New Rear Springs

[stericker]

My 1999 LS 400 has had a MOT fail due to a broken spring. I decided it was probably best to replace

both rear springs. Have been quoted £500 by local indie using genuine Lexus springs. Does this price

sound about right ? Evidently the rear seat has to be removed. Estimated total 4 hours work.

[dendonc]

31 minutes ago, stericker said:

Does this price

sound about right ?

The best way to check that is to contact your nearest Lexus dealer, with your reg & chasis number & ask them, sounds to cheap for genuine lexus parts

[Malc]

I think you might be ok just replacing the single broken one tbh

When I bought my car from ACLex ( on here still ) some 86k miles ago ( now 209k ) when he returned the car to ordinary ( the original )  springs etc he found one had broken so just replaced that one ...  and the Lexus price to him was @ £100 for that one spring.

He was the Parts Mgr at Lexus Poole at the time.

£500 seems a bit steep 😐

Malc

 

[Cotswold Pete]

Had a single rear spring replaced two years ago (hit a big crater).

Not had any problems with other rear spring (since hit smaller craters).

LS on 189K, so I would say just get the one replaced, and though I cannot recall price, was nowhere near what you're being quoted.

If I get a chance I will see if I can dig out paperwork, but may not be at home until Sunday

[stericker]

Many thanks, Denis, Malcolm and Pete. Springs quoted at £89.15 each. Labour £70.00 per hour.

This is a London indie so I imagine they charge more than elsewhere.

[GrahamG]

When my six year old Ls400 had a front spring fail Lexus at Guildford were adamant that only the one needed replacement.

The other spring lasted at least another fourteen years and 60k miles.

[ambermarine]

The misnomer that both springs need replacing when one fails as been started mainly by greedy workshops that are trying to make work.

The springs are made individually and are not batched or continuous and chopped ,therefore the reason for failure on one adds nothing detrimental to the others.

It is a common fault on all coiled springs due to the stress created and encompassed within the metal during and after manufacture metal fatigue  is inherent in them and will show as soon as extra or abnormal stress occurs as in pothole or speed ramps.

[steve2006]

It took me about 2 hours to change one, add another 30 minutes for the other one so 2 1/2 hours labour but probably less with a fully equipped garage and not a driveway.

Removing the rear seat takes around 15 minutes, base simply lifts out, seat back is four bolts then lift up and out, parcel shelf unclips allowing access to the top mounting bolts.

Springs should be around £80.00 each.

[dendonc]

7 hours ago, GrahamG said:

The other spring lasted at least another fourteen years and 60k miles

How much was it?

[Cotswold Pete]

On 8/3/2018 at 11:40 AM, stericker said:

Many thanks, Denis, Malcolm and Pete. Springs quoted at £89.15 each. Labour £70.00 per hour.

This is a London indie so I imagine they charge more than elsewhere.

Just dug out paperwork, and spring was £85 +VAT, and labour one hour - (as part of 5 hours worth of jigging around with other bits of suspension

 

[dendonc]

How is that spring for fit & comfort? mines 19 years old & at that price it would not be a bad idea to buy one or 2 as spares although I am thinking that more recent 430 would be a more sensible buy, I will open a post on the 430 soon as there are some important things I need answers to.

 

[stericker]

Thanks to all for your help and advice. Due to the large amount of potholes on my daily commute

I decided to have both springs done. MOT now passed. The engineer said that he could hear

a slight 'pinking'. I could not hear it when he tried to demontrate - should I be concerned ?

[Malc]

1 hour ago, stericker said:

a slight 'pinking'.

I think that's possibly a little blushing of your wallet 

Malc

[Newbie1]

Not bad prices for gen Lexus springs if the prices above are correct.

[Cotswold Pete]

There are  times when mine sounds like it is pinking.

But it is not pinking, not sure what it is, and only occurs from time to time.

Been happening on and off ever since I had the car.

[Mikaelse]

Exchanged mine on my 1995 Lexus myself.  Not difficult but you need a good enough spring compressor. A bit scary work due to the strong springs. 
Paid 50£ each for swedish lesjofors steel springs bought from Germany... Had OEM length. 
Changed both because back seat out etc only needs to be done once and some heigth diff could be expected. .  

 

 

[stericker]

Mikael. Good advice for the younger Lexans but as I am approaching my eighties

I would rather drive the car than get underneath it. My first car was a 1929 M type MG (with boat back)

and I could take the whole thing apart and put it together again. Oh to be young again.

[Malc]

1 hour ago, stericker said:

My first car was a 1929 M type MG (with boat back)

and cost you about £30 in the late 1950's  ?  

Malc

[stericker]

I bought it from a friend in about 1959 for £20 and stupidly sold it two years

later for £25. I then bought a 'pop-eye' sprite. I wonder what the MG is worth now ?

[Malc]

Anthony, probably about 1000 x what you initially paid for it    £25k

My old 1932 Triumph Southern Cross Sports Tourer I think cost about £230 new and today is possibly worth about only 100 x that ......  secondhand in 1950s it was probably worth about £25 too 

Keep your Ls400, you never know, one day, inherited by your great grandchildren, it too might be worth £25k    AND far more comfortable and reliable to drive than either of those two classics

Malc

[stericker]

Yes Malc. The LS400 is certainly more comfortable. Over 40 mph in the MG the car

was rattling all over the place. Also the air windscreen wipers - they slowed down

the faster you went. It did, however, make a lovely throaty growl from the exhaust.

[Malc]

1 hour ago, stericker said:

Over 40 mph in the MG

Really difficult to tell in the Triumph tbh,  40mph is really only about 30mph and their magnificent 60mph is probably nearer 50mph and impossible to keep your hair in check ( if one had any )

That throaty growl that we just NEVER get from our Ls400 V8s eh !

Malc