My car rides HARD and it's 100% stock + weird crunching noises. Help?
01-20-09, 05:20 PM
#1
My car rides HARD and it's 100% stock + weird crunching noises. Help?
As most of you know I've had my car since July...bought it with the stock 16"ers and crappy 55 series tires on it. Bought IS wheels on 45 series Michelin Pilots and then sold them, and now have the 17" X 8" GS 430 wheels on 50 series Bridgestone Turanza Serenity tires. The 430 calls for 45 series tires and since I live in the city I wanted to go with something a little cushier to help absorb the bumps.
However, over time, I am really coming to terms with the fact that my car rides HARD no matter what tires and wheels are on it. Harder than my Gen4 TRD Camry or my old 03 Camry. I can obviously feel that it's a heavier and more substantial car but the ride is ROUGH...a lot rougher than I thought it was going to be for a Lexus. What could the cause of this be? Or is this just how the car drives? I feel EVERY nick, cranny, and crack in the pavement when I drive and it's starting to get old now. I'm only 21 so I'm not some grandpa but this is definitely the hardest riding car that I have ever owned. Quite honestly, our Corvette rides smoother at times, than my GS.
Second...these awful crunching noises that come from the front of my car. I hear them mostly when changing direction, turning the wheel, or braking at low speeds but it's a pretty distinct crunching noise. I worked at a Lexus dealership and brought this up and was told by numerous techs that the 2GS just has noisy struts and that's what I am hearing. There are times where I hear more than just a crunching noise from the front end and I can feel it in the steering wheel. Not a jolt or a jitter but it's more of like a "clink clink" and I can just feel two little notches coming from the front of the car. I have heard some horror stories about ball joints needing to be replaced...but my car only has 72K on it. What is it that I am feeling and hearing?
Any help on either of these issues would be GREATLY appreciated
However, over time, I am really coming to terms with the fact that my car rides HARD no matter what tires and wheels are on it. Harder than my Gen4 TRD Camry or my old 03 Camry. I can obviously feel that it's a heavier and more substantial car but the ride is ROUGH...a lot rougher than I thought it was going to be for a Lexus. What could the cause of this be? Or is this just how the car drives? I feel EVERY nick, cranny, and crack in the pavement when I drive and it's starting to get old now. I'm only 21 so I'm not some grandpa but this is definitely the hardest riding car that I have ever owned. Quite honestly, our Corvette rides smoother at times, than my GS.
Second...these awful crunching noises that come from the front of my car. I hear them mostly when changing direction, turning the wheel, or braking at low speeds but it's a pretty distinct crunching noise. I worked at a Lexus dealership and brought this up and was told by numerous techs that the 2GS just has noisy struts and that's what I am hearing. There are times where I hear more than just a crunching noise from the front end and I can feel it in the steering wheel. Not a jolt or a jitter but it's more of like a "clink clink" and I can just feel two little notches coming from the front of the car. I have heard some horror stories about ball joints needing to be replaced...but my car only has 72K on it. What is it that I am feeling and hearing?
Any help on either of these issues would be GREATLY appreciated
01-20-09, 05:55 PM
#4
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I occasionally get the crunching on cold mornings, the dealership could not find anything wrong with the ball joints or anything, I def. thought it was the lower ball joints going, but guess not.
Didn't the lower ball joints change for the 2001 + GS's due to the failures in previous models?
Didn't the lower ball joints change for the 2001 + GS's due to the failures in previous models?
01-20-09, 05:59 PM
#5
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I occasionally get the crunching on cold mornings, the dealership could not find anything wrong with the ball joints or anything, I def. thought it was the lower ball joints going, but guess not.
Didn't the lower ball joints change for the 2001 + GS's due to the failures in previous models?
Didn't the lower ball joints change for the 2001 + GS's due to the failures in previous models?
I always attirbuted it to the 17s, summer tires and cold weather. I feel like I'm riding on round bricks LOL
01-20-09, 06:25 PM
#7
I feel like the ride is significantly "harder" in the winter which I had thought would be due to harder roads/tires just because of temps. Lately it has been in the teens and twenties here on some mornings and I feel like I'm driving a go kart to work! The crunching noise does seem a little worse in the cold but I really do hear it all the time regardless of temps. I hear it most in low speed stopping and turning.
