RRocket

Well...for 2006, I've decided to further mod my GS, but I think I'll be going a bit in the opposite direction than many GS owners. I want my GS400 less GS (Grand Sport) and more GT (Grand Touring). I've really agonized over this for the last few months, and very nearly bought an LS430. But in the end it was just too large, and frankly, not as good looking as a GS400. Bear in mind I travel many thousands of miles a year (in mostly straight lines!) and a quiet, fast, comfortable car is what I need. The LS does this in spades. And apart from my above mentioned reasons why I did not buy, another big factor is my GS is paid for. And I like my colour (Antique Bronze Mica). Don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to make my GS into an LS. I just want to slant it a bit more towards the touring side and take some of the "sport" edge off of it and give it more "smooth and quiet". Here's a pic

I've already done a few mods. They are:

18" EVO Lightening wheels with Falken ZX tires. These are amazingly strong wheels. I've hit some HUGE potholes with these and these are still straight and true. I have no doubt that if I'd been running more costly wheels, or multi-piece wheels, they'd be ruined with the abuse these have taken. I'm VERY pleased with these. The tires are also the best performance-all season tires I've ever used. And I've tried many. They are quiet, grippy, excellent in rain. They do seem to wear a bit quicker than expected though.

RMM Exhaust. Sounds great..no drone.

L-tuned shocks/struts *This will need to be changed. I'm not overly happy with these. Although the lowering looks good, the ride is harsh. Please bear in mind I don't have billiard smooth roads/highways around here. They are frost heaved, potholes, in mediocre condition. I would like as smooth as stock, or dare I say SOFTER than the stock suspension. I know I'll have body roll, but some of that will be controlled with F/R strut braces, and my Daizen bushings throughout.

Daizen bushings, complete, with sway bushings too.

Clear side lenses

LED wedge bulbs (these look very, very nice at nite.)

2800 Edge Racing Converter (not installed yet).

F/R strut tower braces (not installed yet).

Braided brake lines, Brembo OE rotors, MetalMaster pads, painted calipers.

Now here's where I need some advice...I need direction on which parts I might need, and where I might find them, or reviews from people who already own these parts. I'm also interested in any opinions that may be helpful for my mods.

I need different shocks..likely coil-overs. I need PLUSH. I hear either the HKS LS+ or the Tein CS are the only way to go. Can anyone comment on either of these? I'm not interested in air ride.

Sound proofing/deadening. I'm really clueless about this, and would like opinions from anyone who has done this, or could offer advice on how best to do this. This isn't for stereo reasons (my girlfriend is deaf, and I'm not an audiophile) this is for quieting the cabin a bit.

I will be doing some type of blackwood interior trim or either refinishing my stock pieces if they are in fact real wood (my dad is a master wood worker)

I'm looking for a LSD...I need it to go with my TC.

Am I missing anything? My immediate mods will be with sorting out the suspension and making the cabin a more pleasant place to be. What say you, fellow GS owners??

TTurboPimp

iTrader: (12)

Alright, here is my advice..........

Suspension.......... go with the Tein CS with EDFC......the CS are as comfy as your going to get in a coilover, you will be able to adjust the drop (which you cant do now), and with the EDFC you can adjust the dampening for the times that you want to stiffen it up a bit for spirited driving.

****by the way, I would bet that your ride is a bit more harsh now due to the Daizen bushings

Sound proofing.........I bought my GS from a guy that owns his own high end car audio manufacturing company. This car was sound proofed well beyond the norm.....but it was quite. Take out the interior, as much ofit as you feel comfortable doing...its actually quite easy. Install Dynamat or similar on the floor boards, doors, trunk, etc. The guy I bought my car did this, and he added a foam padding under the carpet, behind the rear seat, behind the trunk panels, etc.....this thing was quite. The padding was like carpet padding, nothing fancy. I took most of that out for weight reasons with my current set up.

Blackwood.........the wood trim is not real wood, but there area few places out there that can re finish the factory wood with a blackwood finish using the saem basic process the factory does. PM me if your interested in their info.

LSD........just keep your eye out for a used Supra TT auto diffrential with LSD, this works out perfect and swaps right in. IF you buy from RMM, that is what you are getting, a factory part. You can also buy a TRD LSD and have it installed in your stock diff, but the Supra TT diff. will give you lower gearing.........quicker off the line. I had the torque converter with 2800 stall and the Supra LSD on my old GS, it was quick......best bang for the buck.


