Gixxerboy6

I am currently shopping for 19" wheels for my SC430, which will lead to lowering the vehicle for a better stance and handling. I like the look of 20s, wide lips and lowered cars that I have admired on this site, however, my wife will be driving the car and I absolutely do not want to have rubbing issues. IMHO, 19s seem to offer a good balance.....

The stock wheels do nothing for the car as they do not fill out the fender wells + the pie plates are getting dated. The look I am going for is larger and more aggressive than stock, yet subtle enough that the casual onlooker will not immediately recognize that the car has been altered... perhaps a look that Lexus could (or should) have offered to the general public (like AMG packages on Mercedes or BMW M-cars ).

I am very close to choosing MRR HR2 Machine silver finish 19x8.5 and 19x9.5 respectively (they could almost pass for factory LEXUS wheels) or maybe the BBS mesh? (Feel free to fire away with opinions).

I do not wish to lower the car too aggressively, so should I consider coilovers or simply add lowering springs.... I think I want 1.5"-2" drop max?

Anyone have a similar setup already?

Anyone with me?

Gixxerboy6

I like this wheel style also...

Yes

coilovers are obviously the best way to go if they're within your budget. you'll get a smoother ride, better performance and they're adjustable to whatever height you like.

you can do 20s without rubbing issues. just don't go as aggressive on the offsets.

if you go with an open face wheel like you're considering, you may also want to do something about the brakes. stock brakes are a real eyesore. rusted rotors and unfinished calipers.

the best option is a big brake kit (expensive). the next best option is slotted or drilled rotors and aftermarket calipers (less expensive, but still pricy). the cheapest option is slotted or drilled rotors and either caliper covers or painting your stock calipers.

Peter_Klim

My new 10 spoke (open face) rims are sitting in my living room and I am so worried how badly it'll make the stock disc brakes look small and crapy Luckily they have step lips, so it's not as bad as non step lip version.

The ones I got cannot accommodate BBKs. I think caliper covers look kinda cheap.

But what is this 2nd option you speak of? are these aftermarket rotors and calipers larger in size and would they fit my rims? (the version I have, the spokes are not curved out towards the lip enough to accommodate BBKs, but maybe this 2nd option will)

Yes

I never did much research since I have a full face wheel. But my guess is most aftermarket calipers are going to be too big. You might be able to do supra tt calipers. They're a little larger than stock calipers, but smaller than brembo, so they may fit.

gripau1

Which coilovers do people use for the 2002 model SC430?

Which spring rate are people using? I don't want a rock hard ride or one that keeps on bouncing constantly even after hitting the bump.

Yes

i'd recommend tein comfort sport coilovers. they're expensive, but if you're lucky you might find a used set in the classifieds section of this forum.

gripau1

What would the cost be? I am looking at the K-sports from ebay not sure if they are suitable for the SC430 or they might be just generic units.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

If you find springs that can lower your car the way you want it to, and have no intention of changing the height, then go for the springs.

You also need to consider what your comfort level is. These budget-based coilovers such as Megans, KSport, etc tend to use springs that are stiffer (12kf/10kr) to mask the poor dampers. Then again it's not a secret that the dampers they use are not specific for the SC430.

Also, there aren't too many springs out there that will allow you to lower your car 1.5-2" all around. Most of these companies such as Eibach, Swift, etc will lower around 1-1.5" because they know dropping too low on most OEM-type shocks will blow them prematurely.


If you want to lower your car and must have height adjustment at an affordable price, practically any bargain brand coilovers will do fine.

MRACING

When Megan Racing does R&D for their coilovers they keep in mind the weight of the car and the travel on the shock rod. They do have different dampers/shocks for each application and is tested thoroughly to make sure the ride is comfortable. If you look at the tein coilovers which use the spring to lower the height the shock actually loses travel compared to the Megan Racing which uses the lower mount to adjust height.

Poqman

I looked on the Megan website and didn't see an application for the SC430. Could you provide a link?

MRACING

Poqman....They will be listed on the website by next week so please check back.

sc430sc

Hi, I'm new to the site. I feel my 2002 sc430 hits the freeway expansion joints too hard. Can someone tell me if the Tein Comfort Sport Coilovers hit these joints softer, harder or about the same as stock? What I'm looking for is for the car to ride softer than stock but still lowered. I'm not really concerned about handling. Also has anyone tried the softer 5k/4k springs?

m3nv

Are you still running runflat tires? Thats a big reason why you feel the hard hit on the freeway expansion joints. Coilover will definitely help soften the right as long as they're ride adjustable but id look in to swapping out the runflats first.

Yes

If you're going from stock wheels with runflats to 20" wheels, it'll more or less be a wash. Switching from runflats to normal tires will give you a smoother ride. But going to low-profile tires will give you a harsher ride (less air) so it more or less evens out.

Also, I'm not sure the coilovers are going to soften the ride once you lower it. You're absorbing the same impact over a shorter distance. I've had my coilovers on for about 2 years, so it's hard to remember exactly how different it felt. If I remember right, there was just a slight improvement overall. That said, ride comfort is rarely the main consideration when buying coilovers (if ever). We buy them mainly for aesthetics. They also improve handling.

If you are concerned about the smoothness of the ride, I'd recommend 19" wheels, rather than 20s. It won't look as good, but you'll be riding on more air, which will absorb the bumps a little better. If you're not buying new wheels, there's no point getting them. Just ditch the runflats and you'll be fine.