95lexsc300

My 99 ls ride kind of wierd sometimes. I notice that there be times when it feels smooth and solid then there are time that it's sloppy. My sloppy meaning it feels like a damn boat. I had a friend who had one fairly new, and he said he can barely feel the bump on the roads. Maybe he is comparing the ls to his civic, but my question is, the ls400 is the car suppose to ride floaty. My car is soft ,sometimes too soft with some body roll in corner.

95lexsc300

By the way its got the regular strut not the air ride. Tire pressure is 30 cold psi with oem wheel 16

jasonm

iTrader: (5)

Use the search function...sounds like bad struts

RA40

iTrader: (6)

It is a boat-barge. At a shade under 4000#'s bare and how Toyota tuned this luxo cruiser, that is pretty much it. Need details: miles on suspension, what suspension parts have or have not been replaced, tires...etc.

Kansas

The 2000 LS400 I bought used in 2003 at 38,000 miles was just as floaty as the LS400 I bought new in 1990 and drove for 13+ years, 183,500 miles. My 2000 LS400 is still just as floaty at 136,000 miles. That's just they way they are.

Shock absorbers on these cars are usually "lifetime" - usually several hundred thousand miles.

jasonm

iTrader: (5)

the struts dont last long on these heavy cars, nor do the bushings. I would say Over 100k you must change all struts and some of the bushings...I have owned a 94 LS400 and 97 LS currently.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

The OEM struts in mine were dead by 70K miles. Front strut bars bushings dead about same time. YMMV so it depends on road conditions. The previous owner must have taken this one 4x4. Hahaha...

Kansas

I have to wonder if the reason some of you think the OEM struts/shock absorbers on your LS400's are bad is because you never experienced how soft and floaty these cars rode when new. Were your shock absorbers leaking when you replaced them or did you just assume they were bad because the ride was soft with body roll.

Strut bar (a.k.a. semi-longitudinal tension rod) bushings are another matter - rarely last more than 75,000 miles on a 98-00 LS400.

As for the floaty ride and body roll, people outside North America complain too: http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_3041/article.html

RA40

iTrader: (6)

For those who have come into the LS400 from other cars, the ride quality is quite different. Most now are buying them at 100K miles+. There isn't the reference from new and that around the block feeling. There might be that presumption that since it floats the suspension is dead, not necessarily true as Kansas brings up.

I don't think I felt it floaty when we picked ours up some 100K miles ago with sub 60K on the ticker. It was soft for sure and this isn't a track car that can be thrown into the corners. The stiffer suspension allows a better feel but it comes at a price in luxo barge ride qualities.

sethjon

Sorry to disagree, but no shock will last for several hundred thousand miles. 100,000 is a lot.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

100K miles is a lot. The Bilsteins in mine have ~92K miles. How much longer I will go on them is debatable. Their warranty to the purchaser is for as long as I own the car. One of the few "lifetime" deals that I have a bit more confidence in.

A YMMV situation for sure.

Supralaju

Mine the same but i blame the road on flat strip road it feels like i was on a couch... But i planing to replace the shock with KYB series... any forum members use these? what feeling any better because my car clock 240kKM already

95lexsc300

The ls got damages so I threw it away, and bought 99 s420 & damn I'm so pissed ,miss the ls everyday. The mercedes is a piece of **** by the way miss this forums