shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29 
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Hi I have a Granvia 3.0 td with column shift auto - smooth, smooth smooth. Granvia is same dimensions as your Hiace so I guess a 3.0TD would fit. Here it is......  BTW - thewoots.... awesome bus, love it! Sorry for thread hijack but I have a question - how did you lower it? I'd like to do the same to my Granvia. The front is on a torsion bar, which I guess I can just wind down, but can't find any specs for rear lowering. Help appreciated. |
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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Another Granvia owner here  1996 Toyota Granvia by Bornite Identity, on Flickr  1996 Toyota Granvia by Bornite Identity, on Flickr The 1KZ-TE engine really is an absolute diamond, and the "legendary" status is truly deserved. It is tough, very willing and utterly dependable. The only thing worth mentioning is, when it's in the 'bus' rather than the 4x4, half the engine is in the cabin - so getting to stuff like the oil filter can be a minor PITA. Once you've mastered it though you're fine. Enjoy. |
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Hi Shiney.. Yep lowering the front is easy its on torsion bars.. On the rear it has been a bit of trail and error as i couldn't find any lowering springs.
The setup i have now works perfect at that height in the picture....
1) rolled the inner lip back on the wheel arch for clearance (this will depend on width of wheels and tyres)
2) Fitted Extra heavy duty Sachs shocks for a VWT4 They pretty much fit straight on. All you need to do is press out the mounting bush from the t4 shock and replace it with the original bush from the toyota shock. This was the best mod I did on my suspension setup i also fitted the front heavy duty shocks again t4 varient fit straight on. I cant explain how much nicer the van was to drive just doing that alone.
3) The rear ride height.... after messing around with t4 lowering springs they just made the ride too stiff and bouncy. So i ended up cutting the standard springs. The coils are all the same distance apart so the compression rate is linear on the spring so the spring rate stays pretty close to original. Because of the distance between the coils they do not go coil bound either so i get full range of travel down to the bump stops (which have also been trimmed down front and rear)
4) Under my van I have a 70litre water tank that is used for the water meth injection and bike wash :-)the standard 65litre fuel tank. If they are both full up and I have 4 people 4 bikes and weekend worth of luggage I have air bag assisters i can inflate in the rear coils these are super cool and pretty cheap and make so much difference when you have all that weight in the van. The van drives perfect.
Its been a fair bit of trail and error as not many people fiddle around with thses vans in the uk.. But the end result has been i have a van slammed to the floor but still that handles fantastic and drives fantastic with no scrubbing banging or unweildly noises. I can provide you links to the shocks and spring assisters if need be..
Like i said i cannot explain how much nicer the van drove just doing the shocks the sachs units were easily double the thickness of the toyota standard ones.
Hope that helps :-)
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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thewoottsSorry, should've said. A link to the Sachs shocks would be great.
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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Lol, yeh that was my post... bit of a miss mangle of weird pics at various points. I thought I had taken them down..... Yeh the interior has come on loads it looks pretty cool inside now... I'm just in the middle of fabricating a drawer fridge into the bed frame ill post some pics next week when I got all back together. In fact I should be taking pictures now really. Using it as a daily and trying to get everything done on it is quite hard. Bike wise Its Mainly MTB,DH. However I do have a cx bike that I love blasting around it gets used like a cross country mounting bike I love it. www.skscarparts.co.uk/suspension/shock-absorber SUSPENSION: Shock Absorber: 170 880 -- SACHS Vehicle Info : Suspension: ,for vehicles with lowered chassis Shock Absorber: 105 819 -- SACHS Vehicle Info : Suspension: ,for vehicles with lowered chassis Part Info : Location: Front Axle I done a lot of looking around and this guy supplies all the people on the main t4 forum as a result he is the cheapest by a long way. |
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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@thewoots
You should put up a build thread.... with more pics! Be interested to see what you've done inside and all the other mods. The water tank sounds interesting!
I've a CX bike that gets bashed around the same way and for 'classic' CX races. My initial motivation to get the ShineyBus was so I could cart my bike and associated gear (and mates!!) to events, sling stuff in the back when finished and get changed in a space bigger than a shoe box. The Granvia works a treat at all levels. But its become more than that and is our 'go to' motor for longer trips now. This winter we're hoping to go to Belgium for a round of the CX 'Super Prestige' (actually for the Beer and chips as well) and the Bus will be doing the lugging.
