Vlad_Stein

Just wanted to get this topic on the floor....

I wanted to upgrade to TRD sways. The problem is, I have been waiting for the damn things for 6 months now, and according to Steve Ganz, there's no telling when they're going to come in. The reason is that TRD of Japan's supplier of sways has not delivered the parts yet and TRD USA is not committing to any dates (since they have no control over the matter). The whole strategy looks like this "They are not here yet, wait another month."

This makes me vewy mad : I, a loyal Lexus customer, am being brushed aside by Toyota-owned company when it comes to proper support with performance parts. The problems is, according to Steve Ganz, TRD is the only game in town as far as GS sways are concerned. The best way to combat this TRD/Toyota disrespect of performance enthusiasts is to vote with your wallet. I would love to stick it to TRD by spending my money elsewhere.

The point is: what are GS folks doing about this these days? I am sure I am not the only one in this situation. I was wondering if someone has any information on the possibility of a group order from some other manufacturer (Neuspeed, Ground Control, Intrax, Eibach, 1520, Progress Group, etc.)
Most of these companies stay away from Lexus Models (GS), probably because more money can be made by tricking out Civics and Integras. Does anyone know what kind of numbers (of orders) are needed for one of these companies to consider making the sways?

Manaray

I think InTrash makes sways but I would wait for the TRD ones...

I feel your pain as I have waited MANY months for various TOM'S parts to come in...what can do you? Unfortunately, it's Japanese mentality vs. American metality. Here, the Consumer is king, not so in Japan. In Japan, the companies are doing you a favor by letting you buy their products...I don't like it either but I'd rather buy a TRD sway bar set than a InTrash set even if I had to wait...

Now if some REPUTABLE company made sways, then I would look into it....I don't think I'd buy from one of those Honda ricer companies thought...

MRGS400nSoCali

I agree with Manaray. Don't settle on any other sway bars. I was lucky enough for buy a set from SuperJoe. I can't say enough about the vast improvement in the handling of the car with the TRD sways on, its like night and day. Reminds me a little of how my supra handled (jus a little tho).

oldguy

I've had some experience with ADDCO Industries in Florida, and would guess they would do a group thing. My TRD's are on order with Steve also, and I will wait awhile at least.
ADDCO.Net, I think.

bravo261

iTrader: (1)

manaray, seriously, a company called InTrash? or am i simply missing out on a joke?

Shinchan

Hehehe.. thats funny.. Manaray is referring to InTrax.. rice company...

///MDex

Continue to wait for the TRD sways; don't rush to get lesser quality just for the sake of having them.....................but get some LCBs in the meantime.

RON430

I've got the TRD sways and obviously like them a lot. I can sympathize with lack of supply. I see the Intrax bars are sold by Rod Millen. I understand the comments about Intrax but the bars look very similar and they have the advantage that the rear bar is adjustable. I am pretty sure Mean Gene has these bars on his GS. If the wait and lack of info are getting too much to take, at least there are some alternatives. Might want to pm Mean Gene for comments but I think he is happy with his RMM bars. Ultimately, the best thing you can do with an unresponsive vendor, whether it be Toyota or anyone else, is vote with your checkbook for a competitors part if there are equivalent (or superior) items out there.

oldguy

RON430
How is your 430 on the over/under steer balance? Having had a car that had almost neutral handling, the idea of adjustability in the rear bar sounds good. Comment?
And thanks for your many past comments. Congrats on the raffle win.

RON430

You know, I haven't really pushed this car that hard, with or without the sways. My buttometer says it is pretty neutral right now. My brainometer hopes that the closer you get to the limit it will probably go understeer, especially on the stock 16s. At least I hope so. In my wild youth I always liked a race car setup that stayed neutral as long as possible but could be pushed to oversteer at the limit, especially with trailing throttle. Early TA cars were fairly easy to get that setup with more horsepower than suspension and bigger skins in the rear. But I am not sure I would like to dance on the edge anymore. Guess I'd rather see what I am going to hit. Having said that, I am also a great fan of adjustability in suspension components. If I didn't have the TRDs and especially with delivery looking like it is a problem, I would go for the RMMs to get the adjustability. The buttometer also says that the biggest improvement with the TRD sways was from the rear bar. Having it adjustable would allow some personalization and even more important permit tuning the balance as you alter shocks, tires, and/or springs. In fact, I don't have anything that I can adjust on the suspension right now. At least until bilstein gets convinced to give us the adjustable coilovers for the GS, that could dent the checking account again. Maybe Mean Gene will read this thread and make some comments on his bars.

How do you take credit for winning a raffle? Seems like the only things I can remember winning were my trophy wife and the shift ****, thankful for both. I wouldn't recommend Ethan get into the raffling off of trophy wives, probably get the board shut down or at least require huge member contributions....

Vlad_Stein

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

Unfortunately, Ron, Intrax does not make them anymore (this is just an update problem with RMM site): I called them a while back and wanted to order them, but was told that they are no longer available.

Dex, Manaray, I think you guys have too much faith in TRD quality in this situation: in the end, a sway is just a piece of metal. Sure there are probably a million ways to make a sway (with different properties), but I am sure that there is more than one company out there that could make as good (or better) part, especially considering that TRD outsources the manufacturing, if I heard the rep correctly. It is the tuning, I think, that separates the men from the boys.

I wasn't knocking the "rice burner" crowd when I referred to other suspension companies: I meant that there is more market (money) in supplying other types of cars first. Lexus (unfortunately), is not a "hot bed" of tuning activity, with the exception of IS. It's all about making cars handle. I figure, if a company does a great job with a ricer car, there is no reason to think it will do any worse with a GS430.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, of course.....

MRGS400nSoCali

Maybe if the Japanese didnt have that attitude (ie doin you a favor by selling you something), their economy would be in way better shape. I sometimes think that the whole supply side of these "JDM aftermarket" parts is being manipulated to keep the stock low and the prices as high as they are, via scarcity of the parts. I dunno, those are jus my two cents. And always keep an eye out on the CL classifieds, thats how I was able to get a set of my TRD sway bars.

///MDex

Sure, I see your point, I mean, I don't believe they are made out of gold or anything I would just rather wait to get a quality part, and your dealer shouldn't even blink when you ask them to install it.

I bet there aren't many ways at all to make a sway, but I'm not an engineer; they can only come in so many shapes and sizes when the specs to fit the GS are constant.

Anyway, also consider how many performance parts and manufacturers are available for the GS; not many sine us as a population of owners is so small. There may be 5 manufacturers of sways for the GS, but they, or a retailer, have yet to be discovered, but by all means hunt all you want.

Sounds like you are tired of waiting. If you didn't have to wait, would you be hunting for other alternatives?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Do you know of one?

RON430

Vlad, what a pisser. I checked the RMM site before I posted just to make sure they were still listed but I obviously did not call them. In my business I have found more problems getting blown out of proportion from communication more than any other reason. It is a shame that TRD USA or whoever is responsible can't just give you and us a accounting for what is going and when we can realistically expect to have sways available. If they aren't going to get them because the market is too small or whatever, just tell us. We can grumble but at least move on. As far as I can see, the TRD sways were thicker wall tubing with the same OD. So the stock bars should be able to be used as a template to make stiffer units. There are enough stock sways floating around people on this board to make them usable if we need to find someone to make the doggoned things. But it sure would be nice to know that we had to go to that trouble. Maybe Intrax could be talked into a run if a group buy got enough interest. Just trying to come up with ideas.