I wonder if anyone can advise. I am not too happy with the front suspension of my 4WD Masterace and have carried out some modifications, ie, new shock absorbers (TEMS type), set torsion bars to correct height, carefully regulated tyre pressures etc. But, with my vehicle, even the smallest pothole sends a "thump" up through the body. My question is :- Is the Town/Masterace front suspension "lumpy" anyway and do I have to live with it ? Or, Has anyone investigated, and fitted, new suspension bushes, ie, to the top & bottom wishbones and, did it improve the suspension and the "ride"?
Thanks to David, I have access to the part No's of these bushes etc but,I have yet to fully investigate, in an unloaded situation, the condition of the existing bushes and he suspension generally.
Any help/advice much appreciated. Thanks - (#1635) John Davis, 15 Dec 01

John,my non TEMS 4x4 does tend to thump a bit. But what I find more troubling is the the amount of "dip" of the nose after a speed bump or similar. I have fitted a 10mm(or so) spacer under the big rear bumpstops which helps a bit, but I think the springs are just a bit soft for my likings. Perhaps a bit more damping would compensate...
re the thump, there's no isolation of the torsion bars (no rubber coupling) so regardless of the condition of the bushes, impact shock goes straight to the body through the bars. Any other spring type- leaf or coil, has some kind or seat or bush to isolate it. - (#1636) david miller, 15 Dec 01

Thanks David. Yes, I can see that any shock gets transmitted too well through the torsion bar mountings etc. Perhaps I've just got to get used to it but, it seems a pity that the ingenuity of the Toyota designers, fell a bit short on this crucial aspect of the suspension. - (#1637) John Davis, 15 Dec 01

David could you, or John, tell me what the part number is for the bushes. It was picked up on my MOT that they would require changing. Does it make a difference that my Masterace 1990 is a standard 2wd ? - (#1639) Mark, 16 Dec 01

Mark. I am not sure about the top wishbone bushes. The bottom wishbone bushes are part No 48654 but, my illustration shows the top wishbone as a complete assembly. Perhasp someone might be able to clarify this - (#1640) John Davis, 16 Dec 01

Greetings,
I love my townace, but the front suspension is about to drive me crazy! The smallest hole or bump in the road feels like I am hitting a crater. Has anyone successfully impoved the front suspension?? It seems like there is no suspension at all.

Thanks for any input,
Mervin

- (#7943) Mervin, 4 Apr 03 8:09

Hi in reply to your problem suspension here on the Isle of Wight I can assure you we have the worst roads in the country. After changing the Japanese tyres to British, the ride improved a lot, but after reading Ace Answers, I tried lowering the pressures to 35 psi as the guy in Answers recommended and my Townie now rides the Island even better than I had hoped, and when I go to the mainland the ride is brilliant (just come back from Wales Wed)Give it a try !

- (#7944) phil perry, 4 Apr 03 13:29

Mervyn, I couldn't agree more, the front suspension on my Masterace is apalling and, I am getting fed up with trying to avoid discarded matchsticks in the road, because of the shock and shudder which they send up through the body. I have changed the s/absorbers(Tems)and, have experimented with tyre pressures and, like Phil, I find that around 34/35 psi gives the best ride but, it's still pretty rough. I am shortly to dismantle the complete front suspension, ie, take the torsion bars off and thoroughly check the bushes (wishbone bushes are £45 each)and every joint for slack which, I feel, is the cause of the problem. It has been said that the torsion bar mounting, direct onto the body, does transmit a high degree of vibration but, I feel that I do have some worn bushes or mountings somewhere which,when they are replaced, should give a better ride. The suspension "travel" is excellent, ie, if you coast, very slowly, and put the brakes on and off but, my moan is about the shock which transmits. through the body, if the slightest pothole or rumble strip is negotiated. My old Morris Minor had torsion bar suspension and it was never as bad as the Ace. I will post my findings and any encouraging results if I do fit any new bushes etc.

- (#7945) John Davis, 4 Apr 03 14:53

Hi Mervin,
I experienced similar problems, my townie had Bridgestone tyres when I bought it, but reading the M M M magazine which is a Mag for motorhomes, 'Continental Vanco' tyres were recommended by a reader to smoothe out rough rides, I've since had four fitted on the townie and there's a vast difference now in the ride and handling, It feels like a brand new vehicle. And our roads here in Snowdonia aren't the Best of British.
- (#7946) Wyn Hamer, 4 Apr 03 19:25

Thank you so much for your answers. i live in Russia and I'm sure the roads are worse here than anywhere in the U.K. I know tires are part of my problem. I have hard cargo tires on the townie and am looking to change at least the front ones. The guy at the tire store looked inside the drivers door on the tablet and said thses are the tires I need. If I put different tires on the front, would it affect the 4wd ( I know I've asked this before). Also, when I changed the shocks right after buying the townie, though to no avail, the mechanic turned some bolts under the van on each side ( I guess this has something to do with the torsion bar ) to lift the van up as high as possible. Now it sets with the front part of the body higher than the back. Could this affect the stiffness of the front suspension.
Thanks for your input

- (#7947) mervin, 5 Apr 03 4:02

The ride hieght should be around 252 to 262 mm from the deck to the midle of the lower wishbone pivot bolt according to the toyota manual (usa version) i found that getting the ride hieght correct made my rear set up look low , which i can only put down to spring sag - which is non adjustable on the rear. what i have only just discovered - and this onll applies to the 2wd is the adjuster for the castor is in the form of a very thick strut which is attached to the body by a sandwich of 2 very thick doughnut rubbers sqaushed between two locknuts - these had shrunk to the extent that when u jackthe van up you could see the gap open up. this will result in play on braking and suspension travel . since i changed them its improved - and a lot of the shake/ vibration is now reduced . the russian site mentions problems with the steer column and dash brackets coming loose too , checked mine and found them all loose . i will send a pic of the old doughnut rubbers/ new doughnut rubbers and if he decides to include them you can see what i am on about - regards Jim

- (#7948) J Adgo, 6 Apr 03 16:44

Step forward, again, David Miller, for congratulations. From previous postings, regular readers might know of my exhaustive efforts to improve the ride of my Masterace but, when David commented, some time ago, he included advice re "even slack wheel bearings will contribute to lost motion in the front suspension". I did not, of course, dismiss that comment but, did not give it the consideration that I should have done because, last week, my Masterace was MOT tested, and passed, but, with a recommendation that the front wheel bearings should have less play and that they should be adjusted. Lo and behold, now that I have completed that job, the "ride" has lost that "thump" when going over discarded matchsticks in the road and I can only conclude that this small amount of play was being amplified through the front suspension, through the torsion bars and into the body. Well done and thanks David and, the moral is, don't exclude ANY tiny bit of slack anywhere in the front suspension setup.

- (#8680) John Davis, 26 May 03 3:22

surprised about that, John, but glad it's helped you...

- (#8681) david miller, 26 May 03 5:52

hi , i have owned a toyota liteace for 1 year now, and have done many miles of care free motoring, but my vehicle has just failed its mot on worn front shocks. i have tried several places to get them to no avail, does anybody have any clues ? ps . the vehicle is h reg 89/ 90. thanks in advance derek alldridge.

- (#8791) DEREK ALLDRIDGE, 27 May 03 14:16

Derek,

I replaced my front shocks about 6 months ago. I got the replacements from a Toyota dealer IIRC they were around £55 and cheaper than I could get anywhere else. It's always worth trying the main dealer, somtimes the surprise you.

- (#8792) Rob Storer, 28 May 03 1:36