v8gasdrinker

i'm ordering the tokico HPs and eibach pro-kit for my 92 sc4.

the lexus dealership said i should replace the worn parts too (what they referred to as "strut tops")

i've read a bunch of stuff here and i'm wondering what exactly it is i need to get.

i'm assuming these are the rubber/plastic parts like the insulator, spring bumper, suspension support, strut piston lock nut (i got these from the various suspension pics i've seen on this site)

is there any place to get these besides from the dealer?

are the parts i need the same for the rear struts?

are there matching interchangeable parts i can use from a supra?

does anyone have a blown-up diagram from the shop manual for the front shocks and rear struts, with part #s?

thanks for the help.

my 92 sc400 is N0001986 =(

damn old car!

This is probably a dumb question, but I have been trying to figure out where the VIN sequence for the USA 1992 SC300/SC400 cars begins.  As I have never seen or heard of any cars numbered below N0001001, it would seem reasonable that the sequence starts there.  A quick review of cars for sale online today show the lowest VIN as N0001117 for an SC300.  So does anybody know for sure what is the earliest SC300/SC400 VIN in the United States?

Thanks!

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well i took it to a dealer for a diagnostic.

$5700 estimate! they are nuts

they told me this is what i need and should get:

-4 struts and strut tops. i was thinking of getting the tokiko blues if i gotta do this anyway. what the hell are strut tops? should i do springs too?

-4 rotors/pads/tires. i looked around and saw 2 places that sold ebc green stuff pads, but it looked like they only sold the front set. if i decide to go slotted/drilled rotors, i should get more durable pads, like semi-metallic? anyone know of a good place to purchase this stuff?

-rack & pinion leaking. not a bad leak. this is too much for me to replace right now until i need to. is there a way to repair the seals?

-4 tires

-60k service (800+ bucks!). i'm gonna skip this for now.

would 5mm spacers?

They will fit.  but those offsets are high.  SC3/4 runs +50 oem.  They might rub somewhere and the handling will be affected.

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i read they are 4" all around. i'm not gonna change it out. i actually like the stock system.

i was considering a cheap improvement by getting some foam baffles for the speakers and doing some dynamatting. can anyone tell me the mounting depth of the speakers? there's 2 sizes for the baffles i'm tryin to get on crutchfield.

thanks

and those vladmos bushings are $$$$. although they are stiffer rubber, so it looks like the ideal for durability without sacrificing ride quality...if u want to spend that kinda cash. looks like over $500 US for the entire control arm set.

hmm, after doing some more looking, i'll probably go with the daizen set. polyurethane will last much longer than replacement rubber bushings, especially if this is something that tends to go bad on these cars after a while.

i just hope it doesn't sacrifice too much comfort. i had polyurethane motor mounts put in my eclipse and damn the idle got rough.

any supra lca will fit any SC. However i am not so sure about the rear when it comes to the sc400, i could only assume so because the suspension is the same except the SC has taller springs and more comfy shocks.  I matched my lca with the same year, 95 supra with 95 sc.

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hmm, after doing some more looking, i'll probably go with the daizen set. polyurethane will last much longer than replacement rubber bushings, especially if this is something that tends to go bad on these cars after a while.

i just hope it doesn't sacrifice too much comfort. i had polyurethane motor mounts put in my eclipse and damn the idle got rough.

any supra lca will fit any SC. However i am not so sure about the rear when it comes to the sc400, i could only assume so because the suspension is the same except the SC has taller springs and more comfy shocks.  I matched my lca with the same year, 95 supra with 95 sc.

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i'm interested as well. i believe my front lca bushings are shot.

would you happen to know if it will fit a 92 sc400? what year supra part am i looking for? would you have a part # and price?

I have seen people buy the bushings by them selves. but i have no idea how the hell they got them. I just got Supra LCAs. Much cheaper and better imo.

hey southernsc300,

do you know if the Supra LCAs for the rear will fit on 95 Sc400? If so, which year should I get? I know the front 97+ Supra lca's work on 95 SC400.

Please advise. Thanks.

