extremely bouncy
09-06-06, 03:44 PM
#91
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
OK, maybe something isn't clear here. I came from a Scion tC with Tein SS-Ps - pillowballs and spring rates 2 x stock. It didn't have the same issues the IS350 has in the same places. I have driven over the same roads and found that high frequency stutter bumps will not be absorbed by the IS, but they were by the Scion (and my Supra on Tein HAs). If you get just the right frequency, the entire car turns into a paint mixer. For those of you in the Bay Area, try 680S around Sunol. It's the perfect BAD pavement example that the tC and Supra didn't notice but turn the IS into a gigantic vibrator.
For reasons I don't understand, but I need to report anyway, I found the car was delivered with less than the recommended pressure. 32 psi all the way around. I was suprised at first, but then, you can't expect everything on a PDI to be done properly. So I reset the pressures to the recommended pressures (after sitting overnight in the garage so all tires were cold and equal temperature) and strangely enough the ride was improved. Still not as good as I think it could be, but certainly better. I am a bit surprised at more pressure making a better ride, but I always try to start with the manufacturer's recommendations and adapt to suit myself from there. This time it worked better.
For reasons I don't understand, but I need to report anyway, I found the car was delivered with less than the recommended pressure. 32 psi all the way around. I was suprised at first, but then, you can't expect everything on a PDI to be done properly. So I reset the pressures to the recommended pressures (after sitting overnight in the garage so all tires were cold and equal temperature) and strangely enough the ride was improved. Still not as good as I think it could be, but certainly better. I am a bit surprised at more pressure making a better ride, but I always try to start with the manufacturer's recommendations and adapt to suit myself from there. This time it worked better.
09-06-06, 04:48 PM
#93
CL Folding Freak
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I only read the first few pages of this thread but is their a chance your dealer didn’t take of the spring dampeners? This was a major problem with the S2000, including the one I had. Dealers didn’t know that they were shipped (boat) with big ol things on the springs to help stop them from bouncing around. The dealers were supposed to take them off but many didn’t. This resulted in a very bouncy ride. Maybe this is the same on the IS's coming off the boat?
09-06-06, 07:24 PM
#94
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[QUOTE=4TehNguyen;2107805]
just wait until those RE92s start wearing they will get very noisy and start losing lots of traction, had those tires on my prelude and it was terrifying in wet weather when they were getting past 60-75% worn.
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I believe you. RE92 is a very old tire model, with old technology. My friend back in college has an infiniti G20 that has RE92's (this was in 1995).
I just can't stand the SP5000's bounciness. It feels very out of round, and my experience with Dunlops are all the same thus far: they causes excessive bouncing.
Dealer's alterntive and "good will" were to replace with the other OEM tire on IS250 AWD, which is RE92. So, I took it.
just wait until those RE92s start wearing they will get very noisy and start losing lots of traction, had those tires on my prelude and it was terrifying in wet weather when they were getting past 60-75% worn.
==========================================
I believe you. RE92 is a very old tire model, with old technology. My friend back in college has an infiniti G20 that has RE92's (this was in 1995).
I just can't stand the SP5000's bounciness. It feels very out of round, and my experience with Dunlops are all the same thus far: they causes excessive bouncing.
Dealer's alterntive and "good will" were to replace with the other OEM tire on IS250 AWD, which is RE92. So, I took it.
09-06-06, 07:27 PM
#95
Lexus Test Driver
As a kind of "global" response to several posts in the last few days ...
- My car came with the Bridgestone Potenzas, as al503 noted, and I was one of the early "complainers" in this thread.
- The demo cars I drove had the Dunlops and I thought the ride was firm but quite acceptable.
- I can't speak for everyone here, but I know about sport suspensions and trade-offs in ride and handling, and I guess I have to say I kinda resent being talked down to by people who either like hard flinty suspensions, or who just don't know any different.
- Sport suspensions CAN deliver both a compliant ride and excellent handling dynamics. It ain't easy to do, but it happens. And I've certainly had cars with sport suspensions that rode a helluva lot better than my IS350, and also delivered better handling at the same time. To me that means the IS's suspension is a sorry a$$ design.
- Even some of the stiff-ride-lovers on here are saying the handling is crummy, with too much body roll, etc., so if the handling isn't great, there's no damned excuse for a harsh ride, is there?
For those of you who like the ride, I think that's great. But for MY $40k, I think Lexus did a pretty *****ty job. I guess they've been making pillow-soft cars so long they forgot how to build a performance suspension. Or just never knew. I personally think they should send some of their engineers over to BMW for training, but the Germans would probably just laugh at them.
.
.
- My car came with the Bridgestone Potenzas, as al503 noted, and I was one of the early "complainers" in this thread.
- The demo cars I drove had the Dunlops and I thought the ride was firm but quite acceptable.
- I can't speak for everyone here, but I know about sport suspensions and trade-offs in ride and handling, and I guess I have to say I kinda resent being talked down to by people who either like hard flinty suspensions, or who just don't know any different.
