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dwells50

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Everything posted by dwells50

  1. I hated the ride of our LX450 at first. We live in the mountains of NC, and it was scary to drive it at the speed limit on normal hills and curves. It felt like we were about to bounce off the road. It was "hang on for dear life by pinching the leather seats with your buttcheeks" bad! :o We bought it at 90,000 mi., and 5 years old. I've heard the suspension of a LX450 is 20% softer than a Landcruiser. -I checked into replacing the springs- too expensive. -I replaced the shocks- using Gabriels. It didn't make much difference. -I upgraded the steering stabilizer using an Old Man Emu- Big difference! It was still bouncy, but the steering felt much more under control. A friend of mine is a tire wholesaler. He said it's Michelins had a very soft sidewall to begin with, plus they were nearing the end of their treadlife. Sidewalls soften even more over the life of the tire. He recommended Pirelli, known for their stiff sidewalls. I ordered a set of Scorpion STR's- P275-70R16. When I took them to the local garage to have them mounted, the tire changer said "I hate mounting Pirelli's! It takes 2 of us because they're so stiff!" These tires were so large, though, that he had no problems. Huge difference! We love the LX450 now. We've had it 3 years, at 135K mi. :D
  2. Thanks Army, that parts link is helpful. Insurance is going to take care of this one, but I'm sure we're gonna pay in the long run! I'll post the total amount when we know...
  3. Wow, I'm glad they didn't go off. The seat belts were all they needed. Now we're guessing the repair costs. My guess is $5200. The tranny cooler is leaking, radiator and A/C condenser are damaged. The radiator is just touching the the cooling fan, but you can still spin it. This thing's built like a tank- nothing behind the very front looks damaged.
  4. Thanks for the replies. My wife said the seat belts locked tight. She said they were going around 50 mph, and had just merged into the left lane when it happened. I'll try to post the pictures...
  5. We have a 1997 LX450, with about 128K mi. Yesterday, my wife rear-ended a large pickup on the interstate, (she was the rear car of a 4- car pileup as the front car slammed on his brakes). My wife and the 2 kids in the back are ok (Thank God), just sore, but we are all amazed that the airbags FAILED to deploy. This wreck destroyed the bumper, grill, pushed the radiator into the cooling fan, and slightly crumpled the hood and both fenders. We purchased the Lexus in 2002, with 91,000 mi. on it, with no signs of any previous accident. When this is all repaired, how can we be sure the airbag system is repaired or in working condition? Thanks, Drew
  6. My LX450 had a very bouncy ride. I replaced the Michelins with Pirelli Scorpion STR's, and it handles MUCH better now. The Pirelli sidewalls are much stiffer. You'll feel little bumps in the road more, though. The tradeoff to me was worth it.
  7. I ordered a set of Pirelli Scorpion STR's for my LX450. They just arrived today. As soon as I have them put on, I'll let you know what I think.
  8. Hi! My 1997 LX450, with 100K mi., has a bouncy ride in some road and wind conditions. If I give it the old "shock test" in the driveway, by pushing down the bumpers, the shocks seem good. I have heard that, when purchased new, the Lexus dealers would replace the shocks and springs with stiffer Landcruiser parts if the owner wished. We don't wan't to lose it's comfortable smooth ride, but the bounce really feels dangerous sometimes. Can I get good results just by replacing with firmer shocks, if so, whats a good choice? Thanks, Drew
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