lgirard50

Hi everyone,
I must say this site is great and very informative since I purchased a 2007 460L last year.

I have a slight vibration over 60mph which doesn't go away with new tires, balancing or alignement and now wondering if these bushings are bad? Anyone can advise based on pictures below?

Thank-you

Nospinzone

I examined the photos, and they don't look bad to me.

The vibration you feel at 60, does it go away at 65 or 70? It sounds more like a balance problem. I realize you have had the tires balanced, but maybe it was not done properly. Did they use a Hunter Road Force 5000?

Doublebase

I can't tell anything from those pictures...the bushing isn't showing...only the sleeve (the bushing is inside). But many have described the vibration around 60, as a sign the bushing is gone. Along with a pull to one side, tire wear, looseness and noise.

dal20402

Everyone's symptoms will vary, but my symptoms didn't include any vibration. They did include a lot of steering play on-center, inner edge tire wear, and various clunks, repeatably on hard braking but sometimes also under other conditions.

I would tend to think of vibration as a sign of a balance issue or of a tire being out of round. One LS I test drove had horrible Kumhos from the cheap end of their line, and it had more vibration than any of the others. You might want to get a second opinion on your balancing from a different RoadForce shop.

Agreed that I can't see any bushings in those pictures.

swfla

iTrader: (1)

In my case, I had the nearby Toyota dealer declare the lower arms bad. When I brought it to Lexus they said all the arms were bad. Two dealers two opinions. Was Lexus more motivated than Toyota because of warranty coverage? In my opinion if you're going to replace some, might as well do all.

lgirard50

Hi,
It actually increases with higher speed and they were just balanced 4 days ago on Hunter Force 5000.
Long story is I hit a pothole late last summer on the highway in WA at 75mph and bent two rims and had to replace all four to Goodyear RS-A 2's. I now realize it might the out of roundness on these tires since early in the morning cold, the car is vibrating/bouncing like it was on short wavy road and then goes away after 1/2 mile or so but on highway always remains and yes, a bit jittery on the highway too but it wasn't like that when I got it....it was straight smooth butter! On the pictures, you see the sleeve but