94 Ls400 Best Shock/strut Replacements?

[Hoop]

First - thanks to those who have posted here in the past. I'm a new owner of a 94 LS400 with 133K. Have a bit of wallowing in the ride, but other than that car is in great shape.

Looking for advice on strut/shock replacement. I'm planning on doing the bushings as well, so advice on where to purchase those is appreciated.

I like a firm/responsive ride as opposed to relaxed. I do not have the air suspension so let's get that out of the way. Also experiences with Johnson Lexus appreciated as well (probably deserves another post but oh well).

Thanks in advance. I appreciate your help.

Ben

[1991LS400]

Are you also interested in dropping your vehicle as well...? I have a 1991 LS 400 with California Custom lowering springs (they say it's a 2" drop but it's actually more like a 1.7" - 1.8" drop) and Tokico gas shocks (directly replaced the OEM struts I had on my ride).

If you aren't interested in new performance springs then I'd just recommend you try out a set of Tokico's. I HONESTLY could not tell the difference after leaving the shop the day my new springs and shocks were put on. I had to hit a few bumps here and there to even realize it did have any sort of firmer suspension. My girl STILL can't tell the difference. B)

[nc211]

I'm your guy. Johnson, good, but way over priced! Do not, and I repeat, do not buy any of your parts from them. HUGE markup! Get to know www.parts.com and drill down to Lexus. You can get anything you want for a lot less. The only thing I use Johnson for is alignments and balancing. They know their stuff. Plus, free loaners, and some of which are actual lexuses "rx's and an is300". Give you an example: Walmart stripped out the threads on my lower oil pan a few weeks ago. They split the bill with me, so I took to the dealer. came out $550 for new pan and gasket. Got oil changed again this past Monday, tech said pan is leaking at gasket. I took it back to the dealer yesterday to correct their problem. Turned out it was the $6 super tiny seal on the bottom of the dipstick shaft. But, cost $105 to install it. Caseinpoint, you'll never get out of there for under $125. For parts replacement, I recommend you buy the parts online, and then take the car to the indi mechanic shop. Do you know where Snoopy's hotdog stand is on Wake Forest Ave, inside the beltline, past southern state nissan, towards town? The store is right on that corner, across wake from snoopy's. Good shop, honest guys, and good knowledgebase. I can't put the name up here, against the rules, but I'll give you a hint...Import is in the name. And they specialize in toyotas, lexus and honda. Ask for steve, and tell him Robert with the 95 black ls400 with all the rear end repairs sent you. He'll know what you mean. They replaced all my rear control arms, shocks and rear differential mounting bushings, plus alignment "not very good though" but not his fault, for $630 labor. That is a steal my man! I had the parts already, I just needed the labor. I also hear somebody's "Toy Store" in Cary is good. I'll probably check them out soon for a runout situation I've got going on.

[nc211]

But, if you do need the dealer, they are SUPER nice! And ask for Dennis as your service consultant. He's from up north, heavy accent. I've been up and down that service bay, and I prefer him over all the others. Also, that place has some of the finest looking women in town up there!!!! Hubba hubba. My fiance' hates it when I have to go up there. I would think it would be because of the bill, but no, it's all the pretty girls. Hahahaha :whistles:

[prix]

Same problems with suspension issues and looking for a good indie mechanic in Los Angeles. Guess you can't give the name of any shops here, but any hints? Anyone know of websites that maintain info/ratings on indie mechanics by geography. Thanks to all...

[ko90ls]

personally i'm going to install tokico struts, mainly because of the lifetime warranty! :D and the bushings should be Daizen. but as for springs, i'd watch or too low of a drop, ever hard of negative camber? h&r springs have good reviews and only drop of 1-1.5" but for super low drop check out tanabe's 2-2.5"

good luck

[914lps]

personally i'm going to install tokico struts, mainly because of the lifetime warranty! :D  and the bushings should be Daizen.  but as for springs, i'd watch or too low of a drop, ever hard of negative camber? h&r springs have good reviews and only drop of 1-1.5" but for super low drop check out tanabe's 2-2.5"

good luck

←

Who says you can't name shops???? I have in the past and I have been given names in the past..... No one said anything to me about the name thing...? Were is this coming from.

I my know a shop in LA, I was traveling though the valley and needed my front seat fixed. Shop seemed good. Guy was nice. Price seemed fair.

Lets resolve the name thing and I'll find the name of the shop. It is on Ventura Blvd., I think in Woodland Hills. Maybe by Corbin. On the north side of the street. :whistles:

[914lps]

Almost forgot, I just did the struts all around on my 91 LS400. Whent with KYB. They make the OEM Lexus shocks. Paid around $60.00 each?? Got a deal on line on ebay. Prive and stuff was good, but seller got nasty on the feedback becouse in the feedback I left for him a stated good stuff good price, but did not respond to my e-mails. And for that the guy has black balled me from his listings. I'm real happy with the KYB shocks. Paid about $250 to get all four installed at a locale shop.

[sha4000]

personally i'm going to install tokico struts, mainly because of the lifetime warranty! :D  and the bushings should be Daizen.  but as for springs, i'd watch or too low of a drop, ever hard of negative camber? h&r springs have good reviews and only drop of 1-1.5" but for super low drop check out tanabe's 2-2.5"

good luck

←

Who says you can't name shops???? I have in the past and I have been given names in the past..... No one said anything to me about the name thing...? Were is this coming from.

