SuperCoupe400

I'm thinking about (in the distant future) lowering my SC (not more than 1 1/2"), but am concerned that there may not be a shock/spring setup out there that allows me to maintain the smooth, luxurious Lexus ride quality. What i don't want is to sacrifice much (if any) of that bump absorbing, cloud-like ride that Lexus is supposed to be known for.

I've tried reading through some suspension posts but most people, when describing how a setup works for them, only say how 'great' one is, or how much they 'love these shocks' or 'hate how those handle'. I need more clarity than that.

I guess what I really need is some definitive absolute review, not relative opinion. Definitive: i.e. "Shock xyz yields a very stiff, unforgiving, low-tolerance ride and gives excellent road condition feedback, tight cornering ability, but without a go-cart type of feel." Relative: i.e. "Shock abc worked great for me. You can't go wrong with these bad-boys. These give me exactly what I was looking for. My handling is perfect now - I would definately recomend these to anybody."

See what I mean - It's great to hear from someone who is excited about how a product works for their application. But without more definitive reviews, it's hard to tell what what phrases like "great ride quality" mean. One man's "great" is another man's "lousy".

So, what I'm really after is - Is there a setup that'll let me lower my ride 1 1/2" and still maintain the "Lexus" softness and comfort?

Because, even though I'm only 36, I spent 10 years in an agile 2nd-gen Acura Integra and I bought the SC4 simply because I wanted to upgrade from the kid-racer look and feel. I'm not trying to tune the SC to handle like it's on rails - that's what my Teg was for - I bought this baby for cruisn' ... and the occassional long sprint.

Thanks

np20412

From what I've read on the forums and heard from other members, the Eibach Pro-kit for the SC300/400 does what you are looking for. Lowering is a bit over 1" front and back, and it is the best for lowering the car and maintaning stock ride quality. You can use these with stock shocks just fine. You can also upgrade shocks to the Tokico HP or KYB GR-2. Those shocks are going to stiffen the ride a little bit, but the performance is also increased.

I lowered my car 2.1" on Espelir springs and changed out shocks to the Tokico HP. The ride quality was significantly stiffer, but handling is much better with the lower center of gravity. The car is flatter through corners and more responsive with steering control. But again, the ride is not Lexus-like AT ALL.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

The Tein h-techs and Tanabe NF210 springs offer a luxurious and comfy ride with 1 inch drops.

np20412

thats right i had forgotten about the NF210's, good springs!

skpark70

iTrader: (1)

I also have Tanabe NF210/Tokico Blue and feel almost stock w/ 19s.

TheMole

iTrader: (13)

If you want a stock-like ride, look for springs that have a progressive spring rate that is close to stock. I am running Supra Tein H-techs/Bilstein HD and the ride is slightly bouncy on bumps. It also rides rougher on unsmooth roads because the H-techs have a LINEAR rate of 600lbs in front and 330lbs in rear. It does however handle better than stock around the corners and rides like a dream on smooth roads.


Edit: O yea forgot to mention the drop of the Tein H-techs. They are rated at 0.5" all around on the Supra so when I put them on my SC it net about a
1" drop all around. The Bilsteins also allowed me to set the springs on a lower perch, so the drop is slightly more than 1".

SuperCoupe400

Great feedback. Thanks all.

lexcoupe

I have the Tein CS coilovers. They are sort of pricey but if you are going for the stock feel, it can be accomplished with these coilovers. I am not sure what stiffness I have them on, it rides just like stock (but lower). There is no bounciness you get from some springs. The car doesn't handle like its on rails, but again, I dont know what stiffness I have it on, I am sure I can make it stiffer for a better handling car. I love how I can adjust to different heights if necessary as well.

My verdict, I am satisfied with the TEIN CS coilovers, and they ride just like stock, but lower.

Kevin