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RAV4 2020- Rear sagging when modestly loaded> Coil Spring UPGRADE Urgently Needed

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RAV4 5th Gen @ NorthWoods Performance Spring REAR Kit>>> Worth the Money?

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21 - 40 of 67 Posts
#21 ·
I just received my Timbren coil enhancement Upgrade yesterday and I talked to Timbren through email and asked them about their product and they told me it takes away the sag and reduces the roll and sway in the rear end... I have not installed them yet but I believe in the product OVER the Airlift 1000 inner coil bag system... don't have to constantly adjust air pressure. They were cheaper in price if you go to www.etrailer.com. Love that site. Didn't want to go with upgraded springs in the rear because it gives a 1.5 inch lift. But no lift in the front end... I plan on getting the 2in Torque Suspension Lift Kit for my 2023 Adventure Trim this summer.
 
#23 ·
Afpj said:
@Don21204 , what did you end up doing? I’m curious if anyone has tried the coil enhancer kit.

@jordoncloutier , did you have to get an alignment after installing the Northwoods springs? The instructions mention removing the inner pivot bolt for the LCA which I believe is an adjustable bolt?

the timbrens look easier to install but do they do anything to reduce sag? It seems they would only help with dynamic loading.
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I did get an alignment after installing the Northwood springs , everything came out great and all perfectly within spec . The springs actually improved the well know issue with negative rear camber these 5th Gen rav4's ....

To install the springs all I had to do is disconnect the sway links and the most outer lower control arm bolt . Not the inner adjustable one . Super easy in my garage with a floor jack and some hand tools .
 
#24 ·
FKHeath said:
Many lifts for the rear counter that by lowering the rear carrier, which doesn't make sense to me for that just decreases the ground clearance -- the main reason you want a lift in the first place.
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I used to own a Jeep Liberty and spent a lot of time reading lifting and off-roading posts in Jeep forums. The main reason for lifts was increasing ground clearance. Using taller coil springs did this by raising up the body so that TALLER TIRES (bigger diameter) could be fitted and would not rub in the wheel wells. It was actually the taller tires that then raised the height of the differential pumpkin and suspension under body parts higher off the ground. CV joint angle was a serious problem on IFS models like the Jeep Liberty.
 
#25 ·
Definitely true in your jeep situation. However, as I think stated earlier in this thread, I threw in slightly larger than stock springs which have a better spring rate as well, I installed them because I installed a full-size spare tire and a class 3 hitch which adds significant weight to the back end of the RAV4, the lift measurements with the Northwood performance springs are about 1 in which doesn't really change the rear CV joint angles at all.
If you start to look at a lot of the RAV4s the road today with stock rear suspension. It definitely looks like most of them are sagging in the rear. Especially when you add any passengers or any cargo in the back. The 1-in lift with the Northwood springs are almost perfect in my opinion.

Tazio Nuvolari said:
I used to own a Jeep Liberty and spent a lot of time reading lifting and off-roading posts in Jeep forums. The main reason for lifts was increasing ground clearance. Using taller coil springs did this by raising up the body so that TALLER TIRES (bigger diameter) could be fitted and would not rub in the wheel wells. It was actually the taller tires that then raised the height of the differential pumpkin and suspension under body parts higher off the ground. CV joint angle was a serious problem on IFS models like the Jeep Liberty.
Click to expand...
truth
 
#26 ·
jordoncloutier said:
slightly larger than stock springs which have a better spring rate as well,
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jordoncloutier said:
If you start to look at a lot of the RAV4s the road today with stock rear suspension. It definitely looks like most of them are sagging in the rear. Especially when you add any passengers or any cargo in the back.
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I agree. To prevent or alleviate sagging (as opposed to increasing ground clearance for off road use) it's best to get coil springs with a higher rate that still provide close to the same ride height as stock. That keeps the CV joint angles within spec and makes alignments easier. The only downside with a higher spring rate is the likelihood of a stiffer and harsher ride and road feel over bumps, tar strips and pot holes.
 
#29 ·
I installed basically the same thing as the Timbren last summer, before a moderately loaded road trip we took. I used ones from RubberShox that were about $30. The great thing about these is that they absorb some of the NVH that is transmitted through the spring, but the biggest benefit is that they eliminate one coil of the springs from flexing. This increases the spring rate by 15-20% and results in a noticeable reduction in understeer. In my case, I used ones that barely increased ride height and during our road trip did not result in rear end sag, though we weren't all that near the load limit of the vehicle. Just the driving benefits alone made it a worthwhile thing to do.
 
#31 ·
@RavForTwo , I found your post on those rubbershox. What size did you end up going with and which series (plus, pro etc). I read that you had to trim a bit...in hindsight would you get a different size?
 
#32 ·
Afpj said:
@jordoncloutier , did you have to get an alignment after installing the Northwoods springs? The instructions mention removing the inner pivot bolt for the LCA which I believe is an adjustable bolt?
Click to expand...
The adjustment bolt on the rear LCA is for toe. There is no adjustment for camber:


Image
 
#35 ·
Afpj said:
@RavForTwo , I found your post on those rubbershox. What size did you end up going with and which series (plus, pro etc). I read that you had to trim a bit...in hindsight would you get a different size?
Click to expand...
I wanted to check before responding so apologies for the delay.

I got the black compound in size “C”. That’s actually the thinnest RubberShox that has a diameter in the 5” range so there was no ability to go thinner. It really is the right thickness though - you don’t want it to be loose when the spring is at full extension and this size has a fairly deep groove for the coil, which is why I had to trim the groove wall so I could slide it in without teaching the entire neighborhood some colorful words. In all seriousness, if the spring maintains contact with the bottom of the groove even at full extension, only a minimal groove wall height is needed, and the taller groove wall height got folded over and then trapped underneath the coil so I trimmed it down to where the wall was shorter and stiffer, and so couldn’t get folded over into the groove. For extra security, there are holes so that you can use a zip tie to ensure the dampener won’t get displaced.

i just again looked at the instruction sheet and they show how to cut the groove wall to ease installation in cases where that is necessary. When I’m by a computer, I’ll scan and post that sheet.
 
#39 ·
Finally installed my Timbren coil enhancement Upgrade and was alot easier to put in than I expected... pretty much eliminated all sag in the rear end I was having. Also I can feel the rear end of the vehicle is tighter and the sway and roll is reduced. Great product
 
#40 ·
Thanks for updating! When referring to the sag, is that static sag just from the weight of stuff in the back like a hitch/ full size spare? Or dynamic sag, like bottoming out going over a bumps. Probably both?
 
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FKHeath
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