KevinGS

So, after being in my freind's 2002 BMW 540i the last few days while I am house/dog/fish/car-sitting for he and his wife while they are away, I jump back in my Lexus today and the first thing I notice is the damn steering. It's so damn loose. I want to fix that, and SOON. That MUST be my next major mod.

But I need help. I don't know what fixes that 'loose steering' feel. You know, it's like you can move the wheel a little bit before the car actually decides to change direction. I hate that....

...especially since I just jumped out of a 540i sitting on 17" rims, with stock suspension, yet the damn car's steering is dead-on. If you move the steering wheel a millimeter, the car changes direction, immediately.

It's really noticeable in turns too. In my Lex, that big car becomes hard to place because the steering doesn't give you an immediate response with steering input. So, occasionally on a high speed ramp or bend, I feel like I am wandering in the lane because I can't get the damn car lined up right.

NEVER a problem in that BMW. And he doesn't even have the 540i Sport. It's just a regular 540i, with stock 17" rims, and standard suspension, and the car is easier to place than my Lexus. Sure, there's more body roll in the Bimmer, but I feel more confident in that 540i charging into a sharp onramp at 60 mph than my Lex simply because the steering is soooo much more precise. So in the end, I seem to go faster in the big BMW around the same turn simply because I trust the steering more. For as heavy as each car is, neither car ever gets out-of-hand when hightailing it through a fast sweep of a turn, but the BMW seems to go where I tell it to go with less fuss, and more precision.

Can I remedy this? If so, how? Thanks in advance.

By the way, my GS is a 2001 with 60,000 miles, with Tein CS, Daizen Sways and 19" rims (fat setup). All that, and the stock BMW STILL feels crisper. WTF?????????

Dx3

iTrader: (13)

L-Tuned Steering ECU - approximately $135, should help.

Jonny

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I don't think it's possible to make your steering as nice as the 540i. I have your mods and then some and the GS steering is still weak.

Insomnia

hmmmm I think I should get the 540i sport as my second car ....

RNM GS3

One thing you cant mod is the steering .................The steering is the one thing that i truly dislike about my GS. If i could get the steering of the 5 series, the car would be perfect.

lexforlife

iTrader: (7)

yes you can bring that german feel to the lex

better coils, and daizen bushing kit .. it removes the slop within the bushings for they were designed for comfort and luxury vs perf

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Kevin,

As others have said, L-tuned steering ECU helps but not a cure-all. Sway bars (TRD or Daizen) may help a bit but moreso at speed.

One other item that has helped others that I haven't seen mentioned is getting your steering pretensioner tightened. Do a search for results from others in the GS forum for 'steering pretensioner'

BTW, the 17" wheels are likely going to feel 'crisper' than the 19"s on your car. Most likey lighter, less rolling resistance, less unsprung weight.

TexasGS

I was told by Darrel over at Sewell Lexus that the 2001 GS430's and newer, already have the upgraded ECU. Basically the factory one is the same as the aftermarket one he sells. I remember a thread a while back about this. Some with 2001's and newer, who replaced their steering ECU, had better than stock results. Many who did, found no changes in the steering.

KevinGS

I think TexasGS is correct...the 2001 and later GS already have the L-Tuned ECU. I suspect very little difference simply with the upgraded ECU mod.

Dave, thanks for the tip. I'll look for that steering pretensioner thread. I think I remember that thread now.

LexforLife, you said better coils and the new Daizen bushing kit? I have Tein CS. I need even BETTER coils?

And who sells the new Daizen Busing Kit? And who already has it installed? I'd like to know if their was a profound difference.

aliti19

I thought that all 01+ GS's had the upgraded steering - my steering wheel feels pretty damn tight. Although it's no BMW (and it never can be), i love it.

My decision eventually came down to the 540i 6-speed, or the GS for me. I was sold on the reliability, quality & gorgeous interior design of the GS.
That driving feel is just what makes a BMW a BMW. I'm sure your friend is envious of your limited amount of trips to the repair shop.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

in turns of driver's feel, GS can not match the bimmer, but I still happy I have lexus.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

I recall some testing by Bitkahuna on another member's GS430 swapping the ECU and did feel some improvements.... Seem to recall a theory that mid-year 2001 they started using the improved ECU but no way to verify that.

For the $$ and how easy this is to do, I'd recommend trying it to see if you see an improvement and selling it for a $10 loss if you don't feel any improvement.

Kevin, both TM Engineering and Sewell Lexus carry Daizen stuff.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Yup, the (early) 2001 GS430 we did the L-Tuned ECU swap on DEFINITELY felt better after, but after MUCH discussion on here the conclusion is Lexus switched over DURING the 2001 model year, and since the part #'s didn't change there's no way to tell except to swap it.

tofu_house

iTrader: (2)

1. Tein Flex Coilovers (hardest setting)
2. TRD Sways (I think are harder than the Daizen Sways)
3. All Bushings
4. Front and rear STBs
5. L-tuned Steering ECU swap if yours didn't come with it.

I have an extra L-tuned steering ECU if you're interested in it. I didn't know they go for $135?

Mattress

All the above is to be put into consideration; yet i have my alignment done every 3 months or so... and everytime it seems to re-tighten the steering, because after all that driving more sway and give seem to enter the steering and gettin allignments seem to help. somethin to think about. Allthough it wont CHANGE the steering.. it might reset it to be a more sporty "bimmer" feel.