Just can't seem to get that ride back...
09-19-06, 10:56 PM
#16
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
I guess eventually I'll be going back to stock shocks and perhaps getting new springs, although they shouldn't matter much. I'm very surprised to hear that everyone thinks the Daizen CA bushigns are part of the problem. All the reviews people posted said they had an amazing impact on the car and made the vehicle "feel like new". Most people also said that it had very little adverse impact on the comfort and ride of the car. Its too late for me to swap those out... don't want to do that job again! But I can put in new struts easily. I may just learn to live with the Tokicos for now and go with a coilover setup later on. How do the JIC coilovers compare to the stock setup?
09-19-06, 10:58 PM
#17
Notes:
When I say oem, in this case I mean Dealer Supplied Toyota shocks that have been rumored here to have been made by KYB.
You buy the KYB part # for a LS400 UCF-10 & you will not be getting the same damping rates as oem.
It has been my experience that a stiffer strut soon reveals problems with more expensive parts of an older UCF10 suspension. Most notably Upper Control Arms which are expensive & a pain in the a**.
I did go non oem with the Daizen sway bar bushings & have been extremely impressed with their performance. It is the best cheap suspension upgrade you can do. I was having the annoying dull thud over road wash from the UCA's until I did the sway bar bushings, now I rarely hear them.
Note: When I did do my strut replacement I made the rare move of also installing new Upper Strut Mounts on the front only.
The Kumho SPT seem to be a good LS400 match as well, very quiet & grip like hell, even in the rain. Go to the Tire Rack & read reviews of what customers with bigger heavier luxury cars say about them.
The 90 model my Father still drives had worn the UCA's so bad at 205,000 miles or so that it became dangerous to drive. I got in it & could not believe how twitchy it was. I had a hard time keeping it in a lane around a corner. At the risk of sounding like someone who knows what the hell he is talking about it was as if the camber was constantly changing. Not Lexus like at all. Rather than replace bushings he just bought totally new parts & kept right on going down the road.
It has to be one of the nicest riding 90 models around but it did cost quite a bit to do.
When I say oem, in this case I mean Dealer Supplied Toyota shocks that have been rumored here to have been made by KYB.
You buy the KYB part # for a LS400 UCF-10 & you will not be getting the same damping rates as oem.
It has been my experience that a stiffer strut soon reveals problems with more expensive parts of an older UCF10 suspension. Most notably Upper Control Arms which are expensive & a pain in the a**.
I did go non oem with the Daizen sway bar bushings & have been extremely impressed with their performance. It is the best cheap suspension upgrade you can do. I was having the annoying dull thud over road wash from the UCA's until I did the sway bar bushings, now I rarely hear them.
Note: When I did do my strut replacement I made the rare move of also installing new Upper Strut Mounts on the front only.
The Kumho SPT seem to be a good LS400 match as well, very quiet & grip like hell, even in the rain. Go to the Tire Rack & read reviews of what customers with bigger heavier luxury cars say about them.
The 90 model my Father still drives had worn the UCA's so bad at 205,000 miles or so that it became dangerous to drive. I got in it & could not believe how twitchy it was. I had a hard time keeping it in a lane around a corner. At the risk of sounding like someone who knows what the hell he is talking about it was as if the camber was constantly changing. Not Lexus like at all. Rather than replace bushings he just bought totally new parts & kept right on going down the road.
It has to be one of the nicest riding 90 models around but it did cost quite a bit to do.
Last edited by damon; 09-20-06 at 09:28 PM.
09-20-06, 08:46 AM
#18
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I don't know if there are different KYB model numbers.. Like if you go to Napa and their catalog has a part number for a lexus ls strut, and if it is different than the dealer supplied ones..
But I bought my new struts from the dealer, they were in a brown box with red "toyota" tape on the box, and on the shock part of the strut it had a metal stamp with the letters "KYB" ...
So I would say theya re KYB, not sure if napa's is different dampening or whatever..
