MWLex

Hello, I have a 2015 ES 350. I find, especially after a recent back injury, that the ride is too stiff on bumps, expansion joints, and uneven road surfaces. This is the case even with the 17" wheels and Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires. Does anyone know of replacement shocks, struts, and springs that will give me a softer ride? I have considered going to 16" wheels and higher profile tires (which will work according to Tire Rack), but I don't think that this alone will give me the degree of improvement in ride that I am looking for. If, as I suspect, there's no reasonable way to accomplish what I want, then Plan B is to test drive a recent model-year LS 460. Thank you for any suggestions you can offer.

jollick

Have you tried simply lowering the tire pressure to 30 psi? It might be worth a try.

Mike728

^^ Agree.

Check you pressure. Mine came from the dealer with >40psi.

MWLex

Thanks, Jollick and Mike728. I am currently running about 30 lbs. in the tires and have even tried 28 lbs. Tire pressure doesn't seem to make much of a difference in the stiff ride motions for me.

azipod

I'm sorry to hear about your medical related issue. Though the current generation ES is a bit more taut than the previous, the overall suspension setup is pretty softly sprung. I doubt that any particular car, or some change in the suspension, will make that great of a difference. If you went to a big boat like a Lincoln Towncar it might help, but I'm not sure what your condition is and whether changing to an entirely car, and its costs, will ultimately make any substantial difference for you.

Have you consulted with your doctor? Maybe there are other pain management techniques other than to change up the car.

iJDMTOY

iTrader: (5)

The ES is known to have really soft suspension from the get go. It's really hard to make a car softer than it already is. I agree with him, you might want to talk to your doctor. Most people stiffen up their car and rarely anyone tries to soften up an already soft car.

KennyLexus

Buy a set of coilovers. Ask for the softest spring rates for your model car. Also, make sure the coilovers have adjustable dampeners. You should be able to adjust them from very stiff to floaty. I have mines adjusted just under floaty.

MWLex

Thanks for your thoughts, azipod and iJDMTOY. You may be right. In any case, I agree that changing cars is not the most economical pain management measure!

MWLex

KennyLexus, thanks for the suggestion. So do you recommend the BC Racing custom coilovers? Do they lower the car ( which I don't really want) or require any other suspension modifications?

KennyLexus

At the time BC Racing coilovers were the only coilovers made for the ES Hybrid model...they still may be. I'm not sure if they make them for the ES 350 model but I'd be surprised if they didn't. But I do know the ES 350 model has more than one manufacturer of coilovers .

Having said that, I would recommend BC coilovers. They will drop your car a minimum of 1" but trust me; you won't notice it from a ride aspect. I have mine lowered approximately 1.75" (mainly to eliminate the gap between the wheels and the wheel well). At a 1" drop, you will still have a wheel well gap especially with factory wheels and tires. I'm rolling 20" wheels.

BC coilovers are custom made. You give them the spring rate you want. In my case, I told them I wanted mines softer than OEM. It usually takes 4-6-weeks to get them. The best thing I like about my coilovers are the dampener dail extenders. Which means, I don't have to take my rear seats out if I have to adjust my ride comfort; I just open the back door and turn the dial.

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SW17LS

I don't think lowering it on coilovers is going to achieve what you're looking for.

Messing around with the suspension isn't likely to work IMHO. If I were you, I would go drive some other cars.

What I would look at:

Obviously an LS460, although its a big price jump from the ES there are great deals out there. Make sure to drive one with 18s, and drive one with the coil suspension and the air suspension. Mine has the coil suspension and rides great, but the air ride on the LS has a "comfort" setting which makes it float along pretty good. Caveat is air suspension cars always come with 19s.

If you want to stay closer in price to the ES, I would look at a Genesis G80 (Hyundai Genesis). Its similar in price to an ES, and IMHO has a more supple, refined substantial ride (reminds me of the LS actually). They have a great service/concierge plan too.

Its also worth it to drive a 2016 ES, they softened it up a little too...as they did the Avalon...

MWLex

Thanks for all your suggestions, KennyLexus, SW15LS and others. They are very helpful. So is the related post on the ES 300h suspension. By the way, SW15LS, I did drive a Genesis in 2015 and liked the way it drove, but the seat didn't seem to agree with me at that time.

bostonsnow

MW Lex - I can empathize with you on this issue, having back issues myself. I previously had a 5th Gen Lexus ES (2005) and that had a nice soft floaty ride that was nice on the back. Recently switched to a 2016 ES300h which I overall LOVE (and the seat on the 2016, once you get a feel for the setting you like, is nicer as far as back support than 5th general in my opinion), but I will agree with you that the ride is firmer in this generation of ES, and absorption of bumps worse, at least compared to my 2005 ES. Some people find it odd to hear me say that, given that the ES is overall on the soft side compared to many competitor cars. However, I agree with you that with back issues, the bumps and ruts you feel are suboptimal, and I can say worse than previous Generation.

I haven't driven a 2013-2015, so can't comment on how much they softened the ride from 2015, to 2016, however you can see that I find the 2016 an issue myself.

I don't know much about changing the suspension so can't comment. Option 2, obviously, is going to an LS.

The other option , which is a bit goofy - go backwards in years. Find a good condition 5th Gen ES, which has a floaty ride as it is, but being an older car, you could replace the shocks and even consider messing with the suspension. Since its already out of warranty, not that much to lose....Drive that for a while...... then if back gets better in time, can switch cars again ?

I traded my old 2005 ES for $4000. Now I actually kinda wish I kept it around for the heck of it. It really was worth more to me than the $4000 trade in price (which was by the books a fair price..)

bostonsnow

I agree with you on this. going to 28-30 psi compared to 33 psi or higher does soften things up a bit, and I have kept this lower pressure. But it certainly does not take away the jolts of bumps.

bostonsnow

whatever you end up doing, please post us an update and how things turned out