mattyg3535

Hey Club,
I am embarking on a mission to replace the front and rear suspension on my 08 with 203k.
Poor girl leans 3/4" on the driver side in the front and doesn't feel like riding on a couch down the road.
More like a rodeo. Not a lot of bounce but just not Lexus like at all.
Think the shocks and struts went a long time ago and the springs and airbags are doing ALL the work.
Don't want a lift or big tires just comfort.
After looking at the price of OEM I realize that will NEVER be the route.
Going to buy the $370 Unity kit they have on Amazon. Includes Preloaded Struts with springs and the rear coil conversion springs with shocks.
I look at it this way, I would be paying $300 just to replace the front springs. If I have to go to a better strut down the road at least I have new springs.
Same with the shocks.
Will let you know how it goes incase anyone is interested. Could only find reviews on "upgraded" or lifted options that cost will over $1000.
If I get 2 years out of them (only do 5k a year not off roading) I will be more than happy.
Wish me luck and any advice before I start is welcome.

stoshzack

I bought the Suncore unit on EBay or Amazon for about that price. I think that is the kit you are referring to. Anyway, I think one of my front struts is out after only 25K.

I have decided to go with KYB SR4131 and 4130 as front strut replacements. They got good reviews on Amazon. Will upgrade the rear coils/springs to FJ Cruiser coils and normal KYB rear shocks.

Also ordered the rear Icon coil perches. I don’t off-road, but it gives me peace of mind that a coil won’t spring out.

Let us know the name brand of the kit you use and your luck with it. If it is Suncore, seems like people have hit and miss reviews. Either they are completely satisfied, or a strut or shock goes on within a few months.

stoshzack

Sorry - just saw your kit is “Unity”

mattyg3535

Thanks. Might have been fate but Amazon canceled my order and refunded me without me asking. Weird.
Anyway I went with the LuftMiestier Strut and coil let up and their rear shocks too.
Going to keep the stock electronics and air bags. See how it goes. Costs exactly $500 with a 1/2" spacer leveling kit.
I was thinking that my GX just leaned 1/2" inch down on the driver side but further research found that the stock struts
account for the extra weight on the driver side are are preloaded for that. The previous owner must have replaced the
struts with aftermarket and didn't level it.
Again thanks for the input and hope to have an update early next week. Fingers crossed.

mattyg3535

Ok, so I got a set of Unity Shock and pre assembled struts from Amazon. They have all the electrical components are able to maintain function and I also ordered a 1/2" leveling spacer for the driver side strut.
So far it feels good. Nothing to compare it to except the hard feeling I had before with what seemed like the original suspension and it's 203k miles on it.
I checked the feel by doing around 30mph over some speed bumps.
Comfortable setting felt floaty with one noticeable bounce, never lifted off the seat and a secondary bounce that was half the amount.
Middle setting gave a slight bounce without lifting off the seat with no secondary bounce.
Sport setting felt hard. Things lifting up off the seat with no secondary bounce.
Tried Sport around a corner with some speed and it did stiffen the lean a little.
Did a hard brake test to see if I still had an nose dive. It stays up with little to none.
I had a negative 3/4" lean to the driver front side but the spacer and the new struts have now leveled it out perfectly.
Rear airbags didn't need replacing and the bump stops look good and are still a bit flexible.

Note for anyone looking to keep front ride control. There is a magnetic actuator module on top of the front strut. It has 2 4mm Allen screws. They get filled with dirt and rust and are impossible to remove.
What I did was loosen the main bolt on the bottom. Remove the the 3 nuts at the top to drop the strut down a little to get better access to the module. Used a small vice grip to grab the Allen screw and brake it loose.
Takes so much time. First on actual cracked the plastic module. As far as the inside screw. I got fed up enough and just gently lifted up enough to SNAP the module free and leave the screw and part of it in place.
When I got the strut free from the the truck I used the vice grips and got the screw out. Went to Lowe's and got some stainless bolts with 8mm heads and the nuts to go along with them. I used 5 minute epoxy and repaired the modules.
Drilled the mounting holes in the module and the bracket a slight bit bigger so I could install the new hardware easier. Put a double nut on the bottom after reinstallation to keep it from backing out. What a pain in the butt.
As far as the rear shocks......SAWSALL BABY!!!! Don't even waste you time on those top nuts. No room and the new shocks always come with new hardware. Cut it out and be done with it.