suspension advice
#1
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suspension advice
'93 LS 400 237,000km's assume suspension has never been touched. Notice in the pic below how the rear sits low.
Also, when I had 5 in the car it felt like I had 2" of travel and it would bottom on a pebble. Lexus dealer had for a test drive quote" suspension is soft and saggy handles poorly indicating worn springs" however advice from this forum rules out the springs from wearing out using evidence that no-one buysthem and the metallurgy is just too good these days.
So I figure a new set of OEM shocks should do it on a budget. Question is there are regular and heavy duty OEM shocks available for the rear. I'm thinking heavy duty as I'll be carrying a 60lb sub box in the trunk.
Suggestions - anyone ever run the "heavy duty" OEM rear shocks? tks
Also, when I had 5 in the car it felt like I had 2" of travel and it would bottom on a pebble. Lexus dealer had for a test drive quote" suspension is soft and saggy handles poorly indicating worn springs" however advice from this forum rules out the springs from wearing out using evidence that no-one buysthem and the metallurgy is just too good these days.
So I figure a new set of OEM shocks should do it on a budget. Question is there are regular and heavy duty OEM shocks available for the rear. I'm thinking heavy duty as I'll be carrying a 60lb sub box in the trunk.
Suggestions - anyone ever run the "heavy duty" OEM rear shocks? tks
#3
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Also what do you mean by "not available for the '10?"
Tks
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#8
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My dime says you're going the wrong route, struts don't hold the car up, they absord the osillations of the springs. The coil spring controls the ride height.
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Also... you don't see people buyng struts to lower their vehicle do you? Nope... you see them buying springs.... I removed the complete set of lower springs and strut assemblies on my car that the previous owner installed because I didn't like the hard ride.
#10
Lexus Test Driver
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It can't hurt to replace the struts. You'll see it's pretty easy. And if that does not fix it, you may notice something else when you're in there. Good luck.
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OK watch the vids help any with the guesses
So here's some vids obviously the shocks are shot and both sides of the car are equal height, still not sure if I need springs.........what do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22psNbRmpjI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UVaTAqnTmM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22psNbRmpjI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UVaTAqnTmM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
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Assuming you're doing it yourself and trying to save $$, I'd replace the rear struts only. You may find that that fixes it all. Or you may find something in there causing another problem.
If you then decide that you do have bad springs (not common from what I've read), you'll find that basically re-doing the strut replacement (to replace the springs only) is not a big deal at all after you've just done it once and figured out all the little tricks.
If you then decide that you do have bad springs (not common from what I've read), you'll find that basically re-doing the strut replacement (to replace the springs only) is not a big deal at all after you've just done it once and figured out all the little tricks.
#13
BahHumBug
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springs and shocks work in concert to set ride height, as shocks wear past a certain point they stop exerting as much force on the chassis allowing it to sag (think about all those old cars you see running around that seem a little too low to come that way stock). also, yes, people generally buy lowering SPRINGS, but those generally dont work well when lowering a car past 1.5inches or so, past that people buy coilovers which are a matched spring/shock set on an adjustable sleeve....
springs do have a more drastic effect on setting ride height, but dont thiink the shock doesnt play a pretty significant role....
#14
Lexus Champion
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I have a question on the original shocks. I just replaced my back shocks and the shocks that were on the car had no markings. Did not say Toyota, kyb or anything. Would this be the original shock? They were black and had one white stripe around the center. This is on a 1992 Ls400