SC430 wheels on a '96 LS400

[Howplum]

I'm buying a set of the 18" SC430 "pie dish" wheels, simply for aesthetic reasons - I like them! I appreciate that they will have an adverse effect on the ride though.

Having done a bit of research it looks as though I might need 10mm spacers , at least on the front, to clear the calipers. Can anyone confirm or deny this please?

[steve2006]

I thought the SC and LS used the same 4 pot Sumitomi callipers so the wheels will fit without spacers?

[Howplum]

If that's true that would be great. I must admit I was going by what I read on US forums, but maybe I shouldn't jump the gun just yet.

[hockeyedwards]

There is definitely a guy on the LS facebook group who ran SC wheels on his LS. Despite me not appreciating the standalone look of the SC wheels, they did look good on the car, it was lowered but i cannot remember if he ran spacers or not. If i manage to scroll back far enough and find it, will let you know!

[Howplum]

Having done more research it looks as though 15mm spacers are required at the front, either using hubcentric ones with studs fitted or by replacing the original studs with longer ones and using different spacers. No doubt the rear will need spacers as well, if only for the need for aesthetic symmetry.

As for lowering, that is something that I may consider in the future. I have found a company in Sheffield that will create custom springs, using the originals as templates, although subtlety will be watchword here. Perhaps not quite as subtle as the DHP's alleged 10mm though. I'm thinking 25-35mm.

[hockeyedwards]

Managed to do some digging and it concurs with your result, 15mm spacers were used on the LS on the facebook group, although a later model year.

Curiosity wise, does the cost of custom springs come in better than coilovers? - or is it more a fact of not wanting to go that route for lowering? 🙂

[Howplum]

The cost of custom springs would be about £100 each. Off the shelf lowering springs are available from overseas, but would end up costing more, by the time VAT and duty is included. HSD coilovers are about £700, but obviously include shock absorbers and are adjustable. BC coilovers are dearer.

I will fit the wheels, with 15mm spacers, and see how it looks first.

[hockeyedwards]

Seems reasonable for 'custom'.

Yeah I looked at lowering springs and it was just not feasible for your mentioned reasons.

I managed to swipe some HSD coilovers from driftworks on one of their sales with 15% off, so was worth the purchase. I came down around 30mm, but think now with the lip kit I will come back up a little as I don't fancy ripping it off on first drive out 😅 and see how it goes.

[Howplum]

Do you have any pictures Keiran?

[Howplum]

These are some "off the shelf" springs I have found which are available from various sources.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RS-R-Down-T282D-Lowering-Springs-for-Toyota-Celsior-UCF20-FR-2WD-94Oct-96July-/185191492752?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p4429486.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

I'm going on a cruise around Japan next year. I wonder..........?

[hockeyedwards]

Looking a bit worse for wear, pre-bodyshop strip down. The car is on a slight incline as an FYI and with the smaller DHP wheels on, was on a larger wheel whilst I sourced these DHPs. The last pic is of it with the larger wheels on, think it highlights more how 'low' the car is.

[Malc1]

Much prefer the top piccys wheels for sure

that's a weird regd. numberplate ............  it doesn't exist ??

Malc

[Malc1]

12 hours ago, Howplum said:

I'm going on a cruise around Japan next year. I wonder..........?

extra baggage should be fine I guess AND of course, your Personal Goods just might be EXEMPT from UK Duties, vat etc ..  I wonder !

Do you have a tame accountant to ask ?

Malc

[hockeyedwards]

3 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Much prefer the top piccys wheels for sure

that's a weird regd. numberplate ............  it doesn't exist ??

Malc

That pic was taken before I changed the reg, is now under a more appropriate plate 😉

[Howplum]

I think the larger wheels (18"?) look more appropriate to the size of the car, and the 30mm drop helps too. I removed my front lips because they were damaged, and personally I think the front looks better without them.

Do the bigger wheels have the standard ET of 45? Did you use spacers?

[hockeyedwards]

If they did the DHPs in 18s, would definitely have them as I agree the bigger wheel looks better, but I love the DHPs.

I ordered the 18s online from wheelbasealloys and specified the offset with the company so no spacers required, I genuinely can't remember if I went stock spec or pushed them out a bit more. The rear camber bolts were all seized so in that last picture you can see the rears don't sit right, having refreshed all of that with subframe out, will all be corrected in due course.

Eventually I'd probably go air-ride so I can have settings for driving, static and speed bumps etc, but many £££ that I don't currently have!

[Howplum]

A suspension overhaul is on my "To do" list, and may be accelerated by the fitment of bigger wheels.

As far as I can tell a good air ride system is more than the value of the car!

I notice someone on eBay is selling a used set of HSD coilovers for £500, whereas new ones are less than £700.

[hockeyedwards]

I've kinda thrown the kitchen sink at the LS to get it looking minty fresh as every aspect was just getting tired. Looking back now the HSDs were 'cheap' on the spend list haha!

I did enjoy the subframe and entire car bush replace, was a bit of a faff as a one man army, but where there is a will/ profanity/ danger, there is a way!

I was tempted to have engine out whilst she went to bodyshop but ran out of room storage wise and was already crowding the gym portion of the garage with car parts 😅

[Howplum]

I try not to spend more on the car than it's worth, that way my "financial director" can be appeased. So far it's working well on the various cars I have rejuvenated since retirement, so I call it a self financing hobby. A rising market helps, of course.

Having said that though, I have no plans to sell the Lexus because it's the best car I've ever owned, and I've had a fair few!

[hockeyedwards]

I bought this one for £1200, the odds were never in my favour if I took your approach 😆

[Malc1]

12 hours ago, hockeyedwards said:

I bought this one for £1200,

probably a very sound investment  ..............  mine was £1400 some 12 years and 123k miles ago 

   BofE Inflation calculator tells me that's £1931 in today's money   😉

Malc

[hockeyedwards]

It was the exeterior and interior colour combo that I wanted and it was going to become a 'banger racer' according to the gangsta I bought it from, so £1200 saved it from a rough(er) rest of life!

[Howplum]

I have at last collected the SC430 wheels. The wheels themselves will need refurbishing, but thankfully the covers are not too bad, with only a few minor blemishes.

The seller also included a pair of 15mm spacers, although I have had to order a set of shallow nuts and some chrome dome nuts before I can do a trial fit.

I imagine that the brushed metal finish on the plastic covers would be impossible to replicate, so I might give them a gloss clear coat to prevent further deterioration. Or I could paint them the same colour as the wheels, or some other finish, such as dark grey to match the lower panels.

[hockeyedwards]

You'd be surprised what a well versed alloy refurb company can accomplish, most of the time it is whether they can be 'bothered' or just want a quick turnaround jobby. Do you think the look was obtained on purpose or by accident, I only ask as plastics don't tend to paint well and pit terribly, wonder if that is the plastic pattern underneath?

[Howplum]

What impresses me is the trouble that Lexus went to to make plastic look like brushed metal, which also has a textured finish, just like the real thing. Where the paint has flaked off there appears to be a smooth chrome finish underneath, which I bet the Americans paid more for!