nissanguy8

So I impulsively bought a 02 LS430 with the UL package and air suspension, and after buying the car, I measured each corner of the car with a long yard stick ruler and found the front right from the ground to the fender is about an inch higher than the front left and the rear right is about an inch higher than the rear left. I don't know much about the air suspension, and I looked at the records from the previous owner and found that the front 2 air bag struts were replaced by the dealer, but not the rear. The timing belt and water pump as well as the 30K 60K and 90K services were performed by the dealer. The car has 95K on it. Clean title CA car.

The car is really clean, and everything works except for the rear sub woofer that needs to be fixed, its silver exterior and has that really light almost white leather interior. I don't really know what to do about the suspension at this point and want to mess with it some more to see if its a huge problem or a minor problem with the sensors or something???

I ve read about maybe going to coilovers to eliminate the air suspension completely and don't want the ride to be compromised if I do go that route. I ve read about jacking the car up to maybe help reset the suspension, or disconnecting the battery. Any advise or tips would be much appreciated. I almost feel like just selling it and not dealing with the issue if thats what it is. Has any company come up with any new suspension product to address the air suspension of the LS430? And when you press the "high" button, how high is it suppose to raise the car all around?

lextout

just change the rear shocks and your good for another 100k miles at least, plus easier to resell then with coil overs.

toddmorr

despair not. You bought the best LS with what appears is a strong maintenance history, crazy to sell it now. Get a good diagnosis on the height irregularities....likely it just needs adjustment. If the shocks have issues they wouldn't manifest in that way.

nissanguy8

Thanks, that makes me feel a little better, so can I adjust the height myself??

rkw77080

Try these steps...

nissanguy8

ok, so if the rear link bolt is at its lowest, does that mean the car's height is also at its lowest? Thanks for this info by the way!!! I ll try and work on this this week if it doesn't rain.

rkw77080

Normally, you start with the rear sensor adjustment nut at the middle of the slot. If you want your car to sit lower, you would move the adjustment nut down towards the bottom of the slot. Otherwise if you want your car to sit higher, you would move the adjustment nut upward towards the top of the slot.
Same for the front, you would shorten the linkage if you want to lower the front of the car; lengthen to raise the front.

nissanguy8

in the rear it appears that mine are on the middle on both sides, so maybe I ll move them up, damn, won't be able to get to this till maybe next week as the rain is coming for the weekend. I ll have to play around with the front. Thanks for the info so far!!!!!

I was already to just get rid of the car!!!! but I ll have to give the adjustments a shot, is there any reason to unplug the battery to reset anything for the suspension? or will unplugging the battery make the stereo not work for any reason??

campisi

That is a very nice looking car! Looks like mine.
When you measured the height was the engine running and the car parked on level ground?

nissanguy8

it was on my driveway but my driveway is not too slanted, and the car was off, so I will have to find level ground and leave the car on and do it again, but the front left is definitely like an inch higher than the right all the time. and the right rear seems to be an inch taller than the rear left most of the time.

jayclapp

Just take it to the dealer and have the height adjusted to spec. They will do it right and you won't have to worry.

nissanguy8

ok so if I move the rear bolt upward, does that mean the ride height will raise? and if I lower the bolt downward, the ride height will lower?

nissanguy8

Alright I figured it out, I just wonder how sensitive this system is to a flat surface??