Lop-sided Ls 400...

[1991LS400]

Hey guys,

I've been trying to diagnose the problem of my lop-sided LS 400 but have not yet come to a conclusion as of yet.

I can't remember when I noticed, but my 1991 LS 400 leans on the driver's side. I thought it could be worn shocks and springs. I changed ALL 4 springs and shocks but you can still see my car leaning on the driver's side. It looks as if it's leaning to the driver's side front wheel well. If you're looking at the front of the car, you'll see it leaning to the right (driver's side).

If I changed all 4 springs and shocks with brand new ones and it's still leaning, what could be the culprit? I THINK it had a small front corner driver side collision sometime in the past. It was never reported to CarFax, that's why I'm thinking it was a small accident and whoever owned the car then must have repaired it. However, you can tell the hood is not even with the rest of the body on the driver side by about 1/2 an inch (the hood sits 1/2 inch down below the edge of the body on the driver side). That's just my guess. Could that be why it's leaning on the driver side? Could something in the driver side front wheel suspension have been destroyed? What should I do?

Thanks in advance for everybody's help.

Brian

[sha4000]

it could be that there is some frame or suspension damage just take it to a body shop and let them take a look at the reason that i say this is because a repair man once told me that when you buy a car always check around the car to make sure that everything lines up b/c if they dont thats a sign that work was done on a vehicle and if the frame was bent no matter how much a shop claims that they can straighten it the frame will never be like it was

[nc211]

Brian, have you run carfax on it?

[Darrin]

Brian, my 1990 sits the exact same way. It's never been in an accident and the leaning actually seemed to become more pronounced after I changed the rear shocks. The passenger side is about an inch higher than the driver's side, both in the front and back. My springs are original, the only thing I suspect is that the driver's side springs may be worn from carrying a driver only usually for the last 15 years.

[sha4000]

Brian,  my 1990 sits the exact same way.  It's never been in an accident and the leaning actually seemed to become more pronounced after I changed the rear shocks.  The passenger side is about an inch higher than the driver's side, both in the front and back.  My springs are original, the only thing I suspect is that the driver's side springs may be worn from carrying a driver only usually for the last 15 years.

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that could be true but he changed all the shocks and springs

[1991LS400]

Brian, have you run carfax on it?

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I stated in my first post:

"It was never reported to CarFax, that's why I'm thinking it was a small accident and whoever owned the car then must have repaired it."

So yes, I did a carfax on it before I purchased it.

As far as the leaning factor that Darrin has come across in his LS 400, I have at least come to the conclusion that it is not because of worn springs or shocks. My car leaned that way with the old springs/shocks and still leans that way with new springs/shocks. Since I notice it now I can't help but realize that when I'm sitting in my car I can tell it is leaning on my side while I'm driving sometimes. Also, if you look at the front and look at the rear you can tell it's leaning on the driver side about a good 1" - 1.5".

It has got to be something in my control arm assembly or in the frame in my driver side front wheel well. Right?

[GRAND_LS 4]

Brian, have you run carfax on it?

←

I stated in my first post:

"It was never reported to CarFax, that's why I'm thinking it was a small accident and whoever owned the car then must have repaired it."

So yes, I did a carfax on it before I purchased it.

As far as the leaning factor that Darrin has come across in his LS 400, I have at least come to the conclusion that it is not because of worn springs or shocks. My car leaned that way with the old springs/shocks and still leans that way with new springs/shocks. Since I notice it now I can't help but realize that when I'm sitting in my car I can tell it is leaning on my side while I'm driving sometimes. Also, if you look at the front and look at the rear you can tell it's leaning on the driver side about a good 1" - 1.5".

It has got to be something in my control arm assembly or in the frame in my driver side front wheel well. Right?

←

All the LS's are that way. Matter fact, its the same way with the GS's and IS's. So rest assured, your car is fine.

Unless is severe, all Lexus' tend to slop to the drivers side.

[1991LS400]

Brian, have you run carfax on it?

←

I stated in my first post:

"It was never reported to CarFax, that's why I'm thinking it was a small accident and whoever owned the car then must have repaired it."

So yes, I did a carfax on it before I purchased it.

