Scion Accessories & Modifications

waps

Yo !!!
Buy front strut brace thru Scion/Toyota. Keep those shock towers from flexing. I suggest installing sway bar also. Big difference in cornering. Good luck. I'm agreeing with mr.shiftright. I'm using my brace and sway bar on a 2008 xb.

rq86

okay thanks for the advice guys, i appreciate it. i was thinking of buying the tanabe or the dc front strut bar for my xa. but i looks complicated to install cuz it seems tight and compact where the bolts are

rq86

i have a polar white scion xa, dropped on 2 inch tanabe springs. i had black 18s on them for awhile, but didnt like the ride. i was thinking of getting new rims maybe 15 or 16 i dono. but i want the rotas gt3 either red or gold. which do you guys prefer looks cleaner?

Thanks

Mr_Shiftright

I had a DC front strut bar on mine, and it worked well. Its not too hard to install but it's nice if you have a lift so you can gently drop the strut just a little to get it bolted to the strut tower. The DC bar is kind of big and heavy and makes changing your air filter harder.

rq86

can any one give me advice or instruction on how to install a short shifter in a scion xa 04? if anyone can help i would appreciate it.

Mr_Shiftright

Doesn't the kit come with instructions? Don't know as I'd buy a kit that didn't have an instruction sheet with it.

xA is a cable-type shifting system. Shouldn't be too hard.

sculler

Facing my first year in deep snow country. I do a lot of skiing and spend lots of time on steep twisting roads covered with snow. I wonder how the XB with traction control will handle compared to the 4 wd Matrix. I need the room in the XB but don't know how it will handle bad road conditions or how I should equip the XB. Can anyone comment from their experience? The Toyota folk promise the XB will outperform the Matrix 4 wd.

texases

You should do fine if you get a set of dedicated snow tires on rims. Tire Rack is a good place to start, Michelin or Bridgestone are among the good ones. However, it is hard to imagine how a fwd xB would be better than an awd Matrix with the same tires.

Mr_Shiftright

I think the FWD would be especially vulnerable on slow uphill climbs, since all the weight is transferred to the rear; also the xB has a shorter wheelbase I believe.

But with 4 snow tires and some weight in the back end, it should be all right for most conditions. I also don't see how it could outperform a 4WD/AWD car.

Really though, driving in snow is about 50% driver, 25% car and 25% tires IMO.

sculler

Thanks for the advice. I have spoken with three dealers and with a Scion rep. All assure me that the XB is as good in snow as any fwd sedan but would not be as capable as a Matrix 4 wd, assuming both had appropriate tires. Purchasing a spare set of rims and tires for winter seems the best answer. Again, thanks.

crazedcommuter

Your advice about the 4 winter tires is correct. I've been running 4 Blizzacks on my 2005 XB for 3 years now and I have never been stuck and have crawled over mountains and twisty country roads with ease on my long daily commute from WV to Wash, DC. On snowy, plowed highways I find that I can drive along nicely at speeds up to 50 mph and feel perfectly in control while passing lumbering SUV's.

My driveway is a steep climb and and the XB with snow tires has always made it up even if the kids "forgot" to shovel in favor of sledding. The Blizzacks are 185 60 15 and have a softer sidewall than the Kumho 716's that I run the rest of the year, so I drive slower with them on. I have dedicated steel rims for the snows and the local tire store never charges me for the swap, they code it a rotation, since I bought both sets there.

bigolly06

I have a '06 XA and am looking to put a shift boot on my stock shifter. Would a 9" tall boot be good or would I want to go with the short which is 6" tall? Any input would be great.