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Thank you for sharing! I'd be curious just how well the Figs bushings will improve the tire wear.
Do a search for Figs, RR Racing USRS and/or LCA bushings here in the IS forum. You’ll find that the OEM LCA bushings are fluid filled and allow way to much uncontrolled movement of the LCA...and is an issue that Lexus has kind of ignored. The Lexus service centers push that the car needs an alignment. Which is true, but that doesn’t solve the root issue...the IS OEM LCA bushings are crap! The aftermarket Figs and RR Racing replacements correct this OEM shortfall.
2018 IS300 AWD F-Sport with 18" OEM wheels/tires and stock suspension.
I've got 20K on my OEM tires. I got the car in February this year with 15K on the dial. Probably 90% of that 5K are highway miles. The fronts aren't completely worn out yet even though it does have excessive inner wear when compared to outside of the tire. Trying to decide on the drop before I replace the tires....around a 1" drop - nothing extreme. After doing some research to get a little more wear out of the stock tires, I installed Figs 90 durometer LCA Bushings and Bracket kit this past weekend.
I definitely notice that the steering is more responsive with less wandering at 50 to 100mph after I installed the bushings. The car seems to have slightly less understeer on On/Off ramps as well. It is slightly louder - not bad, just slightly more noise. Overall a good upgrade that I'd recommend to anyone.
few questions:
1) Did you replace all four LCA bushings?
2) Can paste here the part numbers or link suitable for 2016 IS200t? or is it same as IS350?
3) Did you have to do an alignment after installing?
1) Did you replace all four LCA bushings?
2) Can paste here the part numbers or link suitable for 2016 IS200t? or is it same as IS350?
3) Did you have to do an alignment after installing?
Thanks much!
1. I just replaced the front LCA bushings.
2. The LCA bushings should be the same - this is what I got https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/CAT-G3-L...91K-90-IN-BRKT. Depending on your mechanical inclination and tools, you could get these https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/CAT-G3-L...LCA-SP3491K-90. But you have to have a press to remove the old bushings and press the new bushings in. I opted not to do that by buying the kit (1st link) and the extra money for the kit saved me time and the headache of taking it to a shop to press the bushings out/in. If you have questions, you can contact Figs directly at contact@figsengineering.com or (720) 728-8954
3. I have not done an alignment yet because I want to lower the car and get new tires first - no sense in aligning it twice if I don't have to. If your tires are still okay and you're not doing anything else to the car, you should definitely get an alignment.
Here's a video by Figs with a road test of the OEM bushing and the Figs version.
Do a search for Figs, RR Racing USRS and/or LCA bushings here in the IS forum. You’ll find that the OEM LCA bushings are fluid filled and allow way to much uncontrolled movement of the LCA...and is an issue that Lexus has kind of ignored. The Lexus service centers push that the car needs an alignment. Which is true, but that doesn’t solve the root issue...the IS OEM LCA bushings are crap! The aftermarket Figs and RR Racing replacements correct this OEM shortfall.
Oh yeah, I definitely understand the theory. Alignment does not solve the issue (like I wrote in the original post here on this thread), but in some cases, it can help if for some reason you can't install bushings. In my case, I had a leased car, so I just needed to make my second set of tires last. And, last they did. However, the factory-specified alignment isn't going to help. You have to run toe-in.
I have about 50k miles and already on my 3rd set of tires. Prob have 10k miles or less on these before they start to make an unbearable drone and I'll chuck them despite having at least a little tread left. That is, I get about 20k/set but the last 5k miles is very unenjoyable.
I've used the stock Turanza's and DWS 06 (which I like very much).
I'm helping my mom out w/her 2018 IS 300 - just blew through both rear tires in 18,000 miles of very easy driving. What's interesting - my guess is that because the tires were rotated (it's an AWD model) the fronts may have been the initial culprit.