As far as the leaning factor that Darrin has come across in his LS 400, I have at least come to the conclusion that it is not because of worn springs or shocks. My car leaned that way with the old springs/shocks and still leans that way with new springs/shocks. Since I notice it now I can't help but realize that when I'm sitting in my car I can tell it is leaning on my side while I'm driving sometimes. Also, if you look at the front and look at the rear you can tell it's leaning on the driver side about a good 1" - 1.5".

It has got to be something in my control arm assembly or in the frame in my driver side front wheel well. Right?

←

All the LS's are that way. Matter fact, its the same way with the GS's and IS's. So rest assured, your car is fine.

Unless is severe, all Lexus' tend to slop to the drivers side.

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I do NOT believe this to be true. If that's the case, how does everyone with an LS 400 put a bodykit on and when you look at them, their LS 400's are straight and not lopsided. Lopsidedness will make a bodykit look bad and can tend to make it hit on the driver's side a lot. There's gotta be a way to diagnose my LS's lopsidedness.

[sha4000]

jack the car up on both sides in the front and take the wheels off remove all the under covers and look at the suspension parts to see if they look the same on both sides if everything looks good take it to a bodyshop and let them have a look

[GRAND_LS 4]

Brian, have you run carfax on it?

←

I stated in my first post:

"It was never reported to CarFax, that's why I'm thinking it was a small accident and whoever owned the car then must have repaired it."

So yes, I did a carfax on it before I purchased it.

As far as the leaning factor that Darrin has come across in his LS 400, I have at least come to the conclusion that it is not because of worn springs or shocks. My car leaned that way with the old springs/shocks and still leans that way with new springs/shocks. Since I notice it now I can't help but realize that when I'm sitting in my car I can tell it is leaning on my side while I'm driving sometimes. Also, if you look at the front and look at the rear you can tell it's leaning on the driver side about a good 1" - 1.5".

It has got to be something in my control arm assembly or in the frame in my driver side front wheel well. Right?

←

All the LS's are that way. Matter fact, its the same way with the GS's and IS's. So rest assured, your car is fine.

Unless is severe, all Lexus' tend to slop to the drivers side.

←

I do NOT believe this to be true. If that's the case, how does everyone with an LS 400 put a bodykit on and when you look at them, their LS 400's are straight and not lopsided. Lopsidedness will make a bodykit look bad and can tend to make it hit on the driver's side a lot. There's gotta be a way to diagnose my LS's lopsidedness.

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IT is true, but its not very noticeable. Maybe you have a serious case.

[1991LS400]

^ up

Please, anymore suggestions anyone? Thanks.

[pachocco1]

I think your car needs an alignment.

insp.pdf

[jadecuir]

Your front torsion arm may be bent. With new springs and shocks, that's the only other thing that might lower one side. About the only way to check it that I know would be to jack up the front of the car so both wheels are hanging, remove the shock/spring assys., then measure each side from a common reference point on the body or chassis. Look at the torsion link arm, too. Maybe someone put on too short a link from a different year car. They should be the same length , and straight.

[1991LS400]

Your front torsion arm may be bent. With new springs and shocks, that's the only other thing that might lower one side. About the only way to check it that I know would be to jack up the front of the car so both wheels are hanging, remove the shock/spring assys., then measure each side from a common reference point on the body or chassis. Look at the torsion link arm, too. Maybe someone put on too short a link from a different year car. They should be the same length , and straight.

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Ok, but where is the torsion link arm? A picture or a diagram maybe? Thanks.

[jadecuir]

Your front torsion arm may be bent. With new springs and shocks, that's the only other thing that might lower one side. About the only way to check it that I know would be to jack up the front of the car so both wheels are hanging, remove the shock/spring assys., then measure each side from a common reference point on the body or chassis. Look at the torsion link arm, too. Maybe someone put on too short a link from a different year car. They should be the same length , and straight.

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Ok, but where is the torsion link arm? A picture or a diagram maybe? Thanks.

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Looking at the manual, I see they call it the stabilizer bar:stabiliz.pdf

[sha4000]

jack the car up on both sides in the front and take the wheels off remove all the under covers and look at the suspension parts to see if they look the same on both sides if everything looks good take it to a bodyshop and let them have a look

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