LS400 Air Suspension

[Razor61]

I was under the impression that UK LS400's did not have the option of Air Suspension, is this correct?

Reason I ask is that I've enquired about a 1999 LS400 for sale and it's not an import. The seller tells me that since replacing the Battery the whole front end has dropped, mechanic tells him it has air suspension and will need 'pumping up'. I'm doubtful it has factory air suspension, aftermarket air suspension maybe but I think even that is doubtful. The dropped front end on both sides sounds a strange issue, one broken spring maybe but 2 broken................not likely in my opinion but I suppose its possible.

[cruisermark]

Agree with the you about suspension - very strange.

Could id have been modified and fitted as an aftermarket add on?

[BigBoomer]

Could it be a really early LS430? None of the 400s I tested had air suspension but all the 430s and the 460 did.

[H3XME]

Maybe it was installed from an imported model..but i don't see why as that'd be a big job. I had factory air suspension on my Soarer and that eventually died. Even used units were mega money so coilovers were the way to go. 

[steve2006]

Could be just one broken spring, one of my rears broke and the back end went down to nearly tyres on arches both sides.

[ambermarine]

The air suspension was an option 0n the Mark 1 and 2  A guy who was admiring my Mark 1 years back said he had a Ls Mark 1 with air suspension but it was nothing but trouble and he got rid of the car.

[Mikaelse]

Experience varies . I have a 1998 LS400 with 120 k miles and airsuspension and it has never been serviced it seems ( have service records) and stil works fine and does not leak at all. My 1995 with coil springs on the other hand had a rear broken spring. I replaced both springs at about 100 k miles. (Quite a lot of work. Had to remove back seat etc). I can feel no real benefit with the air springs . Boths cars ride fine....

[Malc]

3 hours ago, Mikaelse said:

My 1995 with coil springs

mine on purchase ( off here some 10 years ago ) had a broken spring, replaced by the vendor ........  and some 110k miles further down the line and 235k miles all up still has the remaining original 3 and the " new " one all intact  .........  brilliant ride compared to most, or indeed all other cars I've been in forever ........  fingers xd they are still all ok at the next MOT and annual service mid November 

Malc