GL, just stay oem.. I don't like those Poly eurethane bushings unless you want to put in a grease zerk in the joints because eventually they will start to squeak... I belive the oem rubber is just a little bit softer and they stay quiet...aftermarket is ok on certain things, but on busing I would stay OEM and save the headaches...
But I bought my new struts from the dealer, they were in a brown box with red "toyota" tape on the box, and on the shock part of the strut it had a metal stamp with the letters "KYB" ...
So I would say theya re KYB, not sure if napa's is different dampening or whatever..
GL, just stay oem.. I don't like those Poly eurethane bushings unless you want to put in a grease zerk in the joints because eventually they will start to squeak... I belive the oem rubber is just a little bit softer and they stay quiet...aftermarket is ok on certain things, but on busing I would stay OEM and save the headaches...
10-07-06, 02:16 PM
#19
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I'm back to stock suspension on mine as well for the same reason. New OEM springs and shocks replaced the L-sportline stuff.
One additional thing I did this week was also to move from performance tires on my LS430 18" wheels to a touring tire. Not as sporty handling, but a much bigger sidewall and much quieter tire (partially due to the wear on my old Pirelli p-zero Nero M&S tires which was making them pretty loud).
One additional thing I did this week was also to move from performance tires on my LS430 18" wheels to a touring tire. Not as sporty handling, but a much bigger sidewall and much quieter tire (partially due to the wear on my old Pirelli p-zero Nero M&S tires which was making them pretty loud).
The problem is, I love the look of car. I wonder how much of the poor ride is due to the absolutely horrible Dunlop Direzzas, or a combination of it all. Just having quieter tires will be nice, but I wonder if I would notice a difference in ride between a standard touring tire like the ContiProContact or an Ultra High Performance All Season (anyone who shops for 245/45 18s will know those are about the only two performance categories we have to choose from).
If I knew I could run the H&Rs on stock (or just softer) shocks, I might consider switching. But I am afraid of dumping money into little or no improvement. Does anyone know how L-Sportline's Bilsteins compared to the ride of other shocks?
Thanks,
Brian
10-07-06, 02:23 PM
#20
If you like the stock ride, don't change the suspenion. Any of the aftermarket spring/strut combos are going to increase stiffness. Depends how sensitive you backside is to these changes too. On stock wheels, it's nearly negligible but start going + wheel sizes and it will show up quickly.
The better route if you desire that lowered look is the Tein CS since it has adjustable dampening capabilities. $1,300 and whatever it costs to install.
The better route if you desire that lowered look is the Tein CS since it has adjustable dampening capabilities. $1,300 and whatever it costs to install.
10-07-06, 02:40 PM
#21
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I just didn't suspect it to be that dramatic. Maybe I'm getting old, but back when I had my GS, I replaced stock with H&R and Bilstein and noticed it was a bit firmer, but not uncomfortable at all.
It isn't bad right now, just not that great either. I've been trying to devise ways to get a spring compressor to compress the springs while installed so I can lift up the perch one more notch (it's on the second highest). After last summer, I don't really want to spend more on it than I have to.
Brian
It isn't bad right now, just not that great either. I've been trying to devise ways to get a spring compressor to compress the springs while installed so I can lift up the perch one more notch (it's on the second highest). After last summer, I don't really want to spend more on it than I have to.
Brian
10-08-06, 02:16 PM
#24
it has the same smooth steering but it corners like a demon instead of a cruise liner now. not gonna lie the ride is pretty harsh sometimes but overall its down to about a normal car ride quality. and i havent replaced anything else yet, i plan on adding bushings and shocks soon.
im going lower in the future.. after rims
nthach if you want my rims youd better lift them off me soon, and i want your stocks
im going lower in the future.. after rims
nthach if you want my rims youd better lift them off me soon, and i want your stocks
Last edited by Brandicus; 10-08-06 at 07:02 PM.
10-08-06, 06:36 PM
#25
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so that is what i meant to say
10-08-06, 07:12 PM
#27
Lexus Champion
Suneet, remember the car had worn out parts when you got it,so you really don't know the real ride of the car,also the new poly bushings will be harder on the ride and you need to set tire pressure to book.
