ISF limited slip differential - what year? Worth extra?
#16
Tech Info Resource
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I wouldn't bother with F Sport sways. The car needs more spring, not more sway. Stiffer sways are a band aid for poor spring selection.
#17
C&D lied. Half of what they said is not true at all. Nothing new in the front since '08 but springs. All the updates were in the rear and mostly bushings. Swaybars are unchanged from 2008 to current. Bushings, yes, bars, no. And the dumb thing about the "lightweight hubs" in the front we've heard from other magazines is completely unsupported by anything Lexus publishes and all parts listings. Hubs have not changed at all during the entire production run.
Take the magazines with a BIG grain of salt. They talk out their rears frequently on these kinds of details.
Take the magazines with a BIG grain of salt. They talk out their rears frequently on these kinds of details.
#18
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Thanks again, all - though you guys are killing me! A shame all this info isn't gathered conclusively in one place. Guess that goes with the territory on a rather niche vehicle.
For now I'm still saving - and plan on looking for an 11+.
For now I'm still saving - and plan on looking for an 11+.
#19
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They're definitely new, and the NCF has some pretty graphs of how the damping is different, but I've heard Sachs as the manufacturer. The only way to know for sure it for an owner to take a look at them. Tokico built the earlier units.
#20
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Car and Driver mag runs fast cars on its Lightning Lap course. It's tested both the old and new IS-F suspensions.
The difference is much bigger than you'd think: the 2011 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:05.4, 2008 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:14.0. That's 8.6 seconds faster for the new suspension. It's the 54th fastest car they've tested, the 2008 model was 99th.
For perspective, the LFA is 2:55.1, roughly as much faster than a 2011 IS-F as a 2011 is than a 2008 IS-F.
The results are here:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...o-2013-page-10
The difference is much bigger than you'd think: the 2011 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:05.4, 2008 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:14.0. That's 8.6 seconds faster for the new suspension. It's the 54th fastest car they've tested, the 2008 model was 99th.
For perspective, the LFA is 2:55.1, roughly as much faster than a 2011 IS-F as a 2011 is than a 2008 IS-F.
The results are here:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...o-2013-page-10
#21
Tech Info Resource
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Car and Driver mag runs fast cars on its Lightning Lap course. It's tested both the old and new IS-F suspensions.
The difference is much bigger than you'd think: the 2011 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:05.4, 2008 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:14.0. That's 8.6 seconds faster for the new suspension. It's the 54th fastest car they've tested, the 2008 model was 99th.
For perspective, the LFA is 2:55.1, roughly as much faster than a 2011 IS-F as a 2011 is than a 2008 IS-F.
The results are here:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...o-2013-page-10
The difference is much bigger than you'd think: the 2011 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:05.4, 2008 Lexus IS-F lap time was 3:14.0. That's 8.6 seconds faster for the new suspension. It's the 54th fastest car they've tested, the 2008 model was 99th.
For perspective, the LFA is 2:55.1, roughly as much faster than a 2011 IS-F as a 2011 is than a 2008 IS-F.
The results are here:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...o-2013-page-10
#22
Driver School Candidate
Why you need a "real" LSD on the track.
I realize I'm about 9 months late to this conversation, but I have a perfect example of why the 2010+ models are so much faster around a track. I've had my 08 on the track twice now and both times the obvious weakest link with the car is the open diff.
Here's a video from last week that very clearly shows the problem at 0:19, 0:50, 2:07, 2:28, 4:09, 5:19, 5:29, and 5:48. Add up all the time lost by the inside tire spinning and ABS trying to stop the loss of traction, and you'll probably find a couple seconds.
Here's a video from last week that very clearly shows the problem at 0:19, 0:50, 2:07, 2:28, 4:09, 5:19, 5:29, and 5:48. Add up all the time lost by the inside tire spinning and ABS trying to stop the loss of traction, and you'll probably find a couple seconds.
Last edited by TinManSam; 10-01-14 at 12:28 PM.
#23
Lexus Fanatic
Not only will the 2010+ handle better on the street and the track.....they also have less issues with teething problems. The first 2 years are generally when they work out common issues. Get the 2010 or 2011 if you can
#26
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I realize I'm about 9 months late to this conversation, but I have a perfect example of why the 2010+ models are so much faster around a track. I've had my 08 on the track twice now and both times the obvious weakest link with the car is the open diff.
