What kind of suspension does LS400 have?
The LS400 uses independent suspension on both axles, with a front double-wishbone setup and a rear multi-link arrangement, delivering a smooth ride and confident handling that defined early Lexus luxury.
Launched in 1989 for the 1990 model year, the LS400 was engineered to balance comfort with precise handling across varied road surfaces. Over its production run into 2000, Lexus refined the tuning to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness while maintaining stable highway performance.
Suspension architecture at a glance
Understanding the LS400’s suspension means looking at how the front and rear axles are arranged to manage ride quality and steering feel.
Front suspension
The front axle employs a double-wishbone independent layout, featuring upper and lower control arms, coil springs, and dampers. This configuration allows each wheel to move independently, preserving tire contact with uneven pavement and providing accurate steering feedback. An anti-roll bar helps limit body roll during cornering for a composed ride.
Rear suspension
The rear axle uses an independent multi-link arrangement with coil springs and dampers, plus an anti-roll bar. This setup smooths out road irregularities, supports stable handling, and helps maintain proper wheel alignment under load changes, contributing to the LS400’s reputation for ride comfort.
Maintenance considerations
As with any classic luxury sedan, suspension components can wear with mileage. Common items to inspect include shocks or struts, bushings, and linkages. Replacing worn parts with OEM or quality aftermarket components helps preserve ride quality and handling integrity.
Summary
In summary, the Lexus LS400 features independent suspension on both ends, with a front double-wishbone arrangement and a rear multi-link design. This combination underpins the car’s hallmark plush ride and steady highway performance that characterized its era.
Does the LS400 have Bose suspension?
Unfortunately, it never made it to production despite being the ultimate suspension system by all means. The prototypes were installed and tested in a few Lexus LS400, only.
Does the Lexus LS have air suspension?
Yes, the Lexus LS has air suspension, often as a standard or optional feature on many models, though it is an expensive system to repair. Some Lexus LS models have a full, four-corner air suspension system with integrated air struts, while others may have it as a standard on specific trims like the F Sport.
- System: Some LS models, like the LS 460 and newer models, feature a more complex, full air suspension system that replaces traditional coil springs with air springs at all four wheels.
- Trims: The air suspension was an available feature on many Lexus LS models, and certain performance trims, such as the F Sport, came with a sport-tuned Adaptive Variable Air Suspension.
- Adjustability: The air suspension allows for adjustments to ride height, with the option to activate modes like "Access Mode" for easier entry and exit.
- Potential Issues: Air suspension systems can be prone to issues like leaks, compressor failures, and other problems that can be costly to fix, especially on complex integrated systems like those in the LS.
What makes the LS400 so special?
LS400. So what made it. Great. It all starts with the original petrol V8 dual overhead cam. And just smooth as butter to drive it was made to a four-speed automatic transmission.
Does the LS400 have air suspension?
From the factory, Lexus did not offer air suspension on the LS400. Instead, you got a comfy coil spring, strut, and shock setup that made for a very comfortable ride at that time.