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i've got 4 continental extremecontacts en route to me as we speak.

do i just have to replace the bushings or the control arms? how much this cost?

do they make aftermarket urethane type bushings?

will the tokiko blues make the ride any rougher? will my ride height be lower? do i keep the existing springs or change those too?

i don't want to lower the car any. tire clearance to fender is already slim and i scrape the front bumper sometimes as is. i like a good drive, but i don't want to lose comfort. it's one reason i am getting rid of the eclipse

I had that same wear on the inside of the tires. When you go to get your alignment the guys going to tell you that he cant align the vehicle because your lower control arm bushings are shot. That is a common indicator of shot lower control arm bushings in an SC, and are unfortunately pretty common. When you fix the bushings, throw on a set of Tokico blues and get a good 4-wheel alignment you will be shocked at the difference. Your highway driving becomes incredibly stable. 90mph feels like 60. Your cornering becomes unreal. I thought the car felt really good before. lol

A set of new premium tires would be an obvious must as well.

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the old owner mentioned something about changing a ring/gasket when getting an oil change (he said places like jiffy lube skimp on this <$1 part).

for the most part, i've never known to change anything but the filter and oil during oil changes. Is he referring to an oil filter seal? is this a cheap, easily changeable part that should be done per oil change?

i'm confused as hell...

i think there's dino oil in there now but i plan on switching to mobil 1 w/ mobil 1 filter. the manual recommends 5w30. should i use that weight?

-i live in ny (winters can get cold, summers can get hot)

-car has 156k

wasted beer = :chairshot:

If you set your beeeer on the spoiler and hit the trunk opener it will launch the beer a bout 15 ft.

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thanks.

i ordered 4 tires instead.

better safe than sorry, especially since this is my first rwd.

i need to replace the 2 front tires on the car. i don't want to blow a load on this for now so i will just order 2 tires.

is it bad to mix tires? the car came with goodyear eagle rs-a (z-rated)

i was gonna rotate the rears to the front and get a pair of continental extremecontacts (V-rated) to put on the rear for better snow traction (winter coming!)

is this good or bad?

btw, the front tires that are shot are bald on the innermost treads. is this indicative of the control arm bushing problem or just due to misalignment?

will wheels that fit 97+ sc400 also fit earlier model years? i have a 92 and i saw these rims on ebay that said they fit 97+ sc400 and 01+ is300

specs:

5 x 114.3 bolt pattern

front:

18x8 38mm offset

rear:

18x9 35mm offset

thanks for all the great advice so far. an update:

i went to get my car registered and inspected today and i failed the inspection. turns out:

-need 2 new front tires. uneven wear. inside of the tires are worn down while the outside looks ok still.

-need 2 new front brake pads. they are almost gone.

-need a 4 wheel alignment (not necessary for the inspection, but of course i'll get it done so i don't have the problem again).

this might explain the high-speed instability and soft braking =)

i think i might just go all out and get new rims/tires so i don't wind up double spending for things later on. (different size tires, brake service and alignment)

i would like recommendations for the following, based on quality and of course price:

-drilled/slotted rotors

-good brake pads

-SS brake lines

-rims (17 or 18, preferably a little wider than stock, but no rubbing issues, maybe 245ish width)

-tires

thanks =)

i've got 10 days to get this done!

i'll definitely take the advice on the sound deadening thing when fixing that rattling. less noise = good. dynamat?

also, anyone know a good place to get this done in or near NYC?

Hello Everyone =)

Just bought a 92 sc400 with 156k. Some things I noticed and I was hoping I could get some experienced advice on:

-at speeds above 70mph, the steering wheel shakes a bit. tread on the tires looks good.

-the brake is really soft compared to other cars i've driven. (have to depress pedal pretty far to feel the car brake). is this normal? i haven't had a chance to check the brake pads yet, but there's no squeaking or anything when i brake.

-with the climate control on, there's a strange smell. it's kind of like a combination musty/burning smell. not alarmingly burning smell, but it's there.

-needs new trunk lifts. how much do these go for?

-small rattling from the passenger door. sounds like something from the wood panels. is it easy to take apart?

-the bar that extends from the top of the door to the upper window/door trim is peeling. it looks like it's chrome underneath with some kind of black plastic covering glued on. is there a good way to fix this? i don't want to buy a whole new trim just for this.

any other tips/suggestions for a first time lexus owner are welcome!

my last car was a 97 mitsubishi eclipse turbo.

thanks in advance