Toonces

Heya crew- I picked up a ucf20 the other day with 81k miles from a 78year old original owner who bought it back in 1995. Original title with 15mi on it. His son selling it had no idea what kind of maintenance it had so I was able to score it on the cheap for $3k.......and I decided to just try and roll into my local lexus dealer to see "if" anything had been done.…..... the kewl service kid at Lexus said he would print it up for me and to stand near the printer in the service dept. 7 pages later I realized that the little old man had it serviced ONLY at his local Lexus dealer.......last SVC at 78k miles........every oil change even! Rotors,brakes,struts,tires,plugs,wires, new driver seat,Carrier bearings,batt,radio swapped for new, belts,thermostat, all around 30-60k miles. gotta love someone who plops down $52k for a Lexus.....drives it 4500mi per year......and only takes it into his local Lexus shop!

The coup de gras was his reason for selling..........lexus's final quote at 78k miles was for $1850 for leaky PS pump and leaky valve cover gaskets............so "service denied by customer" and now I am forced to pony up the $7 for gaskets and o-ring.....

I've been searching the forums for anyone who has jumped to 18" rims/ and 225/60 tires...but can't find any pics as it seems many are 35/45 aspect ratio focused......so if anyone is rocking stocker aspect ratios on larger rims- I'd love to see your pics

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

welcome and that sounds like a great score. you will be due for a timing belt at 90k so be aware. the PS issue is a known problem and could simply be a $3 o-ring as well.

umm 60 series tires? that is incorrect. to keep the stock diameter and speedo accurate, you should be looking into 225/50/18, or 235/45/18.

use this to play around, and try to get the least difference possible (+/- 2% max):
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Toonces

I'm not super concerned with speedo and odo change...........but if the 225/60 fits in the wheelwell with 18s......and I get an alignment with caster camber set to stock specs........are there other issues with susp. geometry that need correction? (Strut length/speedo cable mods etc)

My goal is to keep an OEM plush ride while filling up the wheel wells slightly to update the look a bit..

Also is there much of a difference if I run slightly wider width and 235/245/ 50........and does the increased width volume make up for height volume going from 225/60 to 235/50 with regards to keeping oemish bump absorption feel in the tire air volume?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

lol 225/60- 18 is a pipe dream. Will look retarded and slow an already heavy and slow car down even more.

225/60-18 is an SUV/light truck size.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Welcome to Club Lexus and congrats on the maintained LS.

Regarding the tires, the difference is pretty significant and as much as this handles like a soft barge, the proposed tires would cause it to feel less stable. That larger mass and diameter would also make braking and acceleration slower to respond. My suggestion would be to remain as close to the stock diameter of 26.7" with wheel and tire changes.

Toonces

How about 225/50/18 ? Would that take the edge off of the wallowy feel enough?

How wide could i go in the rear with the 50 aspect ratio?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

please explain to me why you feel the need to run balloon/truck tires?

I'm not kidding about it looking like a cartoon car if you do. Better off keeping it stock at that point.

GH5T

Run a good quality 245/45/18 all season tire and call it a day (Continental/ BFG/ Michelin)

GH5T

Currently running Falkens on my 98 with 06 LS 430 18's.

LScowboyLS

the smoothest riding tire size is the original size 225/60-16

a little better handing, but less cushy ride would be 225/55-17

a little better handling than that, and starting to get into a pretty stiff ride would be 225/50-18

once you get away from these three sizes, then you can easily get into issues of hitting the wheel well, speedo accuracy way off, really rough ride, etc. - not recommended!


PS - if you want a little more width in the back (only!) try this combo:

Front: 225/55-17

Rear: 245/50-17


the tire sizes you are talking about are way off for the stock suspension geometry! - if you are going to radically change the suspension, alignment and all kinds of other factors, then the tires you propose might work fine, but that is a whole other conversation!

another thing to consider, tires of the same exact size, can ride vastly different! - generally, three tires made for LS400 give the best combination of ride, handling, wet and dry traction, longevity, quietness and fuel mileage:

● Michelin Primacy MXV4
● Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus
● Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus

~

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

LS430 factory 18 size (and "correct" size for '93-00 LS400s with 18s) is 245/45-18.

Toonces

Sweet- thanks for all the good info.

My other two vehicles- a 72 landcruiser fj40 and 94 fzj80 Landcruiser run 325/100/16 (38.7) and 37/13.5/17...........so an Ls400 is wildly faster in my world. One of the 325/100's with rim weighs 130lbs......so the Ls400 is pink panties compared to my other lumbering behemoths.

I will probably just stick to stock or 17's for now until I get a chance to get this Ls up in the air to examine things.

Its,got some fairly dried/cracks sidewall primacy mx4s which need to come off........and I figured a slightly larger rim might update the 1990's 3in space between fender and wheel..........to something a tad more 2014 looking.