Club Lexus

Och · 03-14-09, 05:54 AM

First of all, what needs to be removed inside the cabin? I know the rear seat needs to be removed, but what else? The rear deck, etc?

Also, what else do you guys recommend along with replacing the rear shocks? Should I replace the springs as well? What other little parts should be replaced (bushings, mounts, etc)?

1) Stabilizer bar
2) Stabilizer bar Bracket
3) Stabilizer bar Bushing
4) Stabilizer bar Link
5) Spring Back
6) Shock absorber Back
7) Spring seat Upper
8) Spring seat Lower
9) Spring bumper
10) Upper mount
11) Upper mount Cap
12) Pneumatic Pneumatic Right
13) Cylinder Cap

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LiCelsior · 03-14-09, 06:00 AM

i just finished my coilover install this morning around 3am...started around 12pm and was fiddling with the settings. rear deck does not need to be removed, there is enough room to get a socket in there for the 3 top bolts. springs dont need to be replaced unless u see that theyre sagging. check all bushings to see if any of them have any torns and such. u know how to do the shocks on ur own right?

Och · 03-14-09, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiCelsior

i just finished my coilover install this morning around 3am...started around 12pm and was fiddling with the settings. rear deck does not need to be removed, there is enough room to get a socket in there for the 3 top bolts. springs dont need to be replaced unless u see that theyre sagging. check all bushings to see if any of them have any torns and such. u know how to do the shocks on ur own right?

Well I guess I could figure out how to do it, but I dont have a lift or spring compressor, so I'd rather take the car to a repair shop and let them do it. However I would remove all the interior parts myself, because you know how these butchers are

Och · 03-14-09, 06:13 AM

Is it a good idea to just get one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lexus...Q5fAccessories

My car doesnt have air suspension, but this kit seems like a complete package, so I dont have to mess with the spring compressor, etc?

PureDrifter · 03-14-09, 01:34 PM

do you have air susp?

and honestly the rear suspension is easier to do than the front, it can be done without even disconnecting the ball joints. you will need to remove the rear seat, rear seat back, and will need to just push the parcel tray up a bit to access the mounts. (you COULD remove it but it's not exactly necessary.

good things to replace would be the upper shock mounts if you have excessive mileage and the lower trailing arm/associated bushings.

Och · 03-15-09, 02:35 AM

I dont have air suspension... I would love to install air suspension, since it rides so smooth and quiet, but its simply too much money and too much work.

The reason I posted that ebay link for the conversion kit, is because it seems to be a complete package - shocks swith spings, mounts, seats and all the accessories, so I dont have to buy each piece separately.

trukn1 · 03-15-09, 08:58 AM

You're gonna pay almost $700 for that kit? Save a little more and you can just get a full coilover kit and have way more adjustability than with the post that you linked.

Och · 03-15-09, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trukn1

You're gonna pay almost $700 for that kit? Save a little more and you can just get a full coilover kit and have way more adjustability than with the post that you linked.

I really don't want any modification from stock ride height or quality. Unless I could improve ride quality to have the suspension as quiet and smooth as air ride

LiCelsior · 03-15-09, 09:50 AM

just get kyb shocks then. u dont necessarily need new springs.

Och · 03-15-09, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiCelsior

just get kyb shocks then. u dont necessarily need new springs.

Are these shocks better/worse than OEM? Also, how do I tell whether my springs are sagging?

LiCelsior · 03-15-09, 10:29 AM

theyre about oem spec'd, theyre your best bet for OEM without the dealer pricing. kind of hard to see if your springs are sagging because you may also have blown shocks...but does your car look like its dropped?

trukn1 · 03-15-09, 10:32 AM

The stock shocks are KYB's, spec'ed a little differently for Lexus. Aftermarket KYB's will give you as close to the stock ride as possible, especially if you are not planning on doing any mods, and even then still very comfortable. Asfar as springs are concerned, stand at the corners of the car and bounce the car itself. If the car continues to bounce up and down more than twice after you stopped the process, springs are worn.

LiCelsior · 03-15-09, 10:36 AM

the bounce test could also be a result from blown shocks.

trukn1 · 03-15-09, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiCelsior

the bounce test could also be a result from blown shocks.

Blown shocks will allow the car to bounce very easily while you are doing the bounce test, and will even allow the car to bottom out the shock while the test is being performed. Once you stop the test, blown shock may allow to an additional bounce or 2 (my shocks are blown now, just did this yesterday). But should stop very quickly. Basically, if you can put weight on the corners and push the car down very easily, without ALOT of effort to do so, then shocks are pretty much gone. Not to mention the ride will be very rough, bumps will hit ALOT harder than the normal ride and it will be considerably nosier over bumps and dips.

Springs will continue to allow the car to bounce AFTER you stop the test, more than twice (closer to 5 times) . Not a 100 percent method to prove that thay are bad but is a very good/cheap indicator.

Och · 03-15-09, 12:31 PM

Well guys its a 15 year old car, and if im gonna go through the pain of replacing the rear shocks, I might as well replace the springs as well. Just to be clear, I'm also going to replace the front shocks as well, but I'm more concerned about the rears because they require ripping apart the interior, which I will do myself instead of trusting mechanics to do so.

This is why I was thinking about buying that ebay kit, it seems to be complete and should make installation easy.

In any case, whats a good place to get KYB shocks? What kind of springs should I get to go along with these?