So I recently lowered my car with new eibach's, installed kyb struts all around, and had both front control arms replaced. Before I had all this done the car rode quite harsh. These new parts have helped, even with the car being lowered one inch, but I still can feel the road a bit too much. I have to baby the car around on some of the most simplest bumps. My tires have less than 10,000 miles with lots of thread left and I had wheel alignment last week. I drove my moms 2001 Avalon to her job the other day and it felt much smoother over roads than my LS with newer parts. Any tips on how to tighten the suspension so its a bit less harsh on the road?
Suspension
- Thread starter LS1218
- Start date
Remove the following: KYB shocks, 18" wheels and "falcon" tires.
Install the following: Motorcraft sport shocks, 17" wheels and touring all-season tires.
Optionally, remove Lincoln LS, purchase Town Car.
Install the following: Motorcraft sport shocks, 17" wheels and touring all-season tires.
Optionally, remove Lincoln LS, purchase Town Car.
Stopsign002
Dedicated LVC Member
I literally lol'd
trickett90
Well-Known LVC Member
The LS just doesn't have that smooth of a ride. Mark pretty much just told you what you can do to help it. If I want a smooth ride I drive my wife's pathfinder.
What??
Mine is smooth as butter. If it doesn't ride smooth you have some suspension issues. Tires can make a big difference also not just the amount of sudewall but cheap tires are noisy and let you feel a lot of the road.
Yep, tires make a significant difference. My new General Exclaim UHP tires feel much smoother than what I had on before (Toyo Versado LX).
I find the LS very comfortable on roads that are in good shape. On beat up surfaces, the ride isn't nearly as good IMO. Sitting in the passenger seat is a different story though.
I find the LS very comfortable on roads that are in good shape. On beat up surfaces, the ride isn't nearly as good IMO. Sitting in the passenger seat is a different story though.
Stopsign002
Dedicated LVC Member
I agree the LS is sports sedan smooth, not luxury smooth. You will feel the road because the suspension is made tighter for the amazing cornering you can do. Its the trade off you get
trickett90
Well-Known LVC Member
It is smooth for the type of car, compared to other vehicles... not so much. It isn't a towncar or an SUV. Either you haven't driven many other vehicles, or you are severely biased to the LS. The only cars that I have driven that are harsher than the LS are coupes with road hugging suspensions or were just older technology.
Stopsign002
Dedicated LVC Member
It doesn't sadden me because its not meant to be smooth. Its a sports suspension. Its meant to be tight for hard cornering. It is what its meant to be
trickett90
Well-Known LVC Member
Exactly, I'm not sad either. If I wanted to float over bumps and body roll my way up/down on/off ramps I wouldn't have bought this car.
Ive driven tons of cars. Trucks, passenger vehicles, coupes and military vehicles. Old and new with air ride or without and the LS is very smooth to me. I don't know if it's the lower amount of miles or the fact hat I'm still on stock 17's with some meaty tires. But it feels very smooth and not harsh at all.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
i would say the biggenst difference are the two cars the op is talking about, Avalon is a normal FWD car, its on the luxury side of thing for toyota, but the whole point of the LS is that it was designed as a sports sedan, therefor the suspension is set up completely differently, The LS suspension is designed more like a track car and is supposed to have a much tighter feel, and transmits more of the roads "feeling" to the driver so they have a better ideal of whats going on, where the Avalon's suspension is designed to make the car ride as soft as possible and remove the feeling of the road to the driver. if you want a squishy soft riding car, you bought the wrong one!
From personal experience. When I first lowered my LS. I had the factory 16's with tires on it. The ride was fine for a "lowered" vehicle. I have owned two lowered Chevy S-10's. So I can tell you about "harsh" rides, bro.
12" drop(6 inches front & rear) will give you a "harsh" ride. Anyway, I switched to 19" wheels. Smaller side wall, wider tire. I did noticed I could feel more of the road. Thats a result due to the smaller side wall. I am currently sitting on 20's. The tires are a half inch taller then the old 19" tires. I do experience some rubbing from time to time. For a lowered vehicle the LS rides "good".
The KYBs are part of the reason. The LS is more of a "sport touring" sedan then a "luxury" sedan like the Towncar. The ride is a sacrifice we make for the better handling. But I am fortunate enough to live in an area that has some very good roads.
12" drop(6 inches front & rear) will give you a "harsh" ride. Anyway, I switched to 19" wheels. Smaller side wall, wider tire. I did noticed I could feel more of the road. Thats a result due to the smaller side wall. I am currently sitting on 20's. The tires are a half inch taller then the old 19" tires. I do experience some rubbing from time to time. For a lowered vehicle the LS rides "good". The KYBs are part of the reason. The LS is more of a "sport touring" sedan then a "luxury" sedan like the Towncar. The ride is a sacrifice we make for the better handling. But I am fortunate enough to live in an area that has some very good roads.
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joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Yes, I wouldn't call it harsh, but it's not a town car ride either.
nf9648
LVC Member
I swapped Goodyear Eagle GT's on my Crown Vics, awesome tires for the money.
All I wanted to know was anyone had any tips on how to make the ride a bit more smoother. I know some drivers running similar setups might have some input. If its not possible then im not disappointed. I love my LS and was using the avalon as an example.
From personal experience. When I first lowered my LS. I had the factory 16's with tires on it. The ride was fine for a "lowered" vehicle. I have owned two lowered Chevy S-10's. So I can tell you about "harsh" rides, bro.
The KYBs are part of the reason. The LS is more of a "sport touring" sedan then a "luxury" sedan like the Towncar. The ride is a sacrifice we make for the better handling. But I am fortunate enough to live in an area that has some very good roads.
Thanks!! I was thinking about switching back to the stock struts. I live in a city (Oakland) where a fair amount of the roads are messed up.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
well your options are simple, since you cant change the main way the suspension is designed, you have three options, shocks, springs, and tires.
the smaller the wheel and the taller the tire, the softer the ride will be (the tire brand/model will also be a factor)
the lower the car, the less distance the suspension has to soften the ride, and the harsher the ride gets.
shocks will vary from manufacture to manufacture on how they feel.
The softest ride you are going to get from an LS is going to be the stock non-sport V6/V8 shocks, springs, and 16" rims with high-profile tires. Even then, it's still not going to be as "smooth" as a towncar, not by a long shot. Those things are like sitting in a laz-e-boy recliner while driving a boat! They just kind of sway around and float here and there. Great over-the-road car though
Remove the KYB shocks, and install Bilsteins. I lowered mine 1.25-1.5 and the ride isnt that bad. STILL not stock but not that harsh..........I have been in cars with the monroe sensa-garbage and KYB and the ride is CRAP.