IS - 3rd Gen (2014-present) Discussion about the 2014+ model IS models

Anyone put rear wheels on the front?

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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 05:42 AM
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Default Anyone put rear wheels on the front?

So I'm looking at the specs of my 350 AWD F-Sport and the wheels are very similar front to back, just a half inch and 5mm offset difference. There is PLENTY of room in there, so it led me to wonder. Has anyone just fitted a stock rear wheel/tire combo to the front? Looks like there is plenty of room, and the square set-up would be good for tires. Beyond that, less understeer can't be a bad thing. Am I missing something? I mean, why did Lexus even fit the smaller combo to the front?
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 05:45 AM
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For looks. you can run square 8.5" wide with this car. You MAY rub in the front on the inner liner with the 255's but likely not. I run 8.5" in the front on my 200t.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 06:01 AM
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Originally Posted by loophole35
For looks. you can run square 8.5" wide with this car. You MAY rub in the front on the inner liner with the 255's but likely not. I run 8.5" in the front on my 200t.
Thanks. I think there are a lot of guys running the 8.5 in front, but mostly with 235's. But the stock Turanza 255 is so skinny, I figure it'd work.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 06:09 AM
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Yeah. You just have to be mindful when choosing tires. Tire Rack has great specs for tires that include section width and tread width.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 06:36 AM
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Originally Posted by loophole35
Yeah. You just have to be mindful when choosing tires. Tire Rack has great specs for tires that include section width and tread width.
Thanks. I'm a tirerack guy, have used them several times.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by VisualEcho
So I'm looking at the specs of my 350 AWD F-Sport and the wheels are very similar front to back, just a half inch and 5mm offset difference. There is PLENTY of room in there, so it led me to wonder. Has anyone just fitted a stock rear wheel/tire combo to the front? Looks like there is plenty of room, and the square set-up would be good for tires. Beyond that, less understeer can't be a bad thing. Am I missing something? I mean, why did Lexus even fit the smaller combo to the front?

Check this video out.

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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by E46CT
Thank you, but I think I already know what it's going to say. I'm not interested in more grip, or more performance, just easier tire wear, and if the rear will fit on the front, then why not? I have a Lotus Exige for my toy, so this car is more for my in town and highway normal driving.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by VisualEcho
Thank you, but I think I already know what it's going to say. I'm not interested in more grip, or more performance, just easier tire wear, and if the rear will fit on the front, then why not? I have a Lotus Exige for my toy, so this car is more for my in town and highway normal driving.
you'd be surprised.

also with the way our cars wear front tires, all you're doing by doing this, if you're not interested in performance, is increasing the cost of the tire you have to replace.

in your situation then i'd just stay stock.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:27 PM
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Originally Posted by E46CT
you'd be surprised.

also with the way our cars wear front tires, all you're doing by doing this, if you're not interested in performance, is increasing the cost of the tire you have to replace.

in your situation then i'd just stay stock.
While at the dealership I visited a tech friend in the service dept. He warned me about the tire wear, and suggested that I get the car aligned to change the numbers a bit (within the Lexus spec). Is it the toe that wears these tires or what? Can't be the camber. I have the Turanza. Is it just the tire? Forgive me for asking so many questions, but you seem to know what you're talking about. I'm not interested in 60,000 mile tires, but I'd like to get 30K out of them if I could. Your thoughts?
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:32 PM
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It's the stock control arm bushings causing dynamic toe change. Basically every time you brake the tires are squirming around on the road. Or every time you hit a bump mid turn. It's a necessary design element for the way these cars are supposed to drive. Same as Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, or any other car designed to be firm yet compliant. The best way to mitigate is use RC-F or GS-F front control arm bushings. Direct bolt on. They use firmer rubber so keeps the tires MORE in place. About $120 for the pair.

