Bocatrip

Now that I'm planning on getting a new set of P7s and of course an alignment, I'm considering changing my tired and original front LCA bushings before I get the alignment. I just found out that I can purchase the OEM Lexus/Toyota fluid filled bushings alone for my year 2001 LS430 for a very reasonable price on line (approximately $120-$150 a pair or even less. What should be a reasonable labor cost to press them in and out? I've seen that the control arm does not have to be removed but just lowered. Is this true and approximate what should the cost for labor for this job be from and Indy? Does the entire arm have to be removed or just lowered? Thanks all.

jpv7774

Clap.....if I am reading your sentence correctly........I think you are stating that the H rated tire WAS used as the OEM right? If so.....I would agree it is the correct tire for the car. And as I have said...the car handles very well with the H rated tire. On the other hand if I misunderstood your sentence and it is the other way around.......I will just say that i am surprised of that fact

Now I just saw 2 or 3 votes for ( over thinking ) the purchase. I disagree with that statement. I just finished a 2 year restoration of a boat. I was on a boating forum and did a complete restoration thread. I always dug deep to get the information that I personally was looking for to get the job done right and to the standards that mattered to me. Forum members would often call me out for over thinking certain areas of the build. I always held my ground and did things my way. Well in the end....I am extremely proud of my restoration results. My boat gets compliments every time I take it out...but most importantly my boat runs and rides great.....and its safe. I cant say the same for several of the other boats on my particular thread.. I did lose several forum readers over the 2 year resto due to my style...but thats the beauty of a forum....they didnt like my style so they just moved on. Others liked that I strived for perfection and copied my tactics. Yes our friend Boca is working every angle of this tire install.....but i am certain that in the end he will be happy with his results.

To be clear.....the info that all of you have provided to Boca has been superb........Just sayin let the man go through his process. Maybe we will be able to learn something from his extra efforts that will benefit one of us in the future.

My 2 cents....

warminwisc

I would recommend my Xice3's to anyone still love em H rated snow tire quiet handles nice have worn well would buy again. Pilot Sports A/S good for 20k miles than not so good. No clue what moral of story is I know whats good for me.

warminwisc

Oh ya X ice 3 run em a little lite on air tend to wear center silightly, Then again snows are hard to get even wear with with seasonable changes and temps

Gronemus

I paid about $110 for a set of Lexus bushings back on September 7th from this guy: linky

Pressing in the bushings are pretty easy. Pressing out the old ones are the challenge because you need the right size tool in order to support the bracket and yet allow the bushing to get pressed out. DAMHIKT. The bushings come off the car very easily. I just used a breaker bar to leverage the control arm down a small amount so that I could slide the bushing off once I had the three fasteners removed. No need to removed the control arm from the car. You can find other threads and see what people have paid to have the bushings installed. I would think two hours at the most including the time to do the alignment. Maybe less...

Bocatrip

JPV, You definitely have a point here. If I were able to drive your car with the H rated P7s I could certainly make a more accurate decision, but I don't have that luxury. Yes, I'm fairly certain that the H will probably be an even softer ride than I'm getting. And yes, my tires have been wearing out quickly with 99% city driving. Here is my reasoning....When I purchased my LS430 almost 9 years ago, I had to remove all the new BF Goodrich tires from the car from the previous owner as the load rating was incorrect at a T speed rating. Luckily, I had the previous owner's receipt which were purchased at Sears. I immediately took the car back to my local sears who on the spot offered to exchange the tires for whatever I wanted in the shop + any extra cost.I got the Primacys for less than $200. I was told by a trusty tire shop to go for the V rated Primacy and did. What a difference from what was on there!!!!!! I changed my Primacys again due to sidewall cracking with V again. This is all I know. Although not a BMW, the steering is not at all vague with almost zero play and very precise. I hate cars with vague steering and am willing to sacrafice tread life and some slight additional plushness to the ride for the confidence I have with steering and control with Vs. Once again, I don't have H rated tires to make a fair comparison.. Funny thing, I was at my Local Lexus dealership today where there were a ton of LS430s coming in for service. (South East Florida is the capital for LS430 ownersip!) Of the 4 LS430s I examined, 2 had V rated, and 2 had H rated. 3 were Primacy's the 4th an unknown brand. If I had 18s, yes I would get H rated without a second thought, but 17s are cushy no matter what. PS....I have found on my Primacys (which I'm getting rid of soon anyway) the ride itself has gotten more thumpy, noisey, and less luxo after only 15,000 miles. This might be characteristic to the tire rather than overall miles or speed rating as they were definitely softer when new. . I'm a creature of habit, and hate change. It's difficult enough going to Pirellis after Michelins, but I'll stick with the V rating. I'm also concerned since the P7s are asymmetrical and not symmetrical as the Primacys were, about possible feathering (causing noise) which I never had with the Primacys. Of course I'll be doing a proper alignment and fanatical about rotations (I prefer cross rotations) PS...All my existing tires are wearing exceptionally even across the treads.

