9000revs

First of all, I have read the suspension threads.

I am looking for feedback from people who have had both on their cars or driven cars with both these combos.

How would H&R/Bilstein <some other non-OEM shock>, Tanabe DF201/KYB <some other non-OEM shock> overall ride compare with say BC Sports or Megan Or Tein CS etc.?

I am looking for maybe 15% firmer ride than stock with no floaty feel (in sweeping corners) and comfortable for daily driving. Not looking for sports car ride on the LS400.

Thanks.

lexmoose

X2

was about pulling the gun on H&R and chicken out lol

Mocchan

I'll report back once I have my Tanabe/KYB set up installed should be sometime next week.

enigma94

iTrader: (1)

Your best bet would be to go with some springs and shocks. You won't be able to achieve the15% firmer ride and eliminate the float in corners completely though. Everybody wants to retain that nice lexus ride but have the car not feel like a boat in corners and that's just not realistic. You have to weigh how much ride quality are you willing to give up to achieve better handling. The spring/shock combo would give you the smallest sacrafice in ride quality, coil overs would get you closer to the better handling, and with the dampening adjustment you may find a setting that works for you in both departments.

I personally would go with coil overs just for the sheer fact that I can adjust the height to what I want and have the dampening adjustment to dial in the ride to where I want it.

My car is on Ksports with stiffer springs and I wouldn't dream of going back to stock or to a spring/shock combo, but I'm ok with a littler rougher ride to have the handling in the corners.

Sc0pe

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, for the cost of a set of new shocks and springs, I'd just go with coilovers. Allows you to dial in your suspension to exactly how you like it. I've heard most people comparing coilovers with OEM ride feel at a lower ride height. Granted, it won't be 100% OEM, but it will be within a decent level of tolerance.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

I'm on Eibach/KYB GR-2 with 19in rims and the stock ride is basically gone while driving around the city. On highways I can't complain. I knew what I was doing when changed the suspension. It still rides real well but with the 19s and drop i can feel all the bumps, but the cars stance looks way better and takes turns/corners superbly IMO which was the point.

9000revs

Always wondered why auto manufacturers went with springs/shocks instead of coilovers? Is it the best ride possible? Will coilovers be harsher that a good quality spring/shock combo like H&R/Bilstein? Specifically looking at BC Sports, at full soft setting would it ride harsher than H&R/Bilstein? Just looking for a 1-1.5" max drop for looks and little but firmer handling. My NSX is firm enough for fun drives I cant stand wheel gap ......

GH5T

the HRs will give you the drop you want. From what I've read the Bilsteins will be 10 to 20% firmer than stock. Remember the LS is a luxobarge not a 540. If that's the kind of handling you want then your best bet is to go for coilovers.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Honestly when I was stock the LS handled pretty good for a big heavy car. Except in turns of course and I've been driving an LS since 96. I take those bends on the highway that tell you to slow down to 50 while going around them at 80 and have very little lean.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

first to note, you will never get a sports car feel on this car unless you upgrade all the bushings to poly. soft ride is not entirely due to the shock/springs.

on these cars, full coilovers will almost always ride more harsh compared to conventional strut/spring combo due to the spring rates. the coilovers have smaller springs which need to have a higher spring rate to compensate for the car's heavy weight. they also have a smaller shock cartridges with different valving to match said springs.

conventional setups can get equally stiff if you combine it with stiff shocks. however there really isn't a big pool of conventional aftermarket shock support on the LS400 since most folks usually just use it for OEM replacements on OEM springs. i'm surprised bilstein is available but most likely just their non-adjustable versions which is only slightly stiffer than OEM. same with KYB.

because the car is heavy, going with a high spring rate coilover (say standard BC Racing 10k/8k) will result in a firm but controlled ride that is very much daily driveable. use the same spring rate on a much lighter car (say your NSX) and it will be noticeably stiffer. this is why most of us recommend going full coilover off the bat. this also let's you dial in your ride height, because aftermarket lowering springs do not get rid of all the wheel gap! you need to drop the car a total of close to 3" to totally eliminate the gap.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

for a real life application, my buddy is running megan LP full coilovers at medium stiffness (15 out of 32) on his LS400 with 19s. his car is very much daily driveable, comfortable to me not stiff but firm, at the ride height you see, and he gets around no problem even with a lip kit!

his car on the left.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Those wheels are nice!!!!

9000revs

Thanks for all the answers. I am probably going to stick to springs/shocks on this car. I want it to be as less harsh as possible. H&R seems to be the chosen spring but what is the best shock combo for it? Bilstein/KYB/Tokico etc. I am very familiar with Eibachs + Tokicos on my wagon and some other cars before, but it is not available anymore for the LS. Like I said, I am looking for a slight drop for this car.

BTW, the white cars look awesome!

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

i recommend Bilstein HD shocks, taken from this thread:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...-too-soft.html

9000revs

Thanks, that was really helpful.