Anyone install Sachs brand front struts?

Due to numerous unflattering reports on this forum, KYB is out, Bilstein is a strong contender and know little about Sachs.

DId not immediately ascertain whether Sachs offers rear struts for LS400...

Too many superceding parts numbers in Lexus database on LS400 struts to consider dealer parts...


SAC:280 883 front strut

 

I did install Sachs front strut mounts on my Bilstein HD shocks and they have been no issue for 3 yrs now.

 

duplicate post

 

why is KYB out? they are made in japan, and likely the closest to OEM you can find in the non-OE market.

 

Avail yourself of posts in this forum on topic..

However, not taking Lexus dealer or forum members word that they change road isolation characteristics AND do not last anywhere near as long as OEM, here is my research (and implore all to perform your own):

1.) KYB aftermarket struts are NOT the same quality as originally installed on LS400....
2 .) KYB posted charts online depicting their LS400 replacement struts take into account "suspension settling" -- read stiffer...and when I inquired, KYB told me so..
3.) According to forum members who have installed aftermarket KYB struts, the ride is stiffer and are not as durable...
4.) I recently presented KYB an opportunity to respond to concerns raised over the unsettling ride characteristics and reported durability concerns....both orally and in writing, and KYB failed to respond.
5.) Have heard the same issues raised over KYB aftermarket strut mounts...only worse.

It is fallacy to assume that the same brand equates to same quality.

Almost every LS400 aftermarket part examined is, to varying degrees, of lesser quality than original..

Hope this helps.

 

^ ah gotcha! sure they are not OEM but they would still be my best alternative rather than going with off brand struts.

i'm running KYB aftermarkets on my IS250 with no problems. are they stiffer? probably but it's so minute the cost over OEM is worth it to me.

 

I would go right to Bilstein, I was very disappointed they don't make shocks for the 430 or the 460 since I normally swap to them as soon as possible. By far the best shocks outside of custom or muti chamber air shocked I've used, really wakes the car up and controls it at speed.

 

I had Sachs rear struts installed for a few thousand miles and they were Made in Japan. I eventually found OEM replacements and compressed both the Sachs and OEM dampers side by side out of the car and the Sachs were very firm in comparison. The bottom bushing is also a different design with less rubber compared to the OEM.

I had no issues with the Sachs in the rear but the damping is definitely not the same as the OEM. This was in a '94 so I am sure YMMV.

 

going by the photo of the Sachs shocks, they might have inferior lower bushings, like the KYBs I had installed on my 97, so those may fail prematurely. The Bilstein HDs I installed had nice thick bushings that went the complete width of the lower shock mount and had minimal flex compared to the KYBs, so far superior construction and I don't have a doubt that they'll last 20+ years like the OEM ones did.

 

Yes.. several aftermarket brands use incorrect smaller diameter bushings on the lower strut mount...


Original rear strut bottom mount depicted.. is ~50mm diameter.

Has anyone measured Bilstein aftermarket?

 

Tangentally related to this topic, but without answering your original question, here is an except from a KYB tech of when I was diagnosing my "pogo stick" problem from my then-new KYB front shocks.

(tl;dr it turned out to be a pre-load issue, re-tightening the top piston rod nut and upper mounting points, lowering the car to the ground, and re-tightening them fixed the problem).

If I had to guess, I would say they were stiffer. But this is an unfair comparison because it's impossible for me to give concrete A\B testing of brand new KYB shocks vs. 20 year old tired OEM shocks with broken mounts. And ontop of that, this install problem I had prevented me from doing direct A\B testing. On the other hand, I've become quite in-tune with car suspension\ride quality over the years. I can really tell when something isn't as it should be. Like my saga with Discount Tire last year and the high road force numbers on the tires. So I trust my gut - if my intuition says they're stiffer, they probably are.

However - keep this in mind. Many people may not be particularly sensitive to minute differences in shock quality\damping, and most people replacing shocks are replacing tired, worn out shocks with brand new ones. Again, not a fair comparison of brand new KYB shocks to 20 year old worn down OEM shocks. The real test which needs to be done is new vs. new, but that's a huge hurdle to go through.

Something else that should be mentioned is that while two shocks may have the same stats on the spec sheet, the quality of the internal valving will have a pretty big influence on the quality of the ride even though on the surface their spec sheet says they're the same. There's a lot more than just rebound rates that influences ride quality.

 

1999 LS400 with 126k. I am not an auto mechanic and trying to purchase all parts to update rear suspension and just get overwhelmed with information from this forum. Beyond the shocks themselves (Bilstein, KYB, OEM) many owners have stated all pre-made strut assemblies are not the right choice and want to try to stick with OEM parts. Also read that the chance of the Springs (48231) being damaged is rare and assuming that both sides can be used going forward.

From diagrams can I assume that all the parts below need to be purchased in addition to shocks for each side:
Insulator - 48257-50010
Bumper - 48341-50010
Support - 48755 (LH, RH)
Cap and 3 nuts - 48553 (LH, RH) plus 94110 nuts (3)
Lower Bolt - 42304A, 90119-14025

 

Pre-made assembly's have their purpose; but mostly for changing the dynamic of the car for a purpose eg: lowering the car.

Generally speaking, springs can be re-used. They seem pretty durable and as long as they pass inspection, most end up re-using them.

You can go with different brands than OEM for the shocks - especially considering the OEM shocks are getting really expensive. KYB seems to be a popular choice, as are Bilstein. But as Yoda said earlier - these are not duplications of OEM shock quality & specification. They are replications at a cheaper price point for a reason. The Bilstein's in particular seem to be a good amount stiffer than OEM.

The one thing I would strongly recommend however is go with OEM hardware for the insulator, bumper, mounts. I put KYB aftermarket shock mounts on my car and they both completely failed within 18 months.

I don't think? you need to buy nuts & bolts, if you're just replacing components and not changing anything, no need to buy new stuff. But if you can get them for a couple bucks there isn't a reason not to either.

 

You can forgo the cap and 3 nuts and if your lower bolt isn't corroded or seized, that as well.

I don't why people think Bilsteins are extremely stiff, I used them as an OEM replacement and they ride fantastic and control the car very well, much better than the factory shocks ever will. Plus you get the ability to use the factory springs at ride height or on a lower perch which effectively lowers the car a slight 0.6" for better aesthetic appearance while not compromising anything at all in terms of ride quality.

For springs, I would consider rear spring replacement as you may have a slight sagging issue. They are pretty softly sprung to begin with, I hardly needed any pressure at all when swapping shocks with the spring compressor, so chances are yours might be a bit tired.

 

Thank you for the informed responses and helps clear my path forward. Going to purchase OEM insulator, bumper, and mounts. Really like the original ride and height of car and now leaning toward Bilstein HD B6 shocks.