1991 Lexus LS400 - need new struts HELP!
 

I took my car into Midas to get the front suspension checked. All the guy did was drive it over speed bumps and tell me I needed new struts. They never really looked at it. It feels pretty loose in back as well but it makes considerable noise going over speed bumps.

I was quoted at $430 for parts/$280 for labor for new struts in front.

Is this reasonable?

I actually thought the 1991's had air suspension.

Can anybody steer me to an ebay auction with credible struts?

Old school test to see if you need new shocks. Stand on each corner of the car and push up and down really hard. If the car bounces up and down rather easily and/or keeps bounding after you stop, shocks are dead. Also while you are bouncing the corners, if you are able to "bottom out" the shock (maxing out the stroke to the point where you are hitting the top of the shock), then they are dead. The speed bump test is another way to check to see if dead. Car should transverse them softly rather than hitting hard on the downside.

91's had air suspension as an option, not standard. Easy way for you to tell is to look behind ANY wheel at the suspension. If you see an air bag (bladder), instead of a shock/spring then you have an air suspension. Also there would be a button on the inside of the car so you can adjust, in the shift area on a 91[I think]. For the price you were quoted, I am sure you have shock/spring combo. Airbags are very expensive to replace, and most people who have them when they go out just convert to shock/spring combo or just install coilovers.

Shocks can either be gotten from the dealer (expensive option), or you can go to you local PepBoys auto store and grad yourself a set of KYB-GR2's. These are as close to the factory shocks as you can get; aftermarket. They normally run about $75-80 apiece. You can also find them on ebay as well. Tokico HP Blue's are also another option to replace(personally don't like them).

My opinion, grab the shocks and just have them install for you. Labor sounds about right, as you have to take alot apart to remove them. This issue has been discussed here before. Use the search and advanced search features here for more information.

what he said^.

Thanks so much for your help. Very informative. I will go with the Pep Boys struts.

Last question. Since the mechanic will have everything apart do you think it's a good idea to have him install new lower ball bearings/bushings?

Well since you have everything apart, replacing the BEARINGS is always gonna be a plus, however, the sad news is that the bearings are part of the hub and are machine pressed in. Unless your mechanic has a machine press, he is not gonna be able to change them.

On the other hand, since the car will be apart, changing the LOWER BALL JOINT is a good idea. He will essentially have just about everything disconnected associated with this, so it will not hurt to change them. They are relatively cheap and not hard to change at all.

Great, thanks. So all I need to do now is:

1. Buy 2 struts at Pepboys for $160.
2. Buy 2 lower ball joints from ebay for $89.99.
3. Find mechanic who has a machine press.
4. Pray after all this, I will have a soft Lexus ride after break-in period.

You dont need a machine press to change the ball joints. Only if you plan on changing the bearings only. Most mechanics will tell you that it is probably easier to just buy the entire hub and replace it.

have you priced a hub for an LS? sadly i have and they are available only from the dealer for , sit down, $368 ea. then you still have to press it out of the bearing and press the old bearing out of the knuckle and press the new bearing in, then press the hub into the bearing.

$368,,, hmmm I was quoted a price in this neighborhood for just the rears only. I think I got quoted something like over $500 per side for the fronts alone. Then again, I really havent been looking for them, or trying to track them down seriously.

Ouch!

Aren't new struts enough?

I'm kind of nervice about Pep Boys struts. Am I taking a chance here? Are they comparable to Monroe? I haven't seen anything on our forum regarding Pep Boys struts. Also, Tokico are selling for cheap as well but somebody already mentioned their reputation isn't so hot.

The brand isn't really pep boys, its KYB who made the OEM strut. As mentioned above, the GR-2 is the closest to stock you can get for aftermarket. It should be a lot better than a monroe for your car.

yeah, i just priced a rear one as that's what i needed. i don't doubt that front hubs would be more.

KYB is a good strut. look for them on ebay, they might be cheaper. i'm not sure as to why the tokico's aren't recommended. i haven't seen much on them but that's what i was going to go for when i buy some. typically in sports car world, tokico's are pretty highly regarded....

unless you need the bearings, don't worry about it. just get hte struts. the bearings last a long tme.

You might end up not needing the new struts. You may simply need the lower ball joint and strut rods.

I had tokico Hp's when I did my drop on H&R's. They were both installed at the same time and were all brand spanking new at time of installation. Because I spend my time on the road as a professional truck driver, my car is parked all the time and is only driven every other weekend. In under a 6 month period of time, I blew out 2 complete sets of shocks (8 total). This is why I don't recommend Tokico's, personally. Some members here like them, I just personally do not.
The KYB's are not PepBoys shocks. I simply said that you can pick them up there, as Pepboys seems to be one of the few auto parts places which will actually keep a small amount in stock for our cars. Advantage is , go to the store,, come home with them in your hand,, no waiting for order you placed online to come in or be delivered. Not guaranteeing that your local store will have them in stock, but has been my experience that they have been in stock when I was looking for them.