I my know a shop in LA, I was traveling though the valley and needed my front seat fixed. Shop seemed good. Guy was nice. Price seemed fair.

Lets resolve the name thing and I'll find the name of the shop. It is on Ventura Blvd., I think in Woodland Hills. Maybe by Corbin. On the north side of the street.:whistles:

←

i think he just meant b/c nc is in north carolina and hes in cali

[prix]

personally i'm going to install tokico struts, mainly because of the lifetime warranty! :D  and the bushings should be Daizen.  but as for springs, i'd watch or too low of a drop, ever hard of negative camber? h&r springs have good reviews and only drop of 1-1.5" but for super low drop check out tanabe's 2-2.5"

good luck

←

Who says you can't name shops???? I have in the past and I have been given names in the past..... No one said anything to me about the name thing...? Were is this coming from.

I my know a shop in LA, I was traveling though the valley and needed my front seat fixed. Shop seemed good. Guy was nice. Price seemed fair.

Lets resolve the name thing and I'll find the name of the shop. It is on Ventura Blvd., I think in Woodland Hills. Maybe by Corbin. On the north side of the street.:whistles:

←

i think he just meant b/c nc is in north carolina and hes in cali

←

i am Voman :-). actually it's because i read that here on one of these threads and took it to be true. it's not? then name away! i did the bounce test this AM on the front fender, and there's no question i need shocks, if that's what keeps the car from bouncing around. seemed pretty bouncy to me. so, since i have air suspension... i read somewhere here that it will cost me 1,000 per tire to replace shocks? all i can say is, great!! and is that ONLY for shocks? for all i know I need the other stuff too -- sway bars and ball joints and such. i know i can always go the dealer route, but am looking for a cheaper way to deal with what may be a sizeable repair bill. is the best way to go to a) get a suspension check to nail down the problem; B) order my own parts and c) go to an indie mechanic? anything i need to ask to make sure i am in the right place? like find someone who specializes in suspension work? thanks all for the past and future posts...

[prix]

personally i'm going to install tokico struts, mainly because of the lifetime warranty! :D  and the bushings should be Daizen.  but as for springs, i'd watch or too low of a drop, ever hard of negative camber? h&r springs have good reviews and only drop of 1-1.5" but for super low drop check out tanabe's 2-2.5"

good luck

←

Who says you can't name shops???? I have in the past and I have been given names in the past..... No one said anything to me about the name thing...? Were is this coming from.

I my know a shop in LA, I was traveling though the valley and needed my front seat fixed. Shop seemed good. Guy was nice. Price seemed fair.

Lets resolve the name thing and I'll find the name of the shop. It is on Ventura Blvd., I think in Woodland Hills. Maybe by Corbin. On the north side of the street.:whistles:

←

i think he just meant b/c nc is in north carolina and hes in cali

←

i am Voman :-). actually it's because i read that here on one of these threads and took it to be true. it's not? then name away! i did the bounce test this AM on the front fender, and there's no question i need shocks, if that's what keeps the car from bouncing around. seemed pretty bouncy to me. so, since i have air suspension... i read somewhere here that it will cost me 1,000 per tire to replace shocks? all i can say is, great!! and is that ONLY for shocks? for all i know I need the other stuff too -- sway bars and ball joints and such. i know i can always go the dealer route, but am looking for a cheaper way to deal with what may be a sizeable repair bill. is the best way to go to a) get a suspension check to nail down the problem; B) order my own parts and c) go to an indie mechanic? anything i need to ask to make sure i am in the right place? like find someone who specializes in suspension work? thanks all for the past and future posts...

←

btw, woodland hills is too far...shld be someone right here in bev hills. had a recommendation for an indie mechanic a few years back that i vowed to hang on to, then promptly lost it. is it standard when replacing shocks to replace struts, ball joints and bushings as well? or, put another way, what would you routinely add to your repair request if you had to replace shocks on an air suspension? thanks much.

[prix]

any ideas on whether i would be doing any damage by driving the car (at low speed) a few more days until i get a clear sense of what i need to do? i'm pretty sure shocks are needed, as i said, based on what others have said here about typical symptoms and how to check for that problem. that's probably at the v. least. maybe struts as well? i found some remanufactured OEM air struts online for $399 each (rear goes for 350) with a lifetime warranty since the seller has such confidence in the german company who redoes them...which is tons more than the price someone else here said he paid -- $60 each online. did you get air struts or standard suspension struts?

Back to the question: The car is driveable, certainly, but i heard more creaking than last week on a turn into a parking lot this AM, and the noise it makes when driving (crunching dribbling sounds) seem louder as well. Just curious whether even 1/2 mile outings at low speed would be causing futher damage (if struts/shocks/ball joint/bushings) are in fact the problem. Again, the mechanic that did a suspension check at Sears said he couldn't see anything jumping out at him when he had it up on the rack last weekend, and it doesn't sound like an engine problem, more like the chassis rubbing against another piece of metal as the car moves on the road...like a bushing is shot or a ball joint or a tie rod end.