Here's a video from last week that very clearly shows the problem at 0:19, 0:50, 2:07, 2:28, 4:09, 5:19, 5:29, and 5:48. Add up all the time lost by the inside tire spinning and ABS trying to stop the loss of traction, and you'll probably find a couple seconds.
Here's a video from last week that very clearly shows the problem at 0:19, 0:50, 2:07, 2:28, 4:09, 5:19, 5:29, and 5:48. Add up all the time lost by the inside tire spinning and ABS trying to stop the loss of traction, and you'll probably find a couple seconds.
This doesn't mean I wouldn't put a limited slip in the diff, it just means I'll start fixing the problem with chassis setup, not a differential spool.
#27
Driver School Candidate
The obvious weakest link is the soft front springs. The chirping is the eDiff? First, I've never heard it in my car, and second, if you think the eDiff is bad, you should turn it off with the pedal dance and see the difference. I've done this, and it's a disaster. The OEM Torsen will fare no better if the inside rear lifts, so the truth is, it's better if the inside rear doesn't lift, and the only way to do that is to put more spring on the front.
This doesn't mean I wouldn't put a limited slip in the diff, it just means I'll start fixing the problem with chassis setup, not a differential spool.
This doesn't mean I wouldn't put a limited slip in the diff, it just means I'll start fixing the problem with chassis setup, not a differential spool.
In the video above the microphone was mounted just above the rear license plate, so most of the tire sequel you're hearing is the rear tires.
I was running 245/40/18 Direzza ZI's in the front and some left over 275/35/18 General G-Max in the rear (looking for a pair of 275 Direzzas right now). The tires helped ALOT with the understeer, but the rear inside wheel is still constantly spinning when accelerating out of a corner -partially from the rear tires, which I admit I need to change- but a car with this much power should never have been made without a limited slip.
Yeah, I've felt the eLSD kick in several times (usually when taking a steep driveway at an angle) and it's definitely more of an ABS-like pulse than a smooth, gradual buffer.
Don't get me wrong though, for a four door daily driver, this car is AMAZING on the track. Just wish they would have included the torsen on all models... but what can we do about it? Other than spend $3k on an LSD or buy a 10+? I'm still very happy with the car.
Last edited by TinManSam; 10-02-14 at 02:53 PM.
#29
Pole Position
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brought back from the dead
I was in this situation not long ago, opted for a 2011+ for all the upgrades
LSD Diff , suspension overhaul, LED headlights, updated NAV + bluetooth audio, better steering wheel, updated gauge cluster, steering ECU, alcantara seats
So many upgrades it just made sense to spend more money on a 2011+ to me.
Even if you did coil overs and a rear diff you could spend 5-6k on those alone so the price difference is worth it to me.
I was in this situation not long ago, opted for a 2011+ for all the upgrades
LSD Diff , suspension overhaul, LED headlights, updated NAV + bluetooth audio, better steering wheel, updated gauge cluster, steering ECU, alcantara seats
So many upgrades it just made sense to spend more money on a 2011+ to me.
Even if you did coil overs and a rear diff you could spend 5-6k on those alone so the price difference is worth it to me.
#30
Instructor
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brought back from the dead
I was in this situation not long ago, opted for a 2011+ for all the upgrades
LSD Diff , suspension overhaul, LED headlights, updated NAV + bluetooth audio, better steering wheel, updated gauge cluster, steering ECU, alcantara seats
So many upgrades it just made sense to spend more money on a 2011+ to me.
Even if you did coil overs and a rear diff you could spend 5-6k on those alone so the price difference is worth it to me.
I was in this situation not long ago, opted for a 2011+ for all the upgrades
LSD Diff , suspension overhaul, LED headlights, updated NAV + bluetooth audio, better steering wheel, updated gauge cluster, steering ECU, alcantara seats
So many upgrades it just made sense to spend more money on a 2011+ to me.
Even if you did coil overs and a rear diff you could spend 5-6k on those alone so the price difference is worth it to me.
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