Some go with a totally firm poly bushing setup but that'll just cause a whole bunch of noise, vibration, and unwanted side effects relating to understeer (since you're stiffening the front and keeping the back soft) The front tires need some sort of compliance. Not to mention these hard bushings are expensive. $300-400.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by E46CT
It's the stock control arm bushings causing dynamic toe change. Basically every time you brake the tires are squirming around on the road. Or every time you hit a bump mid turn. It's a necessary design element for the way these cars are supposed to drive. Same as Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, or any other car designed to be firm yet compliant. The best way to mitigate is use RC-F or GS-F front control arm bushings. Direct bolt on. They use firmer rubber so keeps the tires MORE in place. About $120 for the pair.

Some go with a totally firm poly bushing setup but that'll just cause a whole bunch of noise, vibration, and unwanted side effects relating to understeer (since you're stiffening the front and keeping the back soft) The front tires need some sort of compliance. Not to mention these hard bushings are expensive. $300-400.
Wow, just wow. So I need OEM bushings. Wondering now if I can install them myself. I guess I'll do a search for a DIY thread, probably one out there. Interesting that the tech didn't mention it.

I'm planning to get larger sidewall tires are some point, not a lot larger, but the current rubberbands are just too damn small for my taste. Interesting that car rides so well with them, I would have thought they were 45 sidewall with out soft it is.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:45 PM
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Only one person has done it so far. Flash5. This is a relatively new thing people are trying. Just blossomed a few weeks ago (the idea to install GSF bushings) You won't find a DIY though. People on these types of forums don't really DIY much, and if they do, they rarely post. But if you can turn a wrench you can do it. It's three bolts/nuts max per side. Unbolt, slide it off, slide the new one on. They should be tightened down at static height though so you'll want the suspension loaded and on ramps before you torque the bushing sleeves down to the arm. an alignment rack works best for this.

As for tires--Some people have gone up one size sidewall height.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by E46CT
Only one person has done it so far. Flash5. This is a relatively new thing people are trying. Just blossomed a few weeks ago (the idea to install GSF bushings) You won't find a DIY though. People on these types of forums don't really DIY much, and if they do, they rarely post. But if you can turn a wrench you can do it. It's three bolts/nuts max per side. Unbolt, slide it off, slide the new one on. They should be tightened down at static height though so you'll want the suspension loaded and on ramps before you torque the bushing sleeves down to the arm. an alignment rack works best for this.

As for tires--Some people have gone up one size sidewall height.
Life is going to suck for you when I'm here long enough to PM, you know too much sir. haha

Much appreciation sir, much appreciation.
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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by VisualEcho
Life is going to suck for you when I'm here long enough to PM, you know too much sir. haha

Much appreciation sir, much appreciation.
No prob.. I'm used to it for over 12 years on the BMW forums. My email inbox, Facebook, youtube account, web page is constantly overflowing with help requests from all over the world. lol i do my best but can't answer them all. Most of the concepts transfer over to other cars but still learning about Lexus. If i don't know about a topic i won't touch it.

The reason the dynamic toe thing makes sense is because we had the same exact thing happen over on the BMW side... just not as bad.

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Old Oct 30, 2018 | 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by E46CT
Only one person has done it so far. Flash5. This is a relatively new thing people are trying. Just blossomed a few weeks ago (the idea to install GSF bushings) You won't find a DIY though. People on these types of forums don't really DIY much, and if they do, they rarely post. But if you can turn a wrench you can do it. It's three bolts/nuts max per side. Unbolt, slide it off, slide the new one on. They should be tightened down at static height though so you'll want the suspension loaded and on ramps before you torque the bushing sleeves down to the arm. an alignment rack works best for this.

As for tires--Some people have gone up one size sidewall height.
SpecOne has a DIY for when he installed the poly bushings just follow that and you’re good. Only time will tell if these actually help the inner tire wear. I just installed them like 2 weeks ago.
EDIT: when I said “these” I was referring to the GS-F/RC-F bushings as the Poly bushings will definitely stop the dynamic toe at the expense of comfort.

Last edited by Flash5; Oct 30, 2018 at 08:51 PM.
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