I assume you can zero the toe adjustment for the rear suspension? It appears from looking at the rear suspension that it can be done. I realign all my vehicles w/zero toe (rear suspension). Toe-in or Toe-out in the rear, as you guys know, drags the tire along during straightaway driving. I have always found that zero toe setting for the rear settles the rear and provides very good longevity for tires w/no handling changes, as long as the front alignment has reasonable toe-in.
I may ask a tire shop to zero the toe at the rear suspension and then check the front alignment. Both my Mercedes and BMW have no wear issues w/tires and wear the tread very uniformly. This is annoying - and the first Lexus IS my mom has had an issue with (she's leased 5 since 2007). This 2018 is really wiping-out the tires. Check the photo...and look at the tread (tires have about 75% tread remaining)
I'm helping my mom out w/her 2018 IS 300 - just blew through both rear tires in 18,000 miles of very easy driving. What's interesting - my guess is that because the tires were rotated (it's an AWD model) the fronts may have been the initial culprit.
I assume you can zero the toe adjustment for the rear suspension? It appears from looking at the rear suspension that it can be done. I realign all my vehicles w/zero toe (rear suspension). Toe-in or Toe-out in the rear, as you guys know, drags the tire along during straightaway driving. I have always found that zero toe setting for the rear settles the rear and provides very good longevity for tires w/no handling changes, as long as the front alignment has reasonable toe-in.
I may ask a tire shop to zero the toe at the rear suspension and then check the front alignment. Both my Mercedes and BMW have no wear issues w/tires and wear the tread very uniformly. This is annoying - and the first Lexus IS my mom has had an issue with (she's leased 5 since 2007). This 2018 is really wiping-out the tires. Check the photo...and look at the tread (tires have about 75% tread remaining)
That is unfortunate to see a car with plenty of tread left overall with such severe inner wear. However, probably par for the course in IS land.
You can certainly zero the toe on the rear, but a Lexus dealer or even a chain tire place like Tires Plus isn't going to recommend that. You ideally want to have a little toe-in at the rear to prevent the rear from becoming unstable especially in wet weather. Also, for what it's worth, on my F Sport model with staggered tires, I never saw any significant inner-tire wear at the rear. It does happen to some owners, but not me - and I did have the front inner wear issue. I can almost guarantee that the inner wear you're seeing is pre-rotation.
You could adjust camber at the rear, but that may have even more of a handling impact than toe. Moreover, it requires an aftermarket solution.
So, if your question is strictly, "Can I?", then yes, you could zero the toe. Not my first choice, but doable. One thing I found that worked well enough for my second set of tires to last the 18,000+ miles I put on them was to run some toe-in at the front to counter-balance the toe-out that occurs during braking. I had no problem convincing my dealership techs to do that. Otherwise, you could see if your mother is interested in the F bushings as mentioned above. This, combined with alignment, is probably the best way to go. Probably worth mentioning, too, that the OE tires on the IS are pretty much bottom-tier in terms of tread wear life. So it can't get much worse, if at all.
That is unfortunate to see a car with plenty of tread left overall with such severe inner wear. However, probably par for the course in IS land.
You can certainly zero the toe on the rear, but a Lexus dealer or even a chain tire place like Tires Plus isn't going to recommend that. You ideally want to have a little toe-in at the rear to prevent the rear from becoming unstable especially in wet weather. Also, for what it's worth, on my F Sport model with staggered tires, I never saw any significant inner-tire wear at the rear. It does happen to some owners, but not me - and I did have the front inner wear issue. I can almost guarantee that the inner wear you're seeing is pre-rotation.
You could adjust camber at the rear, but that may have even more of a handling impact than toe. Moreover, it requires an aftermarket solution.
So, if your question is strictly, "Can I?", then yes, you could zero the toe. Not my first choice, but doable. One thing I found that worked well enough for my second set of tires to last the 18,000+ miles I put on them was to run some toe-in at the front to counter-balance the toe-out that occurs during braking. I had no problem convincing my dealership techs to do that. Otherwise, you could see if your mother is interested in the F bushings as mentioned above. This, combined with alignment, is probably the best way to go. Probably worth mentioning, too, that the OE tires on the IS are pretty much bottom-tier in terms of tread wear life. So it can't get much worse, if at all.
