How Good Are Stock Shocks And New Springs

[HK_Altezza]

Hi,

I have been following the forum for a while and love your enthusiasm. I just got me an used 98 GS300 and I love the car. However, I think that the handling of the car could be a bit better, especially in curves.

Since my budget is tight, I am considering just to get sport springs (e.g. HKS or Esperil) with the stock shocks. Is this recommendable? Will the handling be better? Will the ride still be comfortable?

I am new, so if you think that there are better options please tell me.

[Steve]

Have you thought about a strut brace.... That is supposed to enhance handling quite alot. :)

[Monster-Mat]

as long as you get decent manufactured springs,you should not need to change the shocks........

however it will always be better if you get matched springs/shocks,as these are both designed to work in unison at a lower rate of travel...

so to recap.

yes you can use just shocks

mat

[lexussport]

You can fit lowering/uprated springs quite easily and cost is around £160 plus fitting. This will make a difference, changing the dampers imo will start to effect the comfort of the ride against better cornering performance.

Don't change the springs without having the suspension laser alined! a £550 mistake I have just made as the front tyres lasted 4k miles without it.

[Monster-Mat]

crikey dave.........

and i thought my 18000 miles on the rears was bad....

then again i do tend to drive a little "up there on the edge"over here :(

[lexussport]

Mat,

The caster/camber? angle is out and so both front tyres (Toyo 245/40/18) are bald on the inside edge, rest of the tread has 7mm left on them.

If only I had done the job correctly when changing the springs, I now have to replace the tyres and pay Lexus to correct the suspension.

[Monster-Mat]

yeah.....know what you mean....my fronts are still out,ive had the car lazer aligned several times,but i still am wearing the inside edge,im rotating the two fronts..tommorow when i get the new rears fitted,i actually think the IS2 has a problem with front geometry,i seem to remember a few posts on here from standered cars wearing the fronts only on the inside......hopefully when i get coilovers fitted i can sort this problem once and for all

[ricky_is200]

I've had the same problem, I got through a set of fronts very quickly (they went through to the canvas on the inside and I hadn't noticed as the rest of the tyre was fine - oops!) I had the alignment redone at the dealer and its been better but they still wear on the edges.

[yoshi]

Spring/shock change is essential.

Just changing the ride height may make the car not handle right, see Koni's web site for more info.

Before lowering, prob.the TRD strutbraces and some decent Goodyear F1 tyres will help, I am not sure about anti-roll bars for the GS.

[Monster-Mat]

it isnt essential to change the shocks aswell.

it depends on several factors.

spring rate of the spring, to soft it will knacker the shock

how low?.....to low and the shocks will bottom out

most aftermarket springs are manufactured with the factory shocks as a base standered...so as long as you buy the correct springs for your car from a reputable manufacturer then these will be matched to your factory shocks

aftermarket shocks will obviously improve things more

[yoshi]

Just noted some nice handling upgrades for the GS300/GS430/V300

http://www.i-m-racing.com/lexgs.html

They have front (upper+lower), rear (Upper+lower) strutbraces plus chassis strengthen bits + suspension braces etc. for Lex GS/Aristo.

Thinking about this rather than changing my suspension setup as the roads here are duff.