Uni-directional Wheels

[waf102]

A few months ago I had 4 new unidirectional tires put on my 90 LS-400.

I recently noticed that Sears put the "R" wheels on the driver side and the "L" wheels on the passenger side. (The tires are placed properly...they rotate in the correct direction...the RIMS are reversed.)

Is this a problem? I suspect that the "L" and "R" are just there to help keep things straight when one is rotating the tires/wheels (back to front...front to back...)

I haven't noticed any difference...but I want to take these back and make them do it right is there is any risk of damage or a safety issue.

Thanks in advance.

Bill

[1990LS400]

Over the years, I've seen lots of 90-92 LS's with the wheels mounted on the wrong side. I doubt if it makes much difference although I think the wheel design was supposed to help brake cooling. It probably looks especially odd to me only because I had a 90 LS and always mounted the wheels on the correct side. If you gave Sears instructions to mount the correct tires on the correct wheels, then I would think they would re-mount the tires for free. Sears isn't exactly the kind of store that would pay that much attention unless they are told. Uni-directional wheels are not very common and some wheels that look like they should be uni-directional (like on our Camry) are not.

[SW03ES]

I also doubt its much of a problem physically although they do look weird backwards.

[wwest]

Okay, which side is "right" and which side is "left"??

[1990LS400]

Which OEM wheel goes on the right and which on the left on a 90-92 LS?

Here are photos of my old 90 LS just before forum participant "ylekiot1" bought it from me in 2003. Look at the top of the right rear wheel to see how the small "spokes" are swept back towards the rear of the car - kind of like the circular saw blade. The wheel spokes on the driver's side of the car are a mirror image of the ones on the right side.

[1990LS400]

Looks like I am too imcompetent at this to get both photos in at once. Here is that photo showing the right side view of the 90-91 view.

[jbrooksbreeden]

Which OEM wheel goes on the right and which on the left on a 90-92 LS?

Here are photos of my old 90 LS just before forum participant "ylekiot1" bought it from me in 2003.  Look at the top of the right rear wheel to see how the small "spokes" are swept back towards the rear of the car - kind of like the circular saw blade.  The wheel spokes on the driver's side of the car are a mirror image of the ones on the right side.

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That is nice to see: Directional wheels correctly done. I can't tell you how many lower-priced "sporty" cars with dramatically swept wheel patterns that are pointing the wrong way on one side of the car. If you use a directional wheel, you really need to use right and left versions.

Your example is spot on the money: Done right!

[lsrxlex]

Looks like I am too imcompetent at this to get both photos in at once.  Here is that photo showing the right side view of the 90-91 view.

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Nice pix 1990LS400!!

Could you share your experience on how to install your Rear window shade.

Looks pretty cool. :)

[akewlguy]

Wow nice 90 LS400. I keep on moving closer and closer to buying a 2000, but then I look how well the 90's hold up and I am excited to get any year!

Cheers to LEXUS

[1990LS400]

Thanks for the nice words on the pics!

The manual rear window sunshade was deleted from the LS400 accessory catalog in the early 90's. It cost less than $100 and came in several colors. Installing it required a huge special template to drill the holes in the headliner and rear parcel shelf in exactly the right places - the installer borrowed a template from a Lexus dealer 200 miles away. A few on this forum have tried to find these shades in dealer "dead stock" and e-bay but I do not remember anyone having success.

The tinted rear window on my 00 LS works about as well as the manual rear shade on the 90 LS and it is nice to no longer have to manually lower the rear shade so I see to back up at night.

Attached is an inside view of the 90 LS rear window shade. Yes, the 90 LS had a cloth interior - still flawless when I sold the car after 13+ years.