- Sport suspensions CAN deliver both a compliant ride and excellent handling dynamics. It ain't easy to do, but it happens. And I've certainly had cars with sport suspensions that rode a helluva lot better than my IS350, and also delivered better handling at the same time. To me that means the IS's suspension is a sorry a$$ design.
- Even some of the stiff-ride-lovers on here are saying the handling is crummy, with too much body roll, etc., so if the handling isn't great, there's no damned excuse for a harsh ride, is there?
For those of you who like the ride, I think that's great. But for MY $40k, I think Lexus did a pretty *****ty job. I guess they've been making pillow-soft cars so long they forgot how to build a performance suspension. Or just never knew. I personally think they should send some of their engineers over to BMW for training, but the Germans would probably just laugh at them.
.
.
09-06-06, 07:44 PM
#96
Lexus Test Driver
One more small point about suspensions and tires we need to remember:
Tires have their own "suspension" characteristics ... they undergo compression and rebound in response to pavement irregularities. If the tires and the springs and dampers are not in harmonic balance, i.e., they are out of phase with each other, you will get a a jarring ride as they fight with each other to control the car's movements.
Now, granted, the tire's compression and rebound travel are tiny compared to the springs and shocks, but my theory is that my Potenzas are setting up an interference "wave" with the suspension, keeping the dampers from smoothing bumps effectively. IOW, the tires send a shock wave through the suspension about the time the damper is busy trying to control the spring's motion, and the spring tries to compensate, and the whole thing sets up a cycle that I feel as jiggle and jounce.
I experimented and finally found a tire pressure that was more comfortable, because it was "in synch" with the harmomics of the springs and shocks. So I'm blaming the tires as much as anything, but IMO Lexus should have tested them thorougly before mating them to this suspension.
Tires have their own "suspension" characteristics ... they undergo compression and rebound in response to pavement irregularities. If the tires and the springs and dampers are not in harmonic balance, i.e., they are out of phase with each other, you will get a a jarring ride as they fight with each other to control the car's movements.
Now, granted, the tire's compression and rebound travel are tiny compared to the springs and shocks, but my theory is that my Potenzas are setting up an interference "wave" with the suspension, keeping the dampers from smoothing bumps effectively. IOW, the tires send a shock wave through the suspension about the time the damper is busy trying to control the spring's motion, and the spring tries to compensate, and the whole thing sets up a cycle that I feel as jiggle and jounce.
I experimented and finally found a tire pressure that was more comfortable, because it was "in synch" with the harmomics of the springs and shocks. So I'm blaming the tires as much as anything, but IMO Lexus should have tested them thorougly before mating them to this suspension.
09-06-06, 08:12 PM
#97
Lexus Champion
FWIW, I think my suspension is getting softer. Don't know if I'm just getting used to it more but I'm positive that the Michelin PS2's are helping. I noticed a definite difference when I had them switched out.
Regardless, when I concentrate on the ride, I think I still notice a little bounce but it's definitely no where close to what it used to be. (I have just over 5K miles now.)
Regardless, when I concentrate on the ride, I think I still notice a little bounce but it's definitely no where close to what it used to be. (I have just over 5K miles now.)
09-28-13, 12:39 PM
#100
Driver School Candidate
2011 IS350 AWD stiff ride
Bump again, new to the IS family. Bought a 2011 IS350 AWD 6 months ago. After buying new wheels and tires I thought I had just a bad balancing job, took it back 3 times for re-balancing. Of course once I started to focus on the bumps, that's all I feel now. Then I figured it might be the suspension so I looked it up here.
The ride is too stiff as it seems to feel every bump on the road even though the road is not that bad. Compared to the 2007 GS350 AWD my wife drives, it feels like a Yugo. The GS uses 50 series tires on 17" rims so it has an advantage there. I don't drive it aggressively, would like my IS to feel more like the GS (OK fair to ask why not just buy another GS, about 15K reasons). Plus I didn't notice the bumpy ride at first, just enjoying the extra ponies. Lowering or other height adjustments is not my goal, I just want a smoother ride.
17" rims
Continental Extreme Contact DWS
235/45-17 (I asked for widest tires that could be mounted for a little more rim rash protection)
I've read here coilovers are the way to go. If you have experience with just making your car less bumpy, please post what you used. Thanks.
The ride is too stiff as it seems to feel every bump on the road even though the road is not that bad. Compared to the 2007 GS350 AWD my wife drives, it feels like a Yugo. The GS uses 50 series tires on 17" rims so it has an advantage there. I don't drive it aggressively, would like my IS to feel more like the GS (OK fair to ask why not just buy another GS, about 15K reasons). Plus I didn't notice the bumpy ride at first, just enjoying the extra ponies. Lowering or other height adjustments is not my goal, I just want a smoother ride.
17" rims
Continental Extreme Contact DWS
235/45-17 (I asked for widest tires that could be mounted for a little more rim rash protection)
I've read here coilovers are the way to go. If you have experience with just making your car less bumpy, please post what you used. Thanks.
09-30-13, 08:24 AM
#101
Bump again, new to the IS family. Bought a 2011 IS350 AWD 6 months ago. After buying new wheels and tires I thought I had just a bad balancing job, took it back 3 times for re-balancing. Of course once I started to focus on the bumps, that's all I feel now. Then I figured it might be the suspension so I looked it up here.
