UL stock air suspension to steel springs conversion infos
01-29-20, 07:31 AM
#196
Driver School Candidate
Hello,
'06 LS430 Charcoal blue/black int. UL (99K miles). I recently drove over a monster pothole (front driver) at night that hit so hard it split the tire instantly. Now the car is super springy on the front driver and even back driver side now. Going straight at any speed is very nice still. I'm assuming it means my air shock is bad and probably the control arms need replacing too. I'd consider new air shocks if they weren't so damn expensive.(got a price from a dealer of $1900 for 1. WTF? I'll have to do the spring conversion. I had an '02 LS430 and can't tell much of a difference in ride quality from my '06 UL.
Many threads have many part # listings. Now in 2020 are there any new best practices and parts for a conversion to springs? Am I correct in assuming buying a used air shock that the strut will likely be weak since it will be over a decade 15 yrs old?
With such a hard hit should I plan on replacing all the suspension parts on the driver side front and back?
Thanks for the info. I'm not a mechanic at all so I have to rely on smarter people than me when it comes to cars. But, I am on my 2nd LS430 which makes me some kind of brilliant....
-Mark
'06 LS430 Charcoal blue/black int. UL (99K miles). I recently drove over a monster pothole (front driver) at night that hit so hard it split the tire instantly. Now the car is super springy on the front driver and even back driver side now. Going straight at any speed is very nice still. I'm assuming it means my air shock is bad and probably the control arms need replacing too. I'd consider new air shocks if they weren't so damn expensive.(got a price from a dealer of $1900 for 1. WTF? I'll have to do the spring conversion. I had an '02 LS430 and can't tell much of a difference in ride quality from my '06 UL.
Many threads have many part # listings. Now in 2020 are there any new best practices and parts for a conversion to springs? Am I correct in assuming buying a used air shock that the strut will likely be weak since it will be over a decade 15 yrs old?
With such a hard hit should I plan on replacing all the suspension parts on the driver side front and back?
Thanks for the info. I'm not a mechanic at all so I have to rely on smarter people than me when it comes to cars. But, I am on my 2nd LS430 which makes me some kind of brilliant....
-Mark
I did my conversion two years ago, and nothing new since BNR34 started. I have a parts list in this thread somewhere, and also some mistakes I made. Only change I would make would be to go OEM sport springs and struts instead of just OEM, very curious what a slightly firmer ride on the LS with 17" wheels would have been like.
Before swapping the suspension, it sounds like you should do a very detailed exam of your car, might have more damaged based on your description. I know my bad air suspension had a leak coming from the strut, as I think it blew somehow from the original owner, but the airbag itself was still intact.
05-28-20, 01:42 PM
#197
So, can I do a direct swap of the air struts to the standard OEM steel struts from a junk yard? Do I need any extra parts?
I have a 2005 Lexus LS430 UL with 107K miles and the air struts are pretty bouncy (they still hold air very well, just bounce quite a bit on the uneven roads). I assume rebuilding them doesn't make (financial) sense?
Thank you!
I have a 2005 Lexus LS430 UL with 107K miles and the air struts are pretty bouncy (they still hold air very well, just bounce quite a bit on the uneven roads). I assume rebuilding them doesn't make (financial) sense?
Thank you!
10-23-20, 10:33 AM
#198
I did replaced my upper strut support, it is absolutely necessary.
I think what confused you was, I called the upper strut support "strut top".
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/4421716-post26.html
$3600 sounds about right from a dealer using all OEM parts, they are not ripping you off.
I think what confused you was, I called the upper strut support "strut top".
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/4421716-post26.html
$3600 sounds about right from a dealer using all OEM parts, they are not ripping you off.
Last edited by hippchip; 10-23-20 at 10:34 AM. Reason: add year
10-23-20, 11:00 AM
#199
GUYS help me out here, I had a shop do a conversion for me from a 2002 UL with Airshocks to steel with parts from a junkyard LS replacing the struts with sport struts from mylparts is it possible that somehow this "strut top" or strut support was missing? Is it even possible to install with that missing? I am asking because I had 2 sets of struts fail by the struts leaking oil and I just need to figure this out before I pay to have this fixed again. I am thinking of going with coilovers or something else this time but I do want to get this car back on the road its just been sitting for 6 months.
Last edited by BNR34; 10-23-20 at 11:04 AM.
10-28-20, 11:24 AM
#200
15 yr old air struts
Hello,
'06 LS430 Charcoal blue/black int. UL (99K miles). I recently drove over a monster pothole (front driver) at night that hit so hard it split the tire instantly. Now the car is super springy on the front driver and even back driver side now. Going straight at any speed is very nice still. I'm assuming it means my air shock is bad and probably the control arms need replacing too. I'd consider new air shocks if they weren't so damn expensive.(got a price from a dealer of $1900 for 1. WTF? I'll have to do the spring conversion. I had an '02 LS430 and can't tell much of a difference in ride quality from my '06 UL.
Many threads have many part # listings. Now in 2020 are there any new best practices and parts for a conversion to springs? Am I correct in assuming buying a used air shock that the strut will likely be weak since it will be over a decade 15 yrs old?
With such a hard hit should I plan on replacing all the suspension parts on the driver side front and back?
Thanks for the info. I'm not a mechanic at all so I have to rely on smarter people than me when it comes to cars. But, I am on my 2nd LS430 which makes me some kind of brilliant....
-Mark
'06 LS430 Charcoal blue/black int. UL (99K miles). I recently drove over a monster pothole (front driver) at night that hit so hard it split the tire instantly. Now the car is super springy on the front driver and even back driver side now. Going straight at any speed is very nice still. I'm assuming it means my air shock is bad and probably the control arms need replacing too. I'd consider new air shocks if they weren't so damn expensive.(got a price from a dealer of $1900 for 1. WTF? I'll have to do the spring conversion. I had an '02 LS430 and can't tell much of a difference in ride quality from my '06 UL.
Many threads have many part # listings. Now in 2020 are there any new best practices and parts for a conversion to springs? Am I correct in assuming buying a used air shock that the strut will likely be weak since it will be over a decade 15 yrs old?
With such a hard hit should I plan on replacing all the suspension parts on the driver side front and back?
Thanks for the info. I'm not a mechanic at all so I have to rely on smarter people than me when it comes to cars. But, I am on my 2nd LS430 which makes me some kind of brilliant....
-Mark
10-28-20, 11:27 AM
#201
05-20-21, 01:57 PM
#202
when the fuse is pulled for the compressor, will you still get a High Height message on the dash? Wanting to use some Monroe quick struts for the conversion and didn't want anything "annoying" on the dash.
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treehan77 (10-30-23)
11-21-23, 06:30 PM
#204
Originally Posted by romanlutsk;[url=tel:10814071
10814071[/url]]So, can I do a direct swap of the air struts to the standard OEM steel struts from a junk yard? Do I need any extra parts?
I have a 2005 Lexus LS430 UL with 107K miles and the air struts are pretty bouncy (they still hold air very well, just bounce quite a bit on the uneven roads). I assume rebuilding them doesn't make (financial) sense?
Thank you!
I have a 2005 Lexus LS430 UL with 107K miles and the air struts are pretty bouncy (they still hold air very well, just bounce quite a bit on the uneven roads). I assume rebuilding them doesn't make (financial) sense?
Thank you!
I’m also really curious about the answer to this, does anyone know?
I’ve got an 05 UL and the air suspension is currently fine, but the vehicle has 255k miles on it and I anticipate needing to replace them at some point in the next few years.
11-21-23, 07:35 PM
#205
You can swap the coil spring assemblies no problem
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enermotion (11-22-23)
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