Lexmex

In the end, what have I noticed:

1. Improved acceleration, the vehicle does not bounce around or sway like before
2. Better handling on high speed curves turns. Before it was a bit of a fight, but now it is smooth as silk. Where I would normally be anticipating I have to watch my turn, it is now quite effortless.
3. On bumps I hardly feel a thing, very smooth instead of some hop or bounce.

Noypi

Aswsome write-up. What size are the plastic tubes?

Are you still using OEM springs or are those aftermarket sport springs?

salimshah

Thank you for the detailed pictures and step by step process.

I second the caution about the springs under tension. There are things one should undertake, but the potential of serious injury/loss is high dealing with compressed springs.

Salim

Lexmex

Still using stock springs, this due to the roads down here though perhaps in the future we will do something.

On the plastic tubing it is about 2 cm to .75 inches across as shown below.

Lexmex

Another shot.

You will of course need about 22 inches for EACH spring to sufficiently cover the lower area of the spring that sits at the bottom of the shock tower.

cha41ppy

Lexmex, I have a quick question regarding removal of the front shocks.

When only the upper mount needs to be replaced along with the bearing, does the spring still need to be compressed? Or does the upper insulator hold the spring tight in this case. Basically, at what point is the need for compressing the spring absolutely required - is it essentially when removing the top damper shaft nut or is it at a level lower than that, such as the upper spring insulator?

This will determine whether it will be a DIY or DIT/L (do it at toyota/lexus) for me. Thanks in advance, your write-ups may just be the most valuable thing on this forum.

stevesxm

well done . would simply advise that next time consider the bilstien or koni . i stopped using the KYB after lots of short term failures in conditions that were not particullary severe. the others were much much better.

thomas1

To remove the bearing, you do need to compress the spring, as the shock strut rod goes through the bearing under tension...

Lexmex

Thanks for the assist, you will note below.

Lexmex

And then here,

TunedRX300

Excellent pictures, the process looks very similiar to the Honda setup so my experience of changing both H&R spring and Bilstein shocks still apply.
Power tools make it much quicker but I have done 6 pairs with only hand tools.

Lexmex

I don't know that Bilstein or Koni make shocks for our vehicles, though I wish Koni did as both my friend Michael, the RX7 you see on my website, and my cousin Carlos on his Golf, have Konis and love them.

lexus114

I was just looking on the net for koni`s or bilstiens,and only found monroe,and kyb.

stevesxm

you may well be correct. i never did an rx 300 but simply presumed that , considering the vast range that bilstien has for these kind of vehicles , that they did for these as well. koni more cars than suv's for sure. but bottom line for me is that after a dozen or more failures w/ kybs in maximas and camrys and the like driven by normal people in a normal manner, i just gave up on the kyb and went elsewhere when ever possible and the problems and comebacks stopped. i mean... i would do a clients maxima, they would do 15,000 miles and by the next years state inspection, one would be leaking again. i simply went koni ALWAYS first if available then bilstien and on from there.

TunedRX300

For those who have FWD, Tein has coilover for RX300. Although the quality of Tein has gone doen due to outsourcing manufacturing to Taiwan/China.
Bilstein has lifestime warranty, H&R spring is 100% made in Germany.
Another alternative is to buy Harrier JDM shocks from Japan and bring them back to the U.S.