As you've mentioned, handling is a bit 'barge like' on these, so I'm really interested in your suspension mods. Cheers for the links.
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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Mine was bought with no intention of keeping it. I picked it up super cheap, I was just going to sell it on. But like you said its so versatile and comfortable I love it. I have even grown to love the fact that thing is automatic. For the longer trips you can run the van on svo I get 20litres from costco for under £13 takes the sting out the fuel cost.
In hindsight I would have got a Granvia like yourself the extra width is definitely worth having.
Ive not done a European trip yet. That cx/beer event in Belgium sounds great! :-)
And yep as mentioned before those shocks will totally transform your van. It also helps with the wear on the edges of the front tyres due to the decreased amount if body roll.
At the end if the month ill see if I can construct a propper build thread with some structure! :-)
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dubwarrior2
Part of things
"Open up, its the filth"
Posts: 576
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Is the granvia wider?
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Aug 10, 2016 12:17:39 GMT
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your van is the same width as the Granvia. It's the varient I have the Regius that is about 4 inches narrower. makes a massive difference inside the vans!
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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Aug 17, 2016 21:58:38 GMT
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thewootts Just got around to looking up the shocks you mentioned - both the codes are for front shocks... is that right? Can they be fitted without cutting the rear springs? - while I work out how low to go! Cheers Shiney
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Last Edit: Aug 17, 2016 22:22:23 GMT by shiney
1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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No they should be front and rear..... sorry my mistake. If you go on the web site they should be easy enough to match front and rears.
They are fine to fit on vans with standard ride height. Its because of the stiff compression of the shocks they have been listed for lowered vans. The intended use is mainly for vans that carry extra heavy loads.
Infact I'm fitting a set to my friends Granvia next week his van is stock ride height.
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Last Edit: Aug 18, 2016 15:59:53 GMT by thewootts
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Aug 19, 2016 11:34:00 GMT
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Prob worth mentioning I cut off only about half a coil to achieve my ride height, as you can see its pretty low. So bare that in mind when you cut them. Also cut them in pairs and check the ride height with both cut springs if you do one side at a time the van will sit on an angle and not give you a true reflection of the new height with the spring you have cut. The springs only take a couple of minutes to take in and out. So its easy to take your time and get it spot on.
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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Aug 19, 2016 14:57:09 GMT
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Which shocks are you using on your friend's Granvia?
Perhaps we should start a new thread as we seem to have hijacked this one (sorry.... my fault)
I reckon you ought to cross post on the Granvia forum as there have been a few questions about this subject (ride quality/height)
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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dubwarrior2
Part of things
"Open up, its the filth"
Posts: 576
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Aug 19, 2016 15:21:50 GMT
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Guys I don't mind you using my thread. Progress has been slow for me and its all useful info for when payday finally arrives.
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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Aug 19, 2016 15:24:44 GMT
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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Aug 19, 2016 16:57:52 GMT
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 Here is a screen shot of the basket from the website in previous link. ;-) I know that feeling ,waiting for pay day!!..... |
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shiney
Part of things
Posts: 29
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Aug 20, 2016 11:01:31 GMT
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Hey thewootts - thanks for the screenshot. Ordering this week!!! |
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1998 Toyota Picnic GL
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Mar 17, 2019 10:36:22 GMT
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Hi thewoots Hello, can you confirm if the van you lowered was a 2WD or a 4WD? I want to lower my 1996 4WD but want to be 100% sure the shockers you mentioned are correct first. Thanks! |
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Last Edit: Mar 17, 2019 10:37:01 GMT by skyegtb
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Mar 17, 2019 12:54:17 GMT
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Just bought a HiAce myself, was looking at vw’s but just could justify scene tax, high miles and rust. Appreciate mine is possibly less cool but no rust and low miles. Should see me for a few years. First task is to get the da out and bring the paint back to normal then look at subtle mods, suspension, wheels, double din radio, second row of seats in back etc. Also thinking of rustproofing to maintain condition. Trip to Spain later this year with dirtbike in back. Any advice on wheels and any of above appreciated. Might start own thread or add to this as its pretty old.
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Mercedes W201 2.6
Jeep TJ 4.0
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