I received my console via postal service today, straight from Japan.  Originally I was going to hold off on the install, but after pulling everything out, I decided I may as well!

Parts Included :

Console Body

Bottom Cover

Console Deck

Mounting Racks

various screws for installation

Tools Required :

Screw Driver…

Installation :

As you can see from the large Tool list, this is a fairly simple installation.  There are two mounting racks that slide and hug onto both front seat tracks, from the bottom.  Pull them all the way towards you and they’ll sit in place, slightly sagging but that will be fixed once everything is screwed into place.  Position the legs of the console deck onto the mounting racks, and line up two holes to screw it into place on each side.  You’re halfway done, MAN I love simple installations like this!  Pop the bottom cover onto the console body, and set it over the deck.  The bottom cover allows a flush appearance when the console is put into place.  Set the console body on top of the deck, and open up the main section to screw it into place.  There are four holes, and four small screws to keep the console in place.  Throw in the nice fuzzy bottom piece (much like what’s in our door handle areas) to cover up the screws, close up the section, and enjoy what 5 minutes of hard work has given you; a nice storage console/arm rest!!

As a young man who is 6′ tall in stature, I find the console to be relatively low; certainly comfortable for me, but definitely nothing that would be overbearing to an xD owner of any build!  Seeing as how it IS an OEM piece, it flows well with the interior; an extreme wonder why Toyota never decided to bring it over to the states!

That’s about it for now…Hope you all enjoyed the write up, and should you purchase the console, enjoy it as well!

Next up for me?  HID installation!  I’ll actually need my own pictures for that install guide, so we’ll see how that goes

-Corey

TRD Sport Muffler - courtesy of www.scion.com

Back again for my second post!  This time around we take a look at the TRD Sport Muffler , an axle back made specifically for the Scion xD.   Let’s take a peak at what tools we need.

Tool Requirements:

Socket Wrench w/ 14mm socket.

Torque Wrench w/ 14mm socket

Hangar Remover (optional)

Your shiny new TRD Sport Muffler

Not really much required for this installation as it is a very straight forward one.

Included Parts:

TRD Sport Muffler

Auxiliary Rubber Hangar

So that’s the basic run down, moving on to the installation process.

Installation:

Uninstalling the stock muffler is fairly simple; lift the car whichever way you see fit (safely..please) and get under the rear, right side, passenger door.  You’ll see two spring-loaded bolts, the only ones you’ll be removing in this process.  Start unbolting them and once that’s done with, move on to the pulling off the hangars.  You can do this in two ways; remove the rubber hangars from the mounts on the chassis, or simply remove the exhaust from the rubber hangars, leaving them on the car.  I opted to remove the rubbers from the car itself to just swap onto the TRD.  If you don’t have the hangar removing pliers, fear not, get a good lubricant and push, they’ll come off with a slight struggle at most.

I should note, to make hangar removal/application easier, I took off the right, rear, wheel for more access; it’s not necessary, but it sure helps, even in unbolting.

Now here’s the fun part; scoot under the car and you’ll notice on the spare tire well area, there are two black grommets; about the size of a half dollar or so.  Remove the one furthest in (closest to your fuel cell) as this is where the afore-listed auxiliary hangar will be placed.  I suggest popping this in to the well area, rather than putting it on the muffler and then popping it in.  This can be a fairly complicated process, as the rubber hangar has a large cubic top section, where as the hole is a small circular cut out.  Remember those old wood cut-out toys?  Logic tells us that cubes don’t fit into circular areas.  Squeeze it in there as you see fit; it eventually goes in, it’s just a huge pain.

Once that’s in, make sure you’ve attached all the other hangars to the muffler or chassis, and fit the new axle back over the torsion beam and back to the mid-piping off the resonator.  With my muffler, after bolting it down and torquing it to spec (listed soon), you may notice there is a sizable gap between the mufflers’ flange, and the mid-piping flange.  It’s fine.  Make sure you have no leaks; I had a friend hold his hands around the flange area while I revved hard, and he assured there were no leaks.  If you have leaks, perhaps your muffler is crooked; straighten, and once there are no leaks, you’re good.

