ES 350 Lowered on Camry Springs
#16
well, I heard dropping any car will have harsher ride quality anyways! but coilovers will definitely improve this harsher ride, but will nowhere be as smooth as a stock lexus! The handling on the ES is horrible on turns, so dropping the car is like a double edge sword ....ahh the dilemma, ride quality or handling...
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well, I heard dropping any car will have harsher ride quality anyways! but coilovers will definitely improve this harsher ride, but will nowhere be as smooth as a stock lexus! The handling on the ES is horrible on turns, so dropping the car is like a double edge sword ....ahh the dilemma, ride quality or handling...
The improved handling is worth it overall in my opinion.
Last edited by JVMP58; 09-03-12 at 05:34 AM.
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I disagree that anti-sway bars will give the ride stability we're looking for. The center of gravity it too high on the ES and the body roll isn't due to chassis stiffness.
#20
You got a link to these coil overs? Been looking for some.
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You guys gotta understand that a car is engineered as it's stock ride height. Meaning that when you change the ride height, the geometry of the vehicle is no longer stable. Ride height will always suffer. I learned this when I lifted my first truck.
With any application, lowering springs alone will give you bad ride quality. If you can afford a luxury car, you can afford to buy some coil overs and do it the right way. Some vehicles require further modification. I just sold a 2001 Trans Am, and on those cars you need relocation brackets for the rear lower control arms and an on-car adjustable panhard rod so the rear of the vehicle can find its center.
With any application, lowering springs alone will give you bad ride quality. If you can afford a luxury car, you can afford to buy some coil overs and do it the right way. Some vehicles require further modification. I just sold a 2001 Trans Am, and on those cars you need relocation brackets for the rear lower control arms and an on-car adjustable panhard rod so the rear of the vehicle can find its center.
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Here is the link for the Camry set. Megan makes a set labeled for the ES350 I believe it ends up being the same part number as the Toyota ones. I'd call them directly. You can also find them on Amazon from time to time a little less expensive.
http://www.meganracing.com/product_d...d=114&catid=31
http://www.meganracing.com/product_d...d=114&catid=31
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You guys gotta understand that a car is engineered as it's stock ride height. Meaning that when you change the ride height, the geometry of the vehicle is no longer stable. Ride height will always suffer. I learned this when I lifted my first truck.
With any application, lowering springs alone will give you bad ride quality. If you can afford a luxury car, you can afford to buy some coil overs and do it the right way. Some vehicles require further modification. I just sold a 2001 Trans Am, and on those cars you need relocation brackets for the rear lower control arms and an on-car adjustable panhard rod so the rear of the vehicle can find its center.
With any application, lowering springs alone will give you bad ride quality. If you can afford a luxury car, you can afford to buy some coil overs and do it the right way. Some vehicles require further modification. I just sold a 2001 Trans Am, and on those cars you need relocation brackets for the rear lower control arms and an on-car adjustable panhard rod so the rear of the vehicle can find its center.
I didn't use them when I installed my springs because the drop was only 1"-1.4" and after a proper alignment my camber didn't suffer too much.
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...autoModClar=SE
#24
No one mentioned cutting the springs in this thread. I would never recommend that on any car, none the less a Lexus. I used aftermarket Eibach springs.
I disagree that anti-sway bars will give the ride stability we're looking for. The center of gravity it too high on the ES and the body roll isn't due to chassis stiffness.
I disagree that anti-sway bars will give the ride stability we're looking for. The center of gravity it too high on the ES and the body roll isn't due to chassis stiffness.
#25
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AFAIK, they don't make front sways for the Camry / ES350. UltraRacing makes a front strut bar for the car and a rear sway, along with some other chassis stiffening bars, but no front sway.
Now that I have Megan Coilovers on my car, I'm considering getting the rear sway - I already have the Ultra Racing strut bar.
On my ES, lowering it to give a roughly 1-1.5 finger gap - I was still able to get it aligned without adding a camber kit or anything.
Only thing that still bothers me about the car is the power steering - not sure if there's anything easy I can do about that other than replacing the entire power steering rack with one from another car. I've read about some folks who have put a resistor on the power steering wire to give it less boost.