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01-20-09, 07:07 PM
#8
+1 on the upper strut mounts and the Ball Joints. I was once told that the 2nd Gen GS is very hard on the front suspension. GL with the repair! Lucky for you that you work at the dealership and can feed the mechanics with donuts coffee or beer for a diagnosis!
01-20-09, 07:46 PM
#13
it could be upper strut mount. did you check the bolt for the mount? if the strut is not torqued correctly, while going over a bump, the upper strut mount moves. take a look at this. It should be easy since it is the only bolt which holds the spring in place. You don't even need to jack up your car.
01-20-09, 07:55 PM
#14
it could be upper strut mount. did you check the bolt for the mount? if the strut is not torqued correctly, while going over a bump, the upper strut mount moves. take a look at this. It should be easy since it is the only bolt which holds the spring in place. You don't even need to jack up your car.
ZippyGuy- Thanks for the kind words. I am guessing that I'll have a friend or two look at it before I go to the stealership. I still know a lot of the techs so I am gonna try to go that route before I pay 110/hr for labor and all the other fees.
I'll keep you guys posted. I think I am going to buy new springs and shocks regardless- Tanabe DF210s and KYB GR-2s. Should I just have the lower ball joints replaced along with them?
Thanks again.
01-20-09, 08:04 PM
#15
As most of you know I've had my car since July...bought it with the stock 16"ers and crappy 55 series tires on it. Bought IS wheels on 45 series Michelin Pilots and then sold them, and now have the 17" X 8" GS 430 wheels on 50 series Bridgestone Turanza Serenity tires. The 430 calls for 45 series tires and since I live in the city I wanted to go with something a little cushier to help absorb the bumps.
However, over time, I am really coming to terms with the fact that my car rides HARD no matter what tires and wheels are on it. Harder than my Gen4 TRD Camry or my old 03 Camry. I can obviously feel that it's a heavier and more substantial car but the ride is ROUGH...a lot rougher than I thought it was going to be for a Lexus. What could the cause of this be? Or is this just how the car drives? I feel EVERY nick, cranny, and crack in the pavement when I drive and it's starting to get old now. I'm only 21 so I'm not some grandpa but this is definitely the hardest riding car that I have ever owned. Quite honestly, our Corvette rides smoother at times, than my GS.
Second...these awful crunching noises that come from the front of my car. I hear them mostly when changing direction, turning the wheel, or braking at low speeds but it's a pretty distinct crunching noise. I worked at a Lexus dealership and brought this up and was told by numerous techs that the 2GS just has noisy struts and that's what I am hearing. There are times where I hear more than just a crunching noise from the front end and I can feel it in the steering wheel. Not a jolt or a jitter but it's more of like a "clink clink" and I can just feel two little notches coming from the front of the car. I have heard some horror stories about ball joints needing to be replaced...but my car only has 72K on it. What is it that I am feeling and hearing?
Any help on either of these issues would be GREATLY appreciated
However, over time, I am really coming to terms with the fact that my car rides HARD no matter what tires and wheels are on it. Harder than my Gen4 TRD Camry or my old 03 Camry. I can obviously feel that it's a heavier and more substantial car but the ride is ROUGH...a lot rougher than I thought it was going to be for a Lexus. What could the cause of this be? Or is this just how the car drives? I feel EVERY nick, cranny, and crack in the pavement when I drive and it's starting to get old now. I'm only 21 so I'm not some grandpa but this is definitely the hardest riding car that I have ever owned. Quite honestly, our Corvette rides smoother at times, than my GS.
Second...these awful crunching noises that come from the front of my car. I hear them mostly when changing direction, turning the wheel, or braking at low speeds but it's a pretty distinct crunching noise. I worked at a Lexus dealership and brought this up and was told by numerous techs that the 2GS just has noisy struts and that's what I am hearing. There are times where I hear more than just a crunching noise from the front end and I can feel it in the steering wheel. Not a jolt or a jitter but it's more of like a "clink clink" and I can just feel two little notches coming from the front of the car. I have heard some horror stories about ball joints needing to be replaced...but my car only has 72K on it. What is it that I am feeling and hearing?
Any help on either of these issues would be GREATLY appreciated
Last edited by GS4_Fiend; 01-20-09 at 08:07 PM. Reason: addtional