LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

So i'm getting a popping noise periodically from the front end suspension.. I know what everyone's first response is... LOWER BALL JOINTS!! CHANGE THEM CHANGE THEM!!

Just came inside from checking them and they were replaced about a year and a half ago. I jacked up the car and pushed/pulled from 12/6 and got 0 play from the wheel. Bushings still look great. I'll have my mechanic re-check when I go through him sometime this week for my tensioner pulley, but from my diagnostic they're still good. Also my outer tie rods were replaced along with my LBJ's.. Bought from TM Engineering.

Upper control arm bushings are good, upper ball joint is good, sway bar bushings could be replaced but i'm trying to hold off on those until I order my TRD Sways in hopefully a month or two. They're not shot, but they are cracked a bit.

Note I only get this faint popping sound when turning. It's not super loud, so you gotta listen real close, but it's there.

So does anyone have any other ideas for me to check? I'm on coilovers also and they're still new. Not slammed to the ground running -1 camber up front and -1.5 in the rear. Caster/Toe are 0'd out because I just went this week to check on my alignment.

I searched and it seems everyone has the same response... LBJ's... SO... Does anyone have any other ideas for me?

EDIT: I hear it the loudest and most when making 3 point turns or sometimes when backing up into a parking spot and turning the wheel a lot.

Thanks,

-D

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

What about the sway bars?

Arcadian

You're gonna hate me for saying lower ball-joints, but I'm saying it.
I replaced mine with Beck Arnley and one year later they were done, even though when I jacked up the car, I couldn't detect any noise or play no matter which way way I moved the wheel. I still got that faint pop/click noise when driving and turning low-speed corners. I replaced with OEM, but also replaced the trailing arm too. There's a post on this site that says that arm is the source of all evil.
BTW my car had 100K miles when this was all done.

Vroomin350

iTrader: (28)

WOW this is EXACTLY what I am experiencing and I dont drive a GS, check out my thread.... still trying to figure it out too and I doubt its the lower ball joints as the 2IS doesnt suffer from that problem..

damn, your explanation hit it right on the head..

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...-might-be.html

LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

Sup Fiend.. Well I stated that the bushings are cracked a bit, but they're not shot and I was hoping to just leave them like that until I order my TRD Sways in the next month or two.

Trailing arm huh? I'll get that looked at when I go to my mechanic, and not to doubt your statement, because in all honesty it could possibly be my LBJ's, but TM Engineering made some decent quality stuff, they just had trash customer service. I called my mechanic today though and let him know the situation and told him I wanted everything checked out.

Hmm from reading your thread I can't pin-point what it is. To be honest I am starting to think it 'could' be our coilovers. I have a friend that drives a Maxima and his makes a popping sound, but it's consistent and it comes from his coils. Last I checked he was still trying to figure it out, but it was def his coils.

LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

UPDATE

Just a small update.. I took the car out a little bit ago to try and diagnose it more and see if I can hear it more and more. I went on a few bumpy roads, dips, straight roads and from listening real good. I even get this sound *SOMETIMES* when driving straight. Whether it be a bumpy road or straight I still get the sound at times. Not the whole time while driving, but periodically it'll sound.

Hope that helps a bit..

abounly

iTrader: (27)

+1


My sc sways would make a popping sound

LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

But see the thing is that it ONLY comes from the left side.. Damnit I forgot to put that in the original post.

It seems to come from ONLY the left side of the front end. I have yet to really hear anything from the right. Majority is the left.

abounly

iTrader: (27)

have you done any suspension work that involved the sway?

monkey92

iTrader: (3)

i suffer from this too on my 2gs, but i only hear it when i back up in the morning and brake, after that i doesnt make that noise again till the next morning cold start. if someone can figure this out it would be so nice.

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

Oh yes, make sure your coil is not blown. My friend got BC coils right from the box and his right rear was making a popping noise and culprit was defective shocks.

LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

If you don't mind me asking, how do I check this?

Arcadian

Didn't realize you were on coils, to be honest, I know nothing about those and the noises they make.
Here's a link to something on the trailing arm bushing and what the interactions may be doing
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...howtopic=60465

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

Make a video of it and we can diagnose it together. I didn't believe it was a defective coil until i sat in my friends car in the right rear and everytime he hits a dip i can hear the coil jumping/popping at the same time.

He was on BC coils btw. But the company gladly gave him brand new shock replacement and problem was solved.

justablkv8

iTrader: (2)

Mine is starting to do this.

If you're on anything higher than 17 inch wheels i'm thinkin the strain is killing these aftermarket parts. I replaced my ball joints, inner outer tie rods, and sway end links up front but then I had bad bearings so I got those changed out. Since then I've noticed some issues but nothing too big but I've been getting the clunks.

Going to change out all the parts again since I've got nothing better to do. lol

will report back if you're still having the same issue and this fixes mine.