2GS wobbling side to side?
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Brooklyn
2GS wobbling side to side?
I have a 99 GS3 with 148K that i purchased at 125k, to my knowledge the struts were never changed and I did the push down test where I pushed the car down a few times until it got a nice momentum and it returned on one bounce and then made about 2-3 tiny bounces. Does this mean they are blown and causing the wobble side to side? because on certain streets when going slow and making a turn but only going slow I feel the car wobble side to side when the car in front of me doesnt seem to be doing the same. Also on the highway there is a nice dip and if i go about 60 over it it really feels like the car jumps WAY higher then it should compared to when I go in my friends car. could is be sway bar issue or is this most likely the struts? if anyone had this problem or knows let me know please, thanks.
try getting a alignment. that may fix things. it sounds like your toe is off. if anything check your bushings. how many miles do you have on them? see if theyre well greased. goodluck bro
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,088
Likes: 188
From: Brooklyn
I got an alignment a few months ago. Do u think I should change the strut mounts when I change the struts too? I heard lexus mounts are higher quality then most and shouldn't need to be changed
Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 129
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From: MA
From what you described, I don't think this is a strut issue.
The GS series was and is Lexus' sporty car model, and to provide flat cornering, sway bars are used to tied the right and left sides of the car to one another. This results in flatter cornering, but it also introduces "head toss" which I have found to be more pronounced in my Lexus than in any of my other cars. I recommend you go to your dealer and test drive another GS, even a newer one, and see if you find the same characteristic. I suspect you will. I've gotten used to this, although I did just replace my sway bar bushings at 180K miles.
it might be your struts man. i get the same wobble too, i have 194k miles. i changed my sway bar bushings like 2 weeks ago and i still get the wobble. these cars don't wobble when new, it's not the sway bars. struts are probably worn.
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Rookie
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: OH
I bought KYB GR-2 shock/strut and installed at around 180k, I didn't have to replace the mounts. Id check your stabilizer links that tie the sway bar to the rest of the front suspension. I had another vehicle that the links actually broke and separated from the sway bar. But if your shocks are original I'd replace them at the mileage you are at.
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 31
From: CA
bounce test is useless to really tell. Shocks/struts don't always "blow" but can also gradually degrade. Still usable, but they're not performing as they used to.
Instead, consider if you feel your car also squats/dives during braking/acceleration? That will be your key clue that you should get new shocks/struts. You mentioned that it bounces/rebounds over dips, that's the a corresponding clue to shocks.
I would recommend you take a look at getting new shocks as your first step, instead of messing with anything related to swaybar.
If you want slightly stiffer, take a look at Bilstein HD (search for this, and you'll find the posts that compare it).
The wobble could be due to the shocks, but also due to just the sum of other various worn out parts in your suspension that have some play and adding up. It's what happens with wear and tear, and maybe too prohibitively expensive to cure.
Instead, consider if you feel your car also squats/dives during braking/acceleration? That will be your key clue that you should get new shocks/struts. You mentioned that it bounces/rebounds over dips, that's the a corresponding clue to shocks.
I would recommend you take a look at getting new shocks as your first step, instead of messing with anything related to swaybar.
If you want slightly stiffer, take a look at Bilstein HD (search for this, and you'll find the posts that compare it).
The wobble could be due to the shocks, but also due to just the sum of other various worn out parts in your suspension that have some play and adding up. It's what happens with wear and tear, and maybe too prohibitively expensive to cure.
Last edited by raytseng; May 17, 2011 at 02:54 PM.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Brooklyn
Well I just ordered struts and strut mounts, the ****in mounts are so expensive they actually cost more then the struts. but the mechanic said if im in there might as well change them instead of having to go in there again in the future. Did anyone else need to replace their mounts with this car?
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,043
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From: CA
they shouldn't be so expensive, at least compared to a set of new shocks. what did you order?
you can be frugal with your choices, especially if you order after market. You can ask here for advice (or search for posts as pretty much everything that has been asked has been asked before, it may have saved you some coin)
Like the KYB ones should work perfectly fine...
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...8&autoModClar=
(just for picture, not necessarily the best price, but tirerack says $45, seems reasonable)
you can be frugal with your choices, especially if you order after market. You can ask here for advice (or search for posts as pretty much everything that has been asked has been asked before, it may have saved you some coin)
Like the KYB ones should work perfectly fine...
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...8&autoModClar=
(just for picture, not necessarily the best price, but tirerack says $45, seems reasonable)
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,088
Likes: 188
From: Brooklyn
I ordered stock struts from stevenson lexus from colorado b/c they got the best prices, the struts were about $340 shipped for all 4 and the mounts were about 380 for all 4 shipped, the rear mounts were like 40 dollars more each then the fronts, dont know why mounts would cost more then struts but i wanted to keep the oem lexus ride so i went oem.
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