Update - I just realized it’s a staggered wheel set-up, so there has never been a rotation, of course. Ordered a set of Michelin Pilot A/S 3+ all around and they are being installed by a local shop today. They will align and check the rear camber/toe. Hoping it’s out of spec...if not, I’m assuming there may be no toe adjustment possible? Is a LCA the only option to keep the toe alignment stable? I’m not under the car (I’m several states away) so can’t see the suspension set up.
Update - I just realized it’s a staggered wheel set-up, so there has never been a rotation, of course. Ordered a set of Michelin Pilot A/S 3+ all around and they are being installed by a local shop today. They will align and check the rear camber/toe. Hoping it’s out of spec...if not, I’m assuming there may be no toe adjustment possible? Is a LCA the only option to keep the toe alignment stable? I’m not under the car (I’m several states away) so can’t see the suspension set up.
thanks everyone!
Toe is definitely adjustable in the rear. I definitely have had it go out-of-spec and then corrected after.
Wow this thread was very helpful. I just bought a 2015 IS 350 F sport, RWD. I got the car from Carvana and didn't test drive it since I have 7 days to return it. I noticed some pulling to the right on the way home and when I got home noticed this same tire wear issue. Took the car to Pep Boys since they do warranty work for Carvana and long story short I have Carvana paying for two new front tires. Getting Eagle F1 Asymmetric all season. Will probably replace the cheap rear tires with the same even though these are new. (Just cheap tires and hate running different tires on front and back). I was also told by Pep Boys that the F sport requires a Y speed rated tire, not the W rated that are on the car. Do you guys always run Y rated or does it really matter?
Wow this thread was very helpful. I just bought a 2015 IS 350 F sport, RWD. I got the car from Carvana and didn't test drive it since I have 7 days to return it. I noticed some pulling to the right on the way home and when I got home noticed this same tire wear issue. Took the car to Pep Boys since they do warranty work for Carvana and long story short I have Carvana paying for two new front tires. Getting Eagle F1 Asymmetric all season. Will probably replace the cheap rear tires with the same even though these are new. (Just cheap tires and hate running different tires on front and back). I was also told by Pep Boys that the F sport requires a Y speed rated tire, not the W rated that are on the car. Do you guys always run Y rated or does it really matter?
Thanks!
Congrats on the new car.
Costco gave me a difficult time about the W-rated BFGoodrich tires I had them install. They insisted I needed Y-rated tires. I told them to go check the sidewall of one of the OE Bridgestones. The all-seasons that come on these cars from factory are W-rated. You should be just fine running W-rated tires on your car.
Wow this thread was very helpful. I just bought a 2015 IS 350 F sport, RWD. I got the car from Carvana and didn't test drive it since I have 7 days to return it. I noticed some pulling to the right on the way home and when I got home noticed this same tire wear issue. Took the car to Pep Boys since they do warranty work for Carvana and long story short I have Carvana paying for two new front tires. Getting Eagle F1 Asymmetric all season. Will probably replace the cheap rear tires with the same even though these are new. (Just cheap tires and hate running different tires on front and back). I was also told by Pep Boys that the F sport requires a Y speed rated tire, not the W rated that are on the car. Do you guys always run Y rated or does it really matter?
Thanks!
You'll be fine unless you plan on running the car 160+ mph and loading it like you typically do on a track. Depending on how you drive, you may notice the following characteristics or not. Y rated tires are usually a little stiffer and ride a tad rougher - translated to you're able to feel what the car is doing. Y rated tires are usually a little softer and offer better braking and traction. W tires may be a little better in cold weather and offer a little better wear. The stock F-Sport tires are W rated -- Bridgestone Turanza EL400. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
W - Up to 168 mph Y - Up to 186 mph (Y) - 186+ mph
08-04-20, 07:12 PM
The all-seasons that come on these cars from factory are W-rated. You should be just fine running W-rated tires on your car.
