What Not To Do To Your Suspension!

DaGuNit · February 7, 2006

This is related to those of you who are thinking of modding your suspension but are wondering if you should wait to do it right.

Now, first and foremost, many people would say that the "RIGHT" way to do it is to go with the coil over system. This is probably the number one way to modify your suspension correctly. I highly recommend this set up! However, if you don't have the money to go all out and you just want better handling and response in your steering, there is a cheaper alternative. Many people seem to have decided to go with the L-tuned set up or a Bilstein/Eibach combo. I, personally, have the Bilstein/Eibach combo. Not until this evening did I have this set up and I would like to share a little information I acquired while installing this.

I bought my car almost a year ago with aftermarket wheels and exhaust and eibach lowering springs. Now, you might have read that and went, "only lowering springs?????". The answer is yes, only lowering springs. The car was sitting on its original shocks. Please, take my advice and DO NOT do this to your car. There are a number of reasons as to why you shouldn't. In no certain order: 1. The OEM shocks are not designed to ride/perform with lowering springs. 2. In my experience, it eventually caused a "cupping" effect on my tires and a slight vibration. (this becomes a very expensive problem later on down the road.) 3. When you do decide to upgrade your shocks, you will have performed/paid for the labor twice. 4. Eventually, your shocks will make a very embarassing sqeaking sound. (this may or may not happen but it did to mine and it was what caused me to investigate my suspension set up in the first place.)

The following pictures is what my original set up (note: org. set up was lowering springs only with stock shocks) did to my spring bumpers. Also, it is clear to me that my shocks eventually became useless. After uninstalling the org. set up, I could litterally put the weight of both of my arms on the piston and it would compress into the shock absorber. THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE with a good shock. Basically, I was riding on my Eibachs and my spring bumpers were acting as my shock absorber. NOT GOOD, as you can imagine.

To sum it all up, when modding your beautiful LEXUS, do it the right way. Don't cut corners cuz it will come back to bite you in the :censored: eventually!

SKperformance · February 7, 2006

Actually being able tp press in the the shock rod with ease is not unusual.

It all depends on the manufactures dampening and valving factors they make the shocks with.

You could have a shock you could not press in because of a high load rate but it still could be bad because of a seal which is going to make it soft.

Its travel rate inside the shock is changed by its valving. Take the monroe sensa trac it is made soft when it has small amounts of play for quick road changes but under harder force it compresses the valves more and allows less pressure to be absorbed for better handling in corners.

Just things to think about as i have a few sets of coilovers and they each work differently depending on there valving. Some i can press in easily others won't move nor will they rebound to full extension either.

DaGuNit · February 7, 2006

When I say I could push in on the piston or shock rod, I mean I could compress it all the way. I don't see how the shock absorber could possibly be of any use with this being the case. I am no expert but common sense tells me that if I can fully compress the shock absorber with the weight of my two arms (no more than probably 40lbs of pressure and probably less) then, even taking into consideration the springs provide dampening, I don't see how the shock absorbers could be effective hardly at all.

I mean were talking about aprox. 3700lbs.

Anyone who wants to chime in here, feel free.

I would love to hear any other thoughts as well.

~Da G

WhiteDiamond01 · February 14, 2006

When I say I could push in on the piston or shock rod, I mean I could compress it all the way. I don't see how the shock absorber could possibly be of any use with this being the case. I am no expert but common sense tells me that if I can fully compress the shock absorber with the weight of my two arms (no more than probably 40lbs of pressure and probably less) then, even taking into consideration the springs provide dampening, I don't see how the shock absorbers could be effective hardly at all.

I mean were talking about aprox. 3700lbs.

Anyone who wants to chime in here, feel free.

I would love to hear any other thoughts as well.

~Da G

Well u have 2 remember that the gs rides on struts with springs. With a car that uses struts it puts the majority of the weight onto the springs. The shock is just there to flex and absorb a bump. If ur shocks r bad u r going 2 feel the full force of the bump as the springs are pushing directly on the chassis. With the shock working properly it acctually slows the spring rate to absorb the bump. So with most kinds of stuts if there is no spring to support it u can just push it down with no problem. My uncle has been working on Toyota/Lexus for the past 17 years so he explained the whole thing to me. He recently istalled L-tuned shoks and springs on my 01 GS3 the ride is better than evr.