doug_999

My 03 GS430 has a nerve racking problem. On the highway when near trucks, their draft causes the rear of the car to feel loose. I can almost feel the wind picking up the rear end of the car. I've never had anything like this happen to me in any other car. But it happens consistently on this one.

While I figure the L-tuned suspension will fix this, I am curious if any others have this same issue? My other thought is that it might be a rear alignment issue.

Doug

gs400998

No such problem yet with my 99 with stock suspension

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yup, it's a very normal phenomenon. but even with my coilover, when i am going like 90 or 100 passing trucks, same thing happens too

doug_999

Thanks rominl

Any clue why the GS has this issue?

tomtnc

I haven't experienced this yet with my stock 99 GS400 suspension.

Maybe a nice 3' aluminum wing would get you the downforce you need

rominl

iTrader: (4)

actually i had the same problem with my old acura tl-s and my new is300, i guess it's just physics. maybe gs is so too damn fast

SLVRGS4

My GS400 has had problems with stability on the highway from the first day I bought it. Front and Rear alignments help, but I feel that these issues stem from the stock suspension setup. My car feels floaty on the highway going over 80 when hitting dips in the roads or uneven surfaces. Unever sufaces also effect my front end steering as well. I'm hoping that swapping out the stock suspension with the l-tuned shock/spring setup along with TRD sways, but I have a feeling that these steering issues will still remain-just to a lesser degree. If you find out what works, please do post it. I still think about how well my BMW 540i Sport handled every time the GS dissapoints me....

LexusPride

...yeah, but do you still miss bringing it in for service weekly ?

BananaGS

take your car in, ask the dealer to tighten the steering rack, make the steering wheel a bit heavier.
That will help. I know quite a few folks here had it done, (myself included), free under warranty anyway.

stiffer shocks and lower center of gravity (ie lowering) will be your other choice.
BMW are known for their sport tune suspension, you can't compare the 2 cars, that is why you get L-tune suspension, then you can compare them hee hee (i am sure you noticed that the BMW540 sit lower than the GS and their suspension is stiffer)

Anh

rominl

iTrader: (4)

the steering wheel adjustment is only for certain 98 and 99 gs

PAULGS430

IMO the GS stock suspension is completely designed for comfort. Toyota has set-up the shocks & springs to provide complete isolation & comfort in mind rather than performance.You guys remember the commercials of the LS floating across the railroad tracks & ES suspension having to battle
the thousands of cobblestones?Lexus has not upgraded their comfort ride to a sport ride set-up yet. That's what BMW & MB have over the Lexus when it comes balanced ride & stabilty. Unfortunately the only options have been left to us upgrade the ride quality. It does not mean the GS can't be bolted down & kick some Euro-as$ in the twisties. I have driven 530,540/sport 6-speed & the BMW's easily out class the GS in corners,twisties, & stability. The stock GS does not feel stable & planted at high speed over 85. SAME goes for the steering set-up.With all the stuff availiable for the GS you can tighten her up to compete w/540 6-speed only problem is the steering is not as good. Just the way she is until you decide to upgrade the suspension,put some braces on, tighten frnt.7 rear ends. My M3 at high speeds feels totally safe but when a big truck flys by my car feels a bit unsafe too. It comes down to upgrading your GS das all. Lexus does need to step up to the plate & offer a sport edition w/real suspension options. Lexus will need to improve the ride & sporty handling quality of the GS. I hope that the next gen. GS will have equal ride & Steering of the Euros. cus they have everything else & more. Oh I forgot more HP & 6-speed please!!!
By the ways folks the new E-class is the new benchmark & the E-55 everything the next GS needs to be.

Paul

PAULGS430

Until TRD or another co. designs a sport model that can be purchased by consumer Lexus will always be following MB & BMW. It doesn't look like Lexus will do this after the latest news that TRD will not be around anymore. I think that Lexus not competing w/BMW&MB in Hp wars is a mistake. They need to upgrade their sport & performance dept. bigtime. They need to offer something that can at least hang with the beasts from AMG,M-power. I am getting real curiuos as to what they will do. I hope they do the right thing.

Paul

doug_999

Not that I want to start another fun thread (RON!), but my Lexus will be in for service a lot more than my BMWs ever were. I know what all the consumer reports say, and maybe I was just lucky, but in my 7 years of BMW ownership (four with the 325 and three with the 540), I had to make one unscheduled service appt. Compare that with the two that I will make with the GS before it hits 5,000 miles.

Alas, even my wife's RX has left her stranded once.

Doug

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I've said this before but I'll say it again - I believe the stock GS suspension is UNSAFE at higher speeds. It's MUCH too floaty and with the 16s in particular there's so much tire sidewall flex and squashing as the limp stock sways and shocks let a huge amount of body roll to occur that it's not hard to lose control at high speed.

My GS though has L-Tuned suspension, racing sways, and front and rear upper and lower braces and 18" staggered wheels it's NIGHT AND DAY different compared to stock. I mentioned the wheels there because I believe the fat rear tires give a much more planted feel by being right at the fender edge, instead of inset quite a bit as the 17s and 16s are on the back in particular. A guy in an awesome Supra was tailing 1SICKLEX and I on a highway recently and he couldn't believe how quickly we could change lanes and take curves with almost no body roll and very very quick and damped rebound after any transition or bump. I can easily outhandle my neighbor's 540i with sport package.

So if you don't like the stock handling, ya gotta mod. I had never modified a car until I got my GS. While it's been an 'adventure' (with its ups and downs, no pun intended), it's been a lot of fun, and really not that expensive compared to the price of the car (I've spent about $5K total).

EGainer

my es does the same if i pass a truck doing between 90 and 130. the physics says that faster air has less air pressure right.... well the truck has a large amount of low pressure, so as you are behind it and passing it, your car is being pushed toward the truck from the left. (assuming the truck is on the right). so you are trying to counter this by pulling left a little, then as soon as you pass the truck, there is regular air pressure there, so it pushes your car back stable again, but since you have been pulling left, your car might go left real quick til you get it straight again.... here's a quick pic