jonathancl

Did my front springs today, will add some pics and videos later.

All went well except I had to sacrifice the passenger sway bar end link: it just would not come off, ended up having to cut it.
All sway bar end links seem to be the same these days, and that means a HUGE threaded post exposed to weather.
What happens to exposed threads after five years and 80k miles? Right.

The internet us full of videos of cutting end links off because they cannot be removed. If they just fit into a notch or slot or something you could put a wrench on, they'd be possible to deal with.

jonathancl

Complete imgur album.

I finished the rears yesterday. It was hard.
Last time I did this was on a four year old GS430 with 60k miles.
Working on a five year old car with 80k miles that spent its first four years in Wisconsin was a different experience.

Getting stuff apart was HARD: the two lower bolts in the back on each side were absolute hell to remove.
They were seized in all ways. Getting the nuts off required an impact wrench, getting the bolts to even spin also required an impact wrench.
Getting them out required banging and tugging and spinning and pleading and tons of PB Blaster.
The last one required wailing with a hammer. It wasn't a height or friction issue either; it was aged metal in a tight collar.

I couldn't get the rear sway bar end links off at all, took them to a local shop, and that poor guy had to use every tool to get them off.
Apparently the rear end links are hard to come by, too, had to order them.

Getting ready
Attachment 489284

Before:
Attachment 487745

Half done: front lowered with 15mm spacers, rear stock.


Done: 15mm spacers front, 20mm rear.


After a bath
Attachment 487251

jonathancl

I just tried to have it aligned, and the camber is too far off, need adjustable camber arms, which many others have reported.
Specialty Products 72450, ~$145 ea on Amazon.

That would have been much easier to do with the springs removed...

Update: the saga continues.
Camber arms came. Shop can't get the inner bolts out because they're seized to the bushing.
Had to order new bolts, washers, and nuts for the inner camber bushing so they can cut the current arm out.

Note to self:
Don'y buy cars from Wisconsin with 72k miles on them if you plan to take them apart.
So far the sway bar end links and suspension bolts have been a huge PITA.

Hope to have this done in another week...

Update 6/29:
Car is finally done.
New bolts were back-ordered two weeks from Lexus.
They came yesterday, and I had the shop replace the arms and do the alignment.
I was really close to buying a recip saw and carbide blade...but eh...what do I need, ulcers?

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

Hos the ride quality after the drop?

jonathancl

I'm very happy with the ride. Tons of people have said the ride is like stock.

It's an almost identical change to the L-Tuned springs in my 2GS: less floaty at speed, better planted, but more sensitive to pavement problems.

I'm also absolutely thrilled with how the car looks with the drop and the spacers. The Luxury edition wheels have their proper prominence on the profile, and the silly suv wheel gap is gone.

NikS

How did you know you needed suspension work? My ES has 250,000 miles and still rides really smooth.

jonathancl

Needed?

Oh no that's not what any of this is about.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

lmao......

e60bmw

iTrader: (1)

Did my awd these last few days. It was much more difficult than I thought, and it was different from this guide. It was my first time doing spring on a car. If I could do it again I would have probably paid to have someone do it, took me over 3 days time or more. I went with RS-R downs on my awd, I didn't want it slammed. I'm really happy with the ride height and stance, I'm on stock wheels with spacers. Ride feels great on it, sooo much better than coilovers I've had on previous cars, the ride quality actually feels better to me. Had the hardest time getting the tie rods out from the front, was trying to hammer it out, finally got it out with enough force but thought I cross threaded the nut and threads on the tie rod. Thought I was going to need new tie rods, ended up replacing the bolt and getting it back in. I was also nervous about the spring compressors I had to use, that took alot of trial and error. The spring has to be lined up perfectly otherwise when you put it back in the car the strut mount studs and the bottom won't be lined up properly. Had to undo part of the bottom of the strut and move it slightly, hopefully that doesn't cause problems. The rear springs were also awful to get out, maybe they are larger than the rwd version.

IcyBishop

I know I'm late to the party, finally getting around to putting my springs on and wish the pics were still active!

For the AWD folks - did you loosen the C bracket's nut that goes through the lower control arm (to remove the strut with the C bracket), or just loosen the nut that holds the strut to the bracket (to remove the strut only)?

AlexDev

Any idea where all the pics went?

goose300

Question to the AWD folks who've managed to remove the rear springs...how did you do it?

I'm in the process of replacing all the shocks/struts on my 13 AWD and I got the Tanabe springs, I've been fighting the first rear corner for the past few days. With the shock removed, the outer control arm bolt removed, and the sway bar end link removed, I slowly lowered the jack underneath the control hoping the spring would relieve all tension and I'd be able to pull it off but no luck. Spring is still tight in there and I can't push the lower control arm down any further.

I tried loosening the inner control arm bolt, and I managed to get the nut off easily but the bolt won't budge, seems to be rust welded into the bushing there. No matter what I do I cannot remove the rear spring. Any suggestions?

GrandSedanFan

iTrader: (1)

Have you tried penetrating oil on the inner LCA bolt? You are fighting at least ten winters of salt and moisture. My car was only 5 years old when I tackled mine. Almost all of the hardware fought me due to rust. I had to cut the sway bar endlinks off and have them replaced. The experience made me swear off doing my own suspension work on daily drivers.

jgscott

iTrader: (1)

Heat on the Bolt is another option. Shops will take a propane toruch to the bolt heat it and it can come right off.

fourgs

remove strut only , separate from C bracket