gmoney94

Just my .2. I just had the V rated P7 (18inch) installed this past Monday, and I love them. Very quiet, very smooth and controlled. I was coming from OEM dunlops so I cannot compare them tot he Michelins firsthand. The tire noise - to my ear, is the same at 50mph as it is at 80mph to my ear.

tradosauru

UPDATE:
I was feeling vibration in the steering wheel and the car was pulling right more than I thought it should so I brought the Lexus back to the alignment shop and they swapped both front tires because they said it most likely is a radial pull from the front tires. After completing the swap I brought it to Discount tire to perform a road force balance. The manager came back and said both front tires were bent to the point they couldn't balance it. They caught this only after trying to road force balance.
After haggling and complaining Discount Tire will give me 100% credit on the 18" Michelin and let me downsize to 17" Michelins and buy 4 new rims from them.
I'm assuming the bent rims affected the alignment also?

Johnhav430

I have a lifetime alignment on the LS, but have not gone back for #2 and it's been I think 7,000 miles or so. My wife's, because of a strut replacement on one side only (extended warranty only covers what's defective), went back in 6k. Surprisingly, 2/4 wheels were off again, but NOT the RF which got the new strut. The dealer actually aligned only 1 wheel! hahahahahaha (that's the extended warranty). The LS is so smooth at all speeds, I actually just haven't felt like even wasting the time to drop it off at Firestone. But I am curious if anything has gone out like it did on my wife's car...I've hit a bunch of bumps since the last one. It truly seemed like bang for buck, last time....

One thing I noted from the paperwork, the subsequent alignment had the word "express." Must be a different mode on the Hunter machine....

Bocatrip

John..I'm not sure what "express" means either. Although I'm very into maintaining all that's necessary on every system of my car, with regards to alignments.... I have them done only when I feel they are necessary such as:. 1) after purchasing a set of new tires 2) any kind of suspension work is done, excluding replacing struts etc. It's also difficult to find an alignment shop that will actually align the car thoroughly meaning not just to satisfy having the specs in the green area. Most do just that. Some cars are very sensitive to specific specs within the "green area". I believe our cars are not performance cars and there is more leeway. My previous G35 was fairly specific where the camber and toe should be. I'd still rather have a "good alignment" whenever it is done. I try to go to a shop that has a dedicated tech for alignments with the latest state of the art machine. Once again...I'm super **** but I feel my car reflects my efforts regardless of it's age.

Jabberwock

My LS had its first alignment performed at 92k miles only because I replaced 2 front struts and the LCA bushings. Car has always tracked straight as an arrow and tires wear very evenly (rotated every 5k miles).

jpv7774

Hey Jabber......what did that front end maint cost you? My car has 145k on it and as far as I know it hasnt had any front end work done on it....surely I am due. I will have to check it Lexus service history more thoroughly for front end work.

GMONEY.......what year is your car? You have 18's....so I assume newer then my 04.........and your car is an LS right?

tradosauru

I'm going to have two 18" Lexus OEM rims available if anyone would be interested. I will take pictures once I get them back. The other two (that are now on the rear) are bent according to Discount Tire.

gmoney94

2006 / 18s / LS430

XJSFan

I agree with you but a few extra PSI of air in the H rated tire firms it up... 32PSI to maybe 34PSI seems to be what many owners have done here. Either rated tire would be fine for me and I am an aggressive driver. Ask my wife. LOL...