Good Luck............

RRocket

Thanks for the prompt reply! I just wanted to let you know I could tell virtually no difference between the OE bushing and the Daizen.

As for the Tein CS, I notice that the HKS has softer spring rates with their kit. Have you tried both of those, or is your experience with the Tein only? Thanks!!

BC-GS430

Actually the HKS LS+ have higher spring rates. It is stiffer than the teins although I've never had it at the softest setting.

HKS stats:

LEXUS GS300 1998-2004 front: 10 rear: 9

Tein stats:

LEXUS GS300/400/430CS front: 9 rear: 8

RRocket

Really? Manaray had compiled a list that showed the LS+ at 7/5 The numbers he provided for Tein CS are the same as the ones you provided...I know the numbers you provided are the numbers from their website...wonder if they've changed since Manaray compiled his list??

Neo

iTrader: (3)

Keep in mind that a lot of the ride feel comes from how the shocks are valved. The spring rates will matter but not as much as the shocks. Obviously, they work together but in different individual ways.

Look at the Tein Flex and CS. The spring rates for the Flex are 10/9 while the CS is 9/8. They are only one step away. The shocks, however, are different and if you ask anyone who has ridden or owned both, the ride quality is VERY different.

BC-GS430

A friend of mine has the Tein CS with EDFC and we both agree that my HKS LS+ are stiffer. I've never had mine set above 10 clicks from the softest setting yet it seems stiffer than the Teins at its stiffest setting. I think it rides close to stock at 5 clicks from softest. Maybe I should try the softest and see how that is. Overall it rides pretty nice, the only time I noticed that it was really stiff was when i went through downtown San Francisco.

RRocket

Hey if you wouldn't mind putting it on the softest settings for either Tein or HKS, I'd sure like to hear how spongy it is..or how much softer compared to stock. I suspect even if it is softer than stock, it will still handle better than stock GS shocks...

BC-GS430

I'll try that in the next day or so and let u know.

BC-GS430

Well I have to say that it rides very nice at the softest setting. A hair stiffer than stock but hard to notice. It feels very similar to the Tein CS. It was a bit wet here so I didn't do any agressive driving. It does still handle better than stock, its pushes a little more than when I have it set stiffer but thats all expected. Either choice would probably be good, if you want the EDFC function Tein's is the only way to go. But as far as adjustability the HKS wins hands down.

RRocket

Can you elaborate on that? I'm not sure what you mean? Is it difficult to adjust the Tein without EDFC, or is there something else? Thanks again...I'm learning plenty!

BC-GS430

The HKS has an hex key you use to adjust the dampening. I'm not to sure about the Teins without edfc but i think its the same. HKS has a cable with a **** you can leave attached to the rear coils to adjust if you cut a small hole in the carpet and pass this cable through so its fairly easy to adjust, otherwise you have to rip apart the trunk interior every time you want to change something. I don't really notice much change from the softest to the middle setting on the Teins (16 settings). Someone may have a different opinion. HKS has 30 settings and I do notice a change when I adjust it. In my opinion you can go from stock to track on the HKS as it can get a lot stiffer than the Teins. I usually have mine set around 7 clicks from softest and it still rides nice (not harsh at all but handles very well). I think either choice would be good. Any chance you can ride in someone's car near you? I'm sure a fellow member would help you out.

DetMich1

Not sure about any of the aftermarket blackwood trim sources but.... the Lexus wood trim is DEFINITELY REAL WOOD. It is manufactured by Yamaha, same folks that make pianos and other musical instruments. It is veneer and very thin, but the grain you see is real wood that was once part of a living tree. Glen (RMMGS4) confirmed this by cutting a piece open to end the speculation and settle the issue once and for all.

RRocket

Thanks for clearing up the wood "mystery"! Cheers!

Spyder78

iTrader: (7)

if you want to make the cabin quiet or reduce the road noise. i wouldn't invest in Dynamat I tryed it and it gets the job done but there is better, when I had my accord I had a system and in order to reduce the rattles and road noise I bought sound deadner from secondskinaudio.com. i bought their liquid sound deadner and sprayed the whole trunk and it made a huge difference. I also used their rattle pad and damplifer. Check them out they are cheaper than dynamat, it also weighs less and a lot better quality.