ColoLS4

O.K. after changing the oil I went to work on getting the car to a lower stance. Well..... It worked just like GS4to4 said. This worked for me - but it's your car....

Front: I figure a 1.5" drop, maybe a bit less - took all of 30 minutes.

Rear: About a 1.2" drop, just enough rake to the car. Can adjust more.

Front location: just in front and back from the shock - . If you look for a plactic cover you can open that and the top of the threads will be there.

Rear location: get under the car from the rear and look infront of the suspension. You will see a completly threaded rod with a "nut" welded in the center. That is the deal.

I started with the front and marked the rod with a black felt tip so I could tell how many turns I did. Well long story short - don't do that it is a waste of time. Loosen the top and bottom nut until they are at the ends of the thread. It was hard to turn with the dirt and grime on the the threads so I decided to unbolt the rod from the bottom connection - (1) 10mm nut. Once I did that I unscrewed the whole rod from the upper connection, WD-40 the threads and screwed it back together as FAR as it would go. Did the same with the bottom connection on the rod. I did this to both sides, re-bolted the bottom connection and tightend the nuts on either side of the rod. Front done.

I moved to the rear. Find that rod and undo the nuts on either end of the rod. I figure I twisted the nuts about a 1/4" up. Use a open end wrench and twist the rod until the nuts you moved touch the upper and lower connecting points. Tighten the nuts.
Done deal.

So you have a bit more room you may want to jack the car up at each corner and do the work.

The front could be about an inch lower so my thought is to unbolt the rod from the bottm as I did and unscrew the deal from the upper connection, bring it to a hardware store and find a rod that is ALL threads and a bit shorter that way I could lower the front more.

The only concern I have with going any lower is at 84mph the car lowers itself. The question is - will the tires rub I will get on the highway tomorrow and see what is does with the way I have it now. If it will not rub I think I will find a shorter rod and give that a shot.

EASY - EASY...

Good luck!

Todd

healerhand

Is shortening the rod will lower the car or heighten? How is the ride? Pictures please.

ColoLS4

My assumption is that it would lower the car. When I detached the rod I twisted it all the way into the upper and lower connecting joints basically making the rod shorter between the joints. I would of twisted it in further, but it was all the way twisted in to the connecting joints. So my thought is to get a shoter rod and it will lower the car more. The only issue I don't have an answer for is when the car goes into low mode (when you hit 84mph) will the tires rub? Also, I do no want to loose ALL the suspension travel.

The car feels like it rides and drives the same as before.

I will try to get some pics posted soon.

By the way I ordered the clear front bumper lenses and the "red-clear-red" tail lenses. Any idea on the light bulbs I should use in the rear? I hope the tails are of good quality! From the picture of the rear tails I may loose the key entry to the trunk?

http://www.procarparts.com/store/dis...=90-94%20LS400

See ya,
Todd

P.S. I see a black dot on the envelope on the forum page. What does that mean

hellasboy

Hey, another person from Colorado! welcome!

The black dot on the folder means that you've replied to that thread.

If your tires rub when you hit 84mph, then I'd reccomend that you buy an air suspension controller. I know that there are air suspension controllers (you can change the height through a module) available for the SC400s found abroad that had this suspension option. THE SC and LS shared many of the same things, including air suspension, so I don't see why these controllers wouldn't work for the LS.

nick

healerhand

nick,

where can i get the controller? Used car parts? or aftermarket from Japan? If you used parts, what year of SC

hellasboy

aaah, i just read your other suspension thread.

There are 2 R-Spec air suspension controllers and 1 blitz controller. PM me if you want the model numbers.

hellasboy

Just saw your new reply after I submitted my previous reply

None of the SC's that were sold in the states had the air suspension upgrade. Not sure which years, but the air suspension was the same between the two platforms.

If you can find it used, then buy it. You can definitely find them aftermarket in Japan. Someone who I know is going to be in Japan in 3 weeks, I'll ask him to look around a little bit; if I can't find a local importer. I'll post the prices when I find out.

LOTC

ColoLS your gunna have to rewire the rear lite wires,because the bulb for the rear lites is in the white part of those taillights.There is only one bulb in the middle section,which where the white lens is.You can try a rub bulb first,but im afraid it will lite up pink at nite.

ColoLS4

edogg,

On the light bulb deal can you recommend the best red bulb to try. I have heard that there is the new LED's out there that can replace the standard bulb. Familar with those?

And, how to re-wire if I have to

Thanks,
Todd

LOTC

Try Raybrigs or Polargs,those 2 would probably be the best,and I dont think Piaa makes any red bulbs,I dont know how the Laws are in Colorado,but here in LA you cant have a clear tailight even though u have a red bulb behind it.


Any stereo shop should be able to rewire two new bulb outlets if they are a good shop but your gunna have to find two new bulb outlets somewhere,also your gunna have to drill two new holes into the inside of the tailights.But wait till the tailights come in first see how it looks with a red bulb first.

ColoLS4

Thanks - I should have them in a few days.

UZZ32

Sounds like the adjustment on the LS is the same as my Japanese Soarer. I lowered the front to get the gap between the tire and wheel arch the same with 18 inch wheels as there was with the standard 16 inch wheels.
Winding the rod all the way in - did that put the tyres inside the guards?
Are you going to get the geometry reset?
I have one page describing what I did to mine and a pic - not much though.

healerhand

I was thinking last night. The LS 400 rear rod is much easier thant the front. I was thinking getting two addition rear rods and replace it to the front, therefore the height adjustment is much easier.

If I replace the front rods with rear rods, i can adjust the height of the car without jacking it up.

ColoLS4

Peter - GREAT website! I'm not going to get much work done today.... To answer your question it did not put the tires inside the guards. I would say there is about a 1" wheel-well gap. I have Fittipaldi 17" rims with 235/45-17 tires on all rims. I have not had the geomertry reset and please correct me if I'm wrong, but since the body of the car actually lowers itself (it sits on the air "shocks") the suspension geometry should not be effected - i.e the upper/lower wishbone. Past cars I have lowered including a 1983 S-10 2-wheel drive blazer and a Dodge Intrepid, I did have to reset the geometry because the suspension was fully taken out to add either new springs (in the case of the intrepid) and dropped spindles and cut springs (in the case of the blazer). My ultimate goal is to get the airsuspension controller from Japan (http://www.datasystem.co.jp/catalog/ase/ase.html) but I don't know how - BUT I WILL FIND A WAY. I have emailed some of the sites but had no replies yes. It looks like it will cost between $200-$350 US dollars - hopefully. My next step is the exhaust - leaning towards Borla, but I don't want it to sound like a chevy 3/4 ton truck and I want the tips to look good out the back.

David,

That sounds like a good Idea. I'm assuming the threads are the same from the front to the rear. Like I told Paul, I would rather get the suspension controller, but if I cannot find that I may change the rods out.

Regards,
Todd

CoochieCrook

Sounds like a nice easy mod. Did this affect the ride quality any? Where did you learn this tip from?

Would this make the air suspension wear quicker?

I am really thinking of doing this. Only concern I have is the ride quality. If it will suffer after some time. Or make it unsafe in anyway. Do you know of any people that have had this mod done to theri car for a long period of time?

Sorry about all the questions.

P.S. Have any pics.? Thanks.