After all is said and done, ensure the spring bolts are torqued to 32.0 ft.lbs. (43.0 Nm)

Aftermath:

After swearing like a sailor through the auxiliary hangar installation, and being satisfied with no leaks from the flange section, you now have a nice and shiny new piece on your xD!  The tone is amazing, and for those of you who worry about a subtle yet aggressive tone, this is a great product for you.  The TRD Sport Muffler creates a slightly gruffer growl from the exhaust, nearly inaudible at idle, and growling its way up through the revs smoothly as you accelerate.  You’ll definitely enjoy being able to hear the deep grumble from inside the car as you drive; though for those who see it as a downside, you can still hear it slightly over your music.  Not so much over, as integrated within, but you’ll see what I mean once it’s installed, it’s nothing that bothers me at least.

Hope everything was comprehensive, this is a great product for the money, and will definitely give you that extra auditory “umph” you’ve been looking for.

Until next time; happy tuning, stay safe, and enjoy the ride.

-Corey

For today’s spotlight I will be reviewing Tanabe’s DF210 series springs, providing the lowest drop without taking the plunge into coils or bags.  The drop rate is, according to Tanabe, 1.9 Front and 2.2 Rear, respectively.  Where as most springs will follow the height ratio of the manufacturer, the DF’s will bring the body completely level, rather than slightly (ever so slightly) raked up in the rear as the OEM set up is.  For this reason, there is a noticeable gap in the front fenders between the wheels (as seen with OEM steelies+dunlops), where the rear is actually flush with the quarter panel line.   Overall, this would be my overall gripe with the product.  Everything else is flawless.

Handling/Daily Driving

The biggest concern people have with a lowered car is not necessarily handling, but how will it FEEL when driving through town?  Before I address how it feels, I’d like to give you my insight on what “harsher” ride quality means.  In my opinion, a harsher ride can vary from strong jolts whenever riding over a pothole (eek!), and can include the extra body movement you feel as you go over a small hump in the road.  In my 1100 mile experience, the only thing you’ll notice is that extra body travel as you ride over a small hump.  The ride isn’t uncomfortable or disheveling in any way, and to be quite honest, is still just as soft and cushy as the OEM springs.  (Let me say now, that I’m riding on the OEM Shock/Strut set up, so ride quality and handling improvements are solely based off the springs alone).

Handling, as with any worthwhile suspension upgrade, brought an immediately noticeable improvement in cornering.  Hard cornering, when paired with some sticky tires, should be no problem for this set up.  Seeing as how I’m riding on all seasons, my handling through hard corners isn’t quite up to par, but I can assure that the crispness is there, and VERY enjoyable.  Pair it with a nice, thick, rear sway, and I think all xD owners will have a thrilling little ride on their hands!

Kit Includes
-Tanabe DF210 Springs
-Tanabe Stickers (YEA!!)

Tools/Install

Tools required are as follows:

-Torque Wrench (yes it’s first. Anyone planning on doing DIY work for their cars should have a good Torque Wrench!)
-Sockets: 10, 14, 17, 22 mm
-A 17mm offset wrench (had to run out to the store to buy this one)
-6mm allen wrench
-Last but not least, a Spring Compressor for the front springs

Overall Install

The install wasn’t horrible, and it definitely wasn’t my first time working on suspension.  However, having said that, I did struggle with the front struts because of Toyota’s genius Wiper Guard design.  Instead of following logic, I opted to not remove this piece, and struggled for a good hour, harshly stripping the top nut for my front driver side strut.  So let this be a warning to you: DO NOT SKIP THIS PROCESS.  Remove the Wiper Guard, and all will be happy.

Final Review

I truly enjoy my xD with the DF’s installed, and would recommend them to anyone looking to drop their car.  Dont be scared by the 2″  drop, it’s really not bad at all.  Theres still a 7″ clearance.  If you live in a pothole ridden area of town, or commute to a pothole ridden area, fear not!  My locale has by far some of the worst roads I’ve ever driven on, and my little xD survives just fine, drop and all.  So don’t be afraid!  Get as low as y ou can, and enjoy every inch of it!

-Corey