The ride is too stiff as it seems to feel every bump on the road even though the road is not that bad. Compared to the 2007 GS350 AWD my wife drives, it feels like a Yugo. The GS uses 50 series tires on 17" rims so it has an advantage there. I don't drive it aggressively, would like my IS to feel more like the GS (OK fair to ask why not just buy another GS, about 15K reasons). Plus I didn't notice the bumpy ride at first, just enjoying the extra ponies. Lowering or other height adjustments is not my goal, I just want a smoother ride.
17" rims
Continental Extreme Contact DWS
235/45-17 (I asked for widest tires that could be mounted for a little more rim rash protection)
I've read here coilovers are the way to go. If you have experience with just making your car less bumpy, please post what you used. Thanks.
The ride is too stiff as it seems to feel every bump on the road even though the road is not that bad. Compared to the 2007 GS350 AWD my wife drives, it feels like a Yugo. The GS uses 50 series tires on 17" rims so it has an advantage there. I don't drive it aggressively, would like my IS to feel more like the GS (OK fair to ask why not just buy another GS, about 15K reasons). Plus I didn't notice the bumpy ride at first, just enjoying the extra ponies. Lowering or other height adjustments is not my goal, I just want a smoother ride.
17" rims
Continental Extreme Contact DWS
235/45-17 (I asked for widest tires that could be mounted for a little more rim rash protection)
I've read here coilovers are the way to go. If you have experience with just making your car less bumpy, please post what you used. Thanks.
10-02-13, 04:32 PM
#102
Driver School Candidate
By bumpy, do you mean the feedback you get from the road, like going over road seams or cracks, or do you mean suspension rebound? If its suspension rebound, I'd suggest a set of Tein coilovers with adjustable dampers. Tein offers soft springs out of the box, and the adjustable dampers will allow you to further dial in the way the dampers behave, so you should be able to get the smooth ride back.
On the road to work where I can compare the ride to a 2001 IS300, the 2001 takes the road without this jittery feeling. I’d just like to make the 2011 feel more like the 2001. From what I’ve read here, the choice is either BC coilover with Swift springs or Tein CS. Those posts are 5 years old so anyone done this recently to smooth out the ride (I know, very subjective) on an AWD.
11-11-13, 06:42 PM
#104
Driver School Candidate
Update. After complaining about the ride on my 2011 IS350 AWD and reading all the posts here about coilovers, I was ready to pull the trigger. I only had the car about 2 months before buying new chrome wheels with tires so when I noticed the rough ride after getting the new tires, I had them re-balanced. After 3 tries at re-balancing and being assured the balancing was right-on, I thought maybe it was me, just didn’t notice the rough ride before and the 3 attempts to re-balance just made me more attune to the ride. I was just about to plunk down over $1K on coilovers when I decided to throw on my old wheels/tires just in case.
Well it’s a good thing I did because the ride improved noticeably (gosh, I was almost too lazy to do this but willing to put on coilovers??). I insisted the 4th try at re-balancing use a Road Force machine (thanks to this forum). The Discount Tire I went to didn’t have a Road Force machine but they took the wheels to a store that did. They found a “heavy” spot on one of the wheels and ordered a new one. Now it is way, way better. No need for coilovers now.
Well it’s a good thing I did because the ride improved noticeably (gosh, I was almost too lazy to do this but willing to put on coilovers??). I insisted the 4th try at re-balancing use a Road Force machine (thanks to this forum). The Discount Tire I went to didn’t have a Road Force machine but they took the wheels to a store that did. They found a “heavy” spot on one of the wheels and ordered a new one. Now it is way, way better. No need for coilovers now.
11-12-13, 07:34 AM
#105
Update. After complaining about the ride on my 2011 IS350 AWD and reading all the posts here about coilovers, I was ready to pull the trigger. I only had the car about 2 months before buying new chrome wheels with tires so when I noticed the rough ride after getting the new tires, I had them re-balanced. After 3 tries at re-balancing and being assured the balancing was right-on, I thought maybe it was me, just didn’t notice the rough ride before and the 3 attempts to re-balance just made me more attune to the ride. I was just about to plunk down over $1K on coilovers when I decided to throw on my old wheels/tires just in case.
Well it’s a good thing I did because the ride improved noticeably (gosh, I was almost too lazy to do this but willing to put on coilovers??). I insisted the 4th try at re-balancing use a Road Force machine (thanks to this forum). The Discount Tire I went to didn’t have a Road Force machine but they took the wheels to a store that did. They found a “heavy” spot on one of the wheels and ordered a new one. Now it is way, way better. No need for coilovers now.
Well it’s a good thing I did because the ride improved noticeably (gosh, I was almost too lazy to do this but willing to put on coilovers??). I insisted the 4th try at re-balancing use a Road Force machine (thanks to this forum). The Discount Tire I went to didn’t have a Road Force machine but they took the wheels to a store that did. They found a “heavy” spot on one of the wheels and ordered a new one. Now it is way, way better. No need for coilovers now.
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