Full-Race

Hey Guys:

My Big Question is: Does the 2nd gen GS400 use the same spring dimensions and shock absorber dimensions as the 2nd gen LS400? Are the swaybars swappable? If anyone has some stock GS400 shocks PLEASE measure them and take pics! Also if you have ridden in a GS400 with tanabe DF210s and bilsteins how did you like it?

why i need to find this info out:

My mom's original owner car is a 100% stock 1997 LS400, 33k, perfect condition LS400 (been garaged for 7 years without moving). I showed her how her 97 LS400 front and rear suspension geometry and components was virtually identical to the supras I work on, and she said "all i want for christmas is for my LS handle better than a boat" so that was the goal. I did a brief search of this forum and others and saw a bunch of people who were happy with their tanabe df210 lowering springs and bilstein HD combo. Im a huge fan of bilstein shocks, so like an impatient jackass i didnt even research the spring rates or valving rates and just went out and bought them. I installed the setup yesterday, and it is still soo mushy/bouncy/sloppy, just lower... im really disappointed in this setup..

the *LS*400 tanabe DF210 springs are rated at 6.3kg/mm (350lb) front, 3.0kg/mm (170lb/in) rear. The front almost feels ok, but is too soft and could probably use a bump to 7kg/mm (400lb/in). The rear is just wayyyy too soft, i cant even begin to explain how s#!ttysoft it is. I think thsee springs should be changed to be around 5k (300lb/in)... This is when i noticed:

the *GS*400 tanabe DF210 springs are 7.3kg/mm (~400lb/in) front, 5.6kg/mm (~300lb/in) rear -- *exactly* where i want to be with the LS400. Also the GS400 bilstein shocks are valved stiffer (much more preferable for this application) to accomodate these spring rates.

Last but not least i see the GS400 Bilstein Sport shocks - billy sports are known to be a little stiff but id like to get input from anyone who has used them? Are they too stiff compared to the HD's? or spot-on?

Bilsteins are definitely staying on the car - aftermarket coilovers are simply not an option (unless i make the bilsteins into coilovers using threaded sleeves) and i refuse to run spring rates over 8kg/mm. I am not new to modding cars- im a degreed mechanical engineer working in the aftermarket auto industry, i founded full-race.com in 2002. please try to keep this thread as on track as possible. thanks gentlemen

-geoff

Thermactor

iTrader: (1)

Sidestepping your main big question, have you considered thicker sway bars?

jasonm

iTrader: (5)

How would polyurethane bushings factor into all this. The stock bushings are rather soft. I had tanabe df's on my 1st gen and switched out the bushings to poly and noticed a decent improvement. I know that at 33k they are probably fine but still soft.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

GS/LS suspension components for the most part are NOT interchangeable at all. neither springs nor shocks are interchangeable. No, the neither will the sway bars.

if you had properly researched here you would have seen that while most were happy with the DF210s, they are regarded as the spring of choice for those wishing to retain a near stock, cushy, SOFT ride white the most lowering possible for a spring/strut combination. correspondingly they are usually paired with KYB struts, as the Bilsteins have been shown to be too stiff for the spring rate, and tend to blow prematurely over time.

the Tanabe DF Series as a whole caters to buyers looking to be low with a near factory feel to it, not sporty.

the "normal" setup for someone wanting a mild lowering effect but a firmer, more planted ride (without going coilover ala Megan or BC or Tein) is a bilstein HD shock paired with H&R Sport Springs, which are ~10-15% stiffer in spring rate than stock. The eibach pro kit (discontinued) is also popular, albeit extremely difficult to find. The old LSportline springs were a similar spring made by eibach, although slightly stiffer i believe.

for your mother's 97 the best bet would be a set of H&Rs (or eibach/lsportline if you can find them), an ADDCO rear sway bar (may require slight modification as the holes are ~), and polyurethane front (and rear if you don't get the addco bar) sway bar bushings.

Schnitz

iTrader: (5)

Don't be so quick to discount coilovers as well. Do some research and you'll find most owners of the Megan Racing coilovers will say its damned close to stock near the softest settings.

sam12345

iTrader: (1)

may want to look at this old thread

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...oes-it-do.html