Thanks for the replys guys. I do have the tires at 32psi since I got the RX. I did experiment with 28psi but still harsh ride over anything bigger than a penny lol. This is my first SUV ever so Im not up on latest in tires for these types of vehicles. I do have Bridgestone Duelers on that came with the vehicle when I bought it second hand. Not sure if these are good tires or how old they are. What do you guys think? I hate the noise they give off

I am planning on changing to wider 20" rims in the near future and I liked what I heard about the Michelin Lattitudes. But after swapping the suspension and still get a hard ride Im skeptical of spending that kind of money on rims and tires now if its not going to improve the ride. I know tires can have a big effect on ride quality but it seems Id need to ride on marshmellows to get a comfy ride from my RX.

It isnt all bad with the suspension change however. She is quite frisky now in the turns. I like. Just need to improve ride quality now. Maybe I will fork out the mulah for some new shoes.

 

I went to work today and really listened and felt the harsh ride. It seems like the suspension/body is getting slapped by the bumps lol. Instead of the tires deflecting the initial hit and allowing the suspension to do its thing, the shock just travels straight up to the strut mounts/body. I think you guys are right about the tires as it feel like Im riding on stone tires. Even going over speed bumps slowly it jolts the vehicle both going up and going down. Time to fast track the rim/tire purchase it seems..I really hope it fixes the problem. Thanks for your help guys.

 

Maybe the dealership is full of crap. Maybe they dunno and don't wanna go digging. Is there a place you can take it? maybe another lexus dealer? If you were close by I would offer to test drive it or sit in while you drive.

 

If you think the ride is harsh now, wait until you try it with the bigger tires. Going from your current 17 (or 18) inch wheels to 20s will severly degrade the ride.

My guess from your description of the mods is that your new springs are actually much stiffer than stock after the initial travel. That will cause the ride to be a lot worse over large bumps where you get a lot of wheel travel. With Lexus focus on smooth quiet ride, every aftermarket suspension part I have seen is directed at improving handling and tightening up the ride.

Steve

 

Infinirx I appreciate the offer as I really would like to feel someone elses RX just to get a baseline of how this car is supposed to feel. Yeah I think I will try another Lexus or even a Toyota Dealer soon. My buddy still has my old staggered Iforged 20" I had on my 350z. I think I will try them on tommorow and see how the RX likes em. I have no idea if they are within .02% though?

Oldcajun I appreciate your imput but in my experience bigger wider rims dont always destroy a cars ride. In fact it sometimes drastically improves the vehicles ride quality and handling characterics. This happened with my 350z when I went to 20" up from 18's along with Eibach springs. It was very comfortable. I was hoping the same for the RX.

You are right about the stiffer springs. I knew they would impact the ride somewhat but with the harsh ride from the stock spring/shock setup I expected a better ride as the Eibachs are very forgiving before they bite in. It just doesnt feel like the struts and tires are doing there job. I may go back to stock struts and springs if the tire switch doesnt work.

 

I've driven a couple of RX loaners lately that felt like that. I mentioned it to the service manager when I returned them and he said it was probably just high air pressure but I didn't check that on the loaner. Did you mention what brand and size of tire you are running with now? What happens to the ride at 30 psi? I can notice a significant change when I go from 30 to 32 psi. What are the road conditions that you drive in regularly? Are you sure you have an accurate tire pressure gauge?

I'd also echo the comments on going to 20" rims and wider tires. That won't make the RX ride more like a luxury vehicle almost guaranteed. It will feel more like a truck. I'd not go wider or with a lower profile setup.

I find Michelin to be a pretty soft ride. Too soft for my tastes, FWIW. I like the Alenzas as they have a firmer ride with a stiffer sidewall so less lean in corners. Sounds like this would not be the tire for your tastes.

 

Ah so you know what Im talking about ride harshness-wise. Yeah I have Bridgestone Duelers and the pressure is at 32psi. I had tried 28psi as I wrote before but still same problem. I at one point though maybe bushings are shot but I doubt it. Yeah Im flexable at this point. Id take the plush stock ride over what I have now in a heart beat. But I do lean toward the sportier side of the equation. Id love to turn this vehicle into an RX-F If I had the coin. So if someone like me is complaining about harsh ride then you know somethings wrong with my RX lol.