ChopsGS

Any particular reason you went with the Beck UCA's vs the likes of Moog or Dorman? For shocks, if I go for just regular shocks, they'll probably be Bilstein. Like I said, I want to maintain that stock supple ride, just barely firmed up a tad with beefier sway bars and lowered just a touch. I don't want to ruin that stock ride.

Hipatchy

I used Monroe shocks to save money but they were very stiff and was not impressed with the quality.
I was so upset that I ordered OEM shocks and it was worth it, wasted the money on those shocks/mounts.
The OEM would maintain the stock ride because they are stock.
I live in Canada so I don't have access to bilstein so not sure about those. The OEM are pretty reasonably priced.
I read good feedback from members regarding the beck arnley parts so I went with that. Moog seems like they would be fine also but seems like a 50/50 good bad review selection and beck/arnley seems more good then bad. I only have about 5k on them and they have been perfect.

Hipatchy

Oh and here is a diagram with all the front end parts

Mbodall

Best way to maintain the stock ride quality but firm things up a bit is to use ‘04-‘06 OEM sport suspension components. I don’t know if you’ve ever driven an LS equipped with the sport suspension, but it’s the absolute perfect middle ground between compliant and “sporty”. I’ve driven many stock suspension LS models and the difference in reduced body roll/squatting/nose-diving is very noticeable.

ChopsGS

I was just reading up on the stock "Sport" package. Slightly different tuned shocks and springs (with a reduced ride height), stiffer bushings in the front, and a beefier sway bar in the rear, and of course stepped up to 18" wheels, all while still maintaining a luxury ride, only a little firmer.

This sounds exactly like what I'm wanting to do. Does anyone know if there's a stock "kit" available for purchase to convert a standard LS430 suspension to an LS430 Sport? I've been hunting around on Google but haven't found anything yet.

deadguy

Replaced struts, mounts, lower ball joints, tie rod ends, stabilizer bar bushings, and LCA bushings. Inner tie rods were firm, upper control are bushings looked OK, and stabilizer links still held firm without play.

Ride quality improved quite noticeably. Creaks, squeaks, and rattles are all gone. Steering is tighter, ride is smoother and quieter, especially over bumps.

Parts used were Beck/Arnley and KYB.

The old parts. Notice the two orange rubber pieces above mounts that were inside the bellows of old KYB struts. One whole and one in half. That's how they came out. New KYBs did not have these.

Hood struts were from wife's ES350.

Hipatchy

Nice job
Those yellow pieces are the bump stops and are important for hard impacts.
The OEM strut mounts I bought came with new ones but when I bought Monroe they did not.
Did you put those old ones back in or order new ones?

deadguy

I did not put them back in. Should I order new ones and put them in?

Fojo

I really need to do a suspension overhaul but unfortunately I have the UL factory air suspension. I'm debating just getting all of the bushings changed and letting the factory air struts completely explode eventually or go with sport suspension. I feel like I would need to test a sport suspension model to know for sure if i would be happy. I wouldn't want to lose my AFS or anything. Im just tired of getting rocked by bumps.. car also shakes at speed and its not the tires or rims. have no idea whats going on

Hipatchy

If it were me I would put them in. A hard bump will be metal on metal since the shock will bottom out on the mount.
Sucks that you have to take it all apart but it only took me about 3 hours to do both sides since I did it twice!

northern6

[QUOTE=Hipatchy;10550822]Oh and here is a diagram with all the front end parts
what year front end is this