I need to replace the rear shocks; I’d like to do the springs also and new mounts. Which begs the point of buying a complete assembly, but I don’t seem to find any readily available? Only cartridges (like KYB gas-a-just) and mounts, no springs. This is the rear, on an 09 awd car. I want stock ride height; no changes.

I am capable of swapping springs over myself easily if necessary, but I want new springs as I can tell these are sagging just a little. In fact, the dampening feels fine, it’s the mount bumping and springs sagging that I want to correct. An alternative is to get specs and buy the spring bare from Moog (if they make a compatible one), but it would seem to me complete assembly would be available?

AND: Id’ing type: there’s no visible switch for “sport mode” so I assume this is not AVS. Also confused if awd/rwd is any different - some places specify different and some don’t. KYB says it takes the same cartridge - 551108. I am new to this car so coming up the learning curve on it’s unique details. Thanks.

ETA: I have been under and checked bushings, links, etc. and all are A-OK (mild weather and generally smooth/good roads do wonders for longevity).

 

The rear on the awd is the exact same as the rwd, same spring/strut/mounts/control arms etc. The front awd is different totally from the rwd, struts/mounts/control arms etc

I would stick with kyb as thats the oem supplier to toyota/lexus.

I would check your rear control arms to make sure none have worn bushings as a worn bushing in the control arms could lower the car in the rear. I actually just replaced the rear camber arms on my car, turned out the tie rod on the end was worn to were the rear end sagged lower. Its kinda rare for coil springs to loose there ride height, unless you have a broken spring.

As for having an assembled rear set up, you wont find nothing thats from kyb. But its not difficult to rent a coil spring compressor and just do it yourself. The rear strut swap is very easy on our cars. For me, I didnt bother with removing the inner trunk carpet. I was able to fit a socket and ratched to reach and unbolt the top mounts.

 

Good points - I did in fact check all the bushings, links, etc. this past weekend. I edited above to mention that; I had meant to do so. I have a set of coil compressors myself, so that’s not the issue. I (and others) have had Lexus rear springs sag a bit with higher mileage.

The ES300 we have did this, too - around 200k miles the springs really sagged and lowered the rear end. I can see it’s happening a little to this GS. With the ES, I replaced them with Moog spings and KYB struts and it has been great for another 100k miles since then. That car is now on it’s third family member, just went to my step-daughter this month.

 

Did you actually test each bushing to look for movement? The way I do this is by raising the car up and having someone really strong bend and twist the wheel while I look at each and every bushing ball joints etc. Would be interesting to see you do a comparison when and if you replace the coils with your old coils. I just did a quick price search and oem springs cost about $150 each for the rear.

 

Buy KYB Shocks on Rockauto, Buy OEM springs here (Bell Lexus) for $168 each.

 

Yep, I checked it thoroughly. Not my first rodeo!

Yeah, I’m finding them pricey. For that, I’ll compute an aftermarket equivalent and substitute that. For example, like this:

https://www.moog-suspension-parts.co...il_springs.asp

I’ve done it before with great success. I was hoping there was a pre-packaged option better than something like “Detroit Axle” level - which is all I could find (or even sketchier stuff).

 

Maybe you can find used cheap set of rear springs off of a 2013-+ GS350 they have different part numbers, but I doubt they would be too far off. Many parts from the 2GS crosses into 3GS. If you find used set of gs450H rear springs those have a higher spring rate to compensate for the rear hybrid battery weight.

 

btw forgot to mention, the AWD have a different front suspension. They actually sit about 1/2 inch taller in the front then a rwd. On my awd, I actually lowered the front end with RCA's 1/2 inch

 

Oh ok. Maybe consider a good pair of used springs from the junkyard or eBay.

 

That’s a good idea. Still debating what to do, but did look for some 4gs springs.

If I could find some low enough miles ones, that’s a solid idea, too.

 

Just to report back, I did the rear suspension this weekend. Nice improvement.

- I couldn’t find decent spring options, so didn’t change them.
- Replaced shocks w/gas-a-just, KYB mounts, end links, and sway bar bushings.
- All other bushings were in good shape.

At 183k, these shocks appear original. Strangely, the right side unit had been out and a new mount installed, but the original shock retained. Left side mount was much more compressed/worn and clearly older.

The car gained 1” or more in rear height. The ride is so much smoother, and the clunk from the worn mount of course gone. A MUCH more annoying job than I anticipated (sway bar bushings baked on, had to cut off links and old bushings, fight the arm and knuckle back together, etc.), but it was so very worth it.

One interesting side note: despite having a set of coil spring compressors (one is on the bench in the pic), I usually pick up a 2nd set from the store loaner tools. I like using three for safety and more even compression. The loaner set from O’Reillys was brand new in the wrapper, and had a feature I had never seen - locking clips to hold them in place. This was a big improvement and made them MUCH easier and safer to use. I did not bother using three.

 

I did my rear struts a couple weeks ago, and I agree that getting the arm and knuckle back together was the most difficult part of the whole thing. what a PIA!

 

It was not mentioned in some of the DIYs I looked at, but the trick I found was to release the upper control arm, the one attaching at 12 o’clock. That gave enough movement to get the knuckle bolt back in.

 

oh that's a good idea! It doesn't say anything about it in the OEM manual either, just simply says basically 're- connect axle carrier to hub'. I ended up using a jack underneath the axle and an alignment tool and got them back together that way.