10-10-06, 10:35 PM
#28
Lexus Champion
Its simple, if you want that Lexus ride you have to use Lexus parts. ALL OEM parts including the tires and you will have it.
I changed my tires from the Bridgstone Turanzas ER33 to a Continental and night and day diff. Yes the handeling was much better but I felt every pimple on the road, very upset. I bit the bullet and went back to the OEN Bridgstones.
Jerry
I changed my tires from the Bridgstone Turanzas ER33 to a Continental and night and day diff. Yes the handeling was much better but I felt every pimple on the road, very upset. I bit the bullet and went back to the OEN Bridgstones.
Jerry
Suneet, if you are replacing the Tokicos, are you going to sell them?
10-11-06, 12:48 PM
#29
Forum Administrator
iTrader: (2)
Did you go back to the stick springs as well? I bought into L-Sportline when they were closing out. I spent a bunch of money trying to get it to ride better, including switching to H&R springs, but it just seems rough. Bounding roads are okay, but big and medium bumps can be jarring. You can hear it in the whole frame of the car.
If I knew I could run the H&Rs on stock (or just softer) shocks, I might consider switching. But I am afraid of dumping money into little or no improvement. Does anyone know how L-Sportline's Bilsteins compared to the ride of other shocks?
Thanks,
Brian
If I knew I could run the H&Rs on stock (or just softer) shocks, I might consider switching. But I am afraid of dumping money into little or no improvement. Does anyone know how L-Sportline's Bilsteins compared to the ride of other shocks?
Thanks,
Brian
Brian,
I too bought the closeout L-sportline springs and shocks, along with 18" wheels on P-Zero Nero M&S. It was just too rough for me... my GS on Coilovers with loads of suspension mods was smoother.
To get back to the stock ride I've taken a number of incremental steps.
1) based on input from another member, I moved to the L-Sportline Springs along with OEM shocks as you suggest. Love the look still, hate the ride still. I'd characterize it as slightly better.
2) put back OEM Springs along with OEM shocks. Better, much better but not quite as smooth or quiet as I'd like
3) new 'grand touring' Conti ProContact (I think) tires with a bigger sidewall and not as aggressive performance tread. Much smoother, much quieter. Almost fully back to the ride I had with OEM LS400 wheels.
PD - no, still sitting in the garage. Probably won't think about it for another month due to upcoming events / tasks.
10-11-06, 02:59 PM
#30
Brian,
I too bought the closeout L-sportline springs and shocks, along with 18" wheels on P-Zero Nero M&S. It was just too rough for me... my GS on Coilovers with loads of suspension mods was smoother.
To get back to the stock ride I've taken a number of incremental steps.
1) based on input from another member, I moved to the L-Sportline Springs along with OEM shocks as you suggest. Love the look still, hate the ride still. I'd characterize it as slightly better.
2) put back OEM Springs along with OEM shocks. Better, much better but not quite as smooth or quiet as I'd like
3) new 'grand touring' Conti ProContact (I think) tires with a bigger sidewall and not as aggressive performance tread. Much smoother, much quieter. Almost fully back to the ride I had with OEM LS400 wheels.
PD - no, still sitting in the garage. Probably won't think about it for another month due to upcoming events / tasks.
I too bought the closeout L-sportline springs and shocks, along with 18" wheels on P-Zero Nero M&S. It was just too rough for me... my GS on Coilovers with loads of suspension mods was smoother.
To get back to the stock ride I've taken a number of incremental steps.
1) based on input from another member, I moved to the L-Sportline Springs along with OEM shocks as you suggest. Love the look still, hate the ride still. I'd characterize it as slightly better.
2) put back OEM Springs along with OEM shocks. Better, much better but not quite as smooth or quiet as I'd like
3) new 'grand touring' Conti ProContact (I think) tires with a bigger sidewall and not as aggressive performance tread. Much smoother, much quieter. Almost fully back to the ride I had with OEM LS400 wheels.
PD - no, still sitting in the garage. Probably won't think about it for another month due to upcoming events / tasks.
