Coilovers or Standard Suspension Refresh

[cawmere]

Hi,

 

My MK4 has done about 120,000 miles now, and feels a bit floaty on the motorway, I was wondering how does a new OEM struts compare to coilovers? 

I was looking at these: http://www.buyautoparts.com/buynow/1998/Lexus/LS400/Shock_and_Strut_Set/75-83256_2C.html?xref=787812

And the coilovers I was looking at was this: http://www.bc-racing.co.uk/applications/lexus-coilovers/lexus-ls400-95-00.html

Car is currently on 19" Rims, but I may get some 17/18"s instead.

Anything else people here recommend? 

Thanks.

[skyway]

Hi  

I have a 430 which at some point had a set of strutmasters coilovers fitted

 http://www.strutmasters.com/products/2000-2006-lexus-ls430-4-wheel-air-suspension-conversion-kit-td14f/

I had a small problem with them which was the rubber mounting washer thingy had split and moved around, I just took it off compressed the spring and moved it back.

The ride is good but I would think not as good as the air shocks. But having not been in a 430 with air ride I wouldn't know TBH. 

I searched for one with coil-overs as I was sure that if I got a 5 grand bill for the air shocks I might cry although I would like to try one out.

Does anyone know a way of running maintenance on them so as to keep them from failing?

 

 

 

[The-Acre]

It almost seems like pot luck when it comes to failure or not.  Some have failed at 85K some are fine at 250K.  Maybe maintenance around the height sensors would make sense, i.e. keeping them free of crud build up.  Mine was garaged for over 10 years so maybe that helps?

I still say the LS400 with springs rides every bit as well as air.  I've had two LS430's and three LS400's and if anything the latter may just be best, but only just.  The problem with air (if it goes wrong) is not just the struts at £850 each but four sensors at around £350 each.  Then you've got valves and a compressor.  They wouldn't all go at once but the combined total for replacement would necessitate a very close relationship with your bank!  For me it would be springs if a strut went, that way all the above would no longer be a problem, plus replacement appears to be fairly straightforward.    

[Malc]

......  and my reading other car type posts on this forum suggests that Lexus itself considers 100k miles to be " fair " for wear and tear ................... and then failure 

Malc

[Newbie1]

Does anyone know what the stock spring rates are for the LS400 and LS430?