I'm hoping I'll be satisfied with the handling of the car after doing these changes. Or maybe I'll just buy a different car haha...
Anyway - I'd recommend starting with coilovers on the car first. It will improve the handling - but expect that it will also remove the smoothness of the ride, and you will start to feel bumps a lot more, get a bit of "bounciness", etc ... and at least in my experience with the Megans - with the coilovers on their softest setting.
Now that I have Megan Coilovers on my car, I'm considering getting the rear sway - I already have the Ultra Racing strut bar.
On my ES, lowering it to give a roughly 1-1.5 finger gap - I was still able to get it aligned without adding a camber kit or anything.
Only thing that still bothers me about the car is the power steering - not sure if there's anything easy I can do about that other than replacing the entire power steering rack with one from another car. I've read about some folks who have put a resistor on the power steering wire to give it less boost.
I'm hoping I'll be satisfied with the handling of the car after doing these changes. Or maybe I'll just buy a different car haha...
Anyway - I'd recommend starting with coilovers on the car first. It will improve the handling - but expect that it will also remove the smoothness of the ride, and you will start to feel bumps a lot more, get a bit of "bounciness", etc ... and at least in my experience with the Megans - with the coilovers on their softest setting.
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My recommendation would be the coil-overs first. Sway bars may help too I just haven't experienced too much flex in the chassis. I'm not taking my ES350 to the track or anything; I just prefer the lower ride height for looks and a little more stability. Lowering it takes the "mushiness" feel out of the ride and it seems to like windy roads a lot more now.
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AFAIK, they don't make front sways for the Camry / ES350. UltraRacing makes a front strut bar for the car and a rear sway, along with some other chassis stiffening bars, but no front sway.
Now that I have Megan Coilovers on my car, I'm considering getting the rear sway - I already have the Ultra Racing strut bar.
On my ES, lowering it to give a roughly 1-1.5 finger gap - I was still able to get it aligned without adding a camber kit or anything.
Only thing that still bothers me about the car is the power steering - not sure if there's anything easy I can do about that other than replacing the entire power steering rack with one from another car. I've read about some folks who have put a resistor on the power steering wire to give it less boost.
I'm hoping I'll be satisfied with the handling of the car after doing these changes. Or maybe I'll just buy a different car haha...
Anyway - I'd recommend starting with coilovers on the car first. It will improve the handling - but expect that it will also remove the smoothness of the ride, and you will start to feel bumps a lot more, get a bit of "bounciness", etc ... and at least in my experience with the Megans - with the coilovers on their softest setting.
Now that I have Megan Coilovers on my car, I'm considering getting the rear sway - I already have the Ultra Racing strut bar.
On my ES, lowering it to give a roughly 1-1.5 finger gap - I was still able to get it aligned without adding a camber kit or anything.
Only thing that still bothers me about the car is the power steering - not sure if there's anything easy I can do about that other than replacing the entire power steering rack with one from another car. I've read about some folks who have put a resistor on the power steering wire to give it less boost.
I'm hoping I'll be satisfied with the handling of the car after doing these changes. Or maybe I'll just buy a different car haha...
Anyway - I'd recommend starting with coilovers on the car first. It will improve the handling - but expect that it will also remove the smoothness of the ride, and you will start to feel bumps a lot more, get a bit of "bounciness", etc ... and at least in my experience with the Megans - with the coilovers on their softest setting.
What about the power steering bothers you?
#28
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Ryan, that has been my experience too with my buddy's ES that runs coil-overs. I have a lot of "bounciness" with just the springs as well. The biggest downfall of the springs-only application is the shocks "bottoming out" on larger bumps.
What about the power steering bothers you?
What about the power steering bothers you?
The power steering is fine at lower speeds, but there seems to be way too much boost at higher speeds. Do you have any ideas how to change that? I've read some different ideas, from lowering the voltage that goes to the power steering using a resistor, to putting a thickening agent into your power steering fluid (that sounds dangerous / could damage the power steering) - but I've also heard it is relatively easy to swap in a power steering rack from a different car.
#29
would you guys ever consider using air suspension, like phantom air by VIP? I was always interested in doing this and was wondering if using air suspension will simmer the "bounciness"
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If you find a good system and get a qualitybinstallni don't think you'll be disappointed.