suspension upgrade

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irshad

10 Year
Joined
May 3, 2015
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hi folks
i am debating between lx450d and lc200 v8 diesel.
how is the handling of lx450d on sport mode? does it give same confidence as the x5 or any other suv?
how is the handling of 2018 lc200? is it like the x5? i made a trip of around 400kms with my friends cruiser with tough dog suspension and i didnt like the ride and handling. it was scary.

i believe i will choose the cruiser over the lexus because of the exterior. cruiser bumpers are better for offroad. which suspension can give me good confidence? the offroad section during my adventure is about 5% of the trip. most of the time is spent on the road to reeach destination
 
An LC200 definitely does not drive like a BMW X5 (especially if that X5 has the sport suspension package!).
 
irshad said:
I know it cant drives like an x5, but i want a suspension that can give me some confidence on the motorway
Click to expand...

There is nothing you can do to a 200 Series that would make it in any way remotely like an X5.

An X5 is basically a tall 5-series wagon. It is monocoque construction with independent suspension front and rear. It has an all wheel drive system with no low range. It has a stiff, short travel suspension with little articulation. The X5 has low profile tires P255-50-19 or even 20”.

In contrast, the 200 series is a 6,000 lb body-on-frame truck (the frame is related to the Tundra pickup truck). It has a solid rear axle with a great big, heavy rear differential that greatly adds to the unsprung weight. The suspension is very soft with long travel and a lot of articulation. The 200 has very tall, heavy tires, P285-60-18 (though many of us go larger). The 200 has quite a bit of roll in turns, and a great deal of nose dive under heavy braking.

The 200 has relatively slow, numb steering with low cornering limits. If you pushed it hard it would probably understeer heavily, but the spin protection system would likely intervene early and heavily. There is nothing sporty at all about the 200s handling. The 200 is an excellent long-distance highway cruiser, but it is made for relaxed driving.

The 200 drives pretty well for a 6,000 lb, body-on-frame, solid rear axle truck, but you will never mistake it for a tall car. If you need the 200s off-road ability, then you put up with its poor dynamic behavior on the road. But if you don’t need the off-road ability and your frame of reference is an X5, then you may be very disappointed in a 200.
 
What you are saying is not completely true. My father had a nissan patrol y60 with bilstein sport Shockers and that thing handled very Will Arouca curves with littlr body rol and brake diving was also good. Its also a 2.2 ton vehicles. The g wagon rides and handles better than 200 and with same chassis design!
 
A y60 may be a 2.2 ton vehicle but a 200 is not. A 200 is a 3 ton vehicle before you start modifying it. Once you start modifying it, the 200 will be a 3.5 ton vehicle.

Mercedes has reduced the G-wagen's offroad ability by giving it a stiff suspension, big wheels, and low profile tires. But, no, it doesn't ride better than a 200. In fact, the ride is worse. The G-wagen's low profile tires and greater unsprung weight give it significantly worse impact harshness than a 200. The solid-front-axle on the G-wagen also worsens handling on rough roads. You can't get around physics -- unsprung weight and solid front axles are the enemy of ride and handling.

Aftermarket suspensions for the 200 are focused on improving off-road performance. They typically lift the vehicle, raising the center of gravity. They can stiffen the ride (depending upon spring selection) and upgraded shocks can better control body motion. But you will still have a long-travel suspension in a 6,000 lb, top-heavy, body-on-frame, solid-rear-axle truck.

The AHC suspension available in the Lexus LX570 in some markets helps improve handling somewhat over the LandCruiser, but you are still talking about a great big top-heavy truck.

If you want something that handles like a car, then buy a car, not a truck. Get an X5 or something similar. You will like it a lot more.
 
irshad, since you don’t listen to what people reply based on real world experience and seem to think you know better than anyone why don’t you just go buy a 200 series and find out for yourself? It’ll be a costly lesson.
 
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I will offer a contrasting opinion of my LX570 200-series. Completely due to AHC.

The LX570 is very confident on road. It's still a 6,000lb body on frame behemoth, but because of AHC, has way more on road competency than one would expect. It's no a X5. But it's no slouch either. For perspective, I alternate my LX570 with a fully modded 3200lb 650 whp Porsche 911 Turbo on coilovers and spherical bushings. I've auto-crossed and road raced extensively. You can say I have some level of expectations when it comes to handling and performance.

The LX570 has excellent body control and excellent on-road damping. Whether empty or when full of family and gear. No surprise as AHC has active damping.

It corners surprisingly flat. With little brake dive. (AHC implements a second firmer spring rate it can dynamically switch to) Like the LC, it has relatively little feedback through the steering. Which is fine as it's such a big car. But what amazes me most is the composure and amount of front axle grip. Many lesser SUVs and sedans have poorer front end architectures like macpherson struts, that put out much less front end grip. The 200-series has dual wishbone front suspension and pretty dang good road holding with the right tires.

Statically lifted 200-series with AT tires, you can forget about any good handling there with poor suspension geometry (when lifted), high center of gravity, and low traction AT tire treads/compounds.

AHC 200-series can still have excellent handling when modified for off-road because they don't need to be statically lifted, and retain good suspension geometries for anti-roll and anti-dive. Yet can lift 3"+ on demand with supple articulation to match for great technical off-roading. I have wide AT tires (305s) on my LX, kept at stock height for best handling. Again, the amount of on-road traction is significant that I truly can have fun and put up serious pace even on windy secondary mountain roads. Without over driving the tires. There's rarely a car I come across close to keeping the same pace, and many will pull aside as a big burly 200-series is closing in on it at a fast rate.

Side note is that diesels are pretty heavy. So it will feel nose heavier compared to a gasser.
 
I agree with what TeCK said the LX with ACH and 20's is reasonable and would make up for the 5% "off road" where the x5 will not perform. I think you should add they Cayenne to your list, should out handle the x5 and can handle off road reasonble well.
 
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