Got there, all excited like and had them fitted and found that the rears extend about 2 inches outside the body. The guys at WM insisted that they were off a Supra! Anyhow I got some 19" Mania Pacifics fitted instead which the guys recommended and showed me photos of a Supra with them fitted. After since reading the opinions of running "nineteens" and offsets etc on the board as well as some comments on WM I have an 'orrible feeling I might have made a baaaadd choice. I accept the fact that running larger rims will affect the handling, but not this badly I'm sure. I know some of you guys are running nineteens. Can you offer any guidance? My plan is to get them balanced and reseat them, then see what happens. If still no joy I will go back to WM to "discuss". Any comments - should I dump the new w/t combo and start again? Boo hoo. .... Sorry for the rather long post chaps. It helps to talk when you have that sinking feeling!

Thanks chaps! Yup I have the passenger airbag too. I found this on suprastore.com site it says .... "........... These units fit all 1993-1998 Supras. The air bag portion does NOT work on 1993-1996 Supras. The air bag for the 1997-1998 is supposed to work, but we have not verified this to be the case" ..... kinda not too reassuring ... and is this for just the US model, as I've seen quite a few piccies of so say US '97 models with pre-facelift dash? However, I'm sure I have seen someplace, that someone's replaced the stock wheel & A/B, but as you say Gaz, I don't want to leave the testing bit 'til a "nasty moment!" I have been given the name of a chappie who does all sorts of upholstery stuff for Maranello, so I may find out how good he is on the hand stitching!! Ho ...hum

Hey guys, have I upset you? No replies at all? Or is this too difficult? Cheers, MARTIN

I had occasion to hop into my wife's RAV4 the other day. I was dumbfounded, (to the point where I just sat there open-mouthed). It was the first time I had driven her car since acquiring the Supra and ...... the steering wheel looks the same as the Supra's!! This, coupled with the fact that I have not yet replaced the stock wheels causing a 911 owning neighbour to ask why such a great looking car has Cortina wheels on it, has convinced me I need to do something soon ....... I don't want to lose the SRS and have figured that there is a TRD replacement wheel (although damned expensive), with airbag but there seems to be conflicting opinions as to whether the airbag will hook up on pre '98 cars. (Mines a Oct 96 F/L J-SPEC) Anyone out there know for sure? Maybe I can get at least the old wheel rim re-upholstered in situ? Or can I easily remove the wheel , get it covered then replace? ... Any ideas chaps? All the best, MARTIN

Okay, okay. Just a weak wrist huh? DONE IT! .... Thanks again to you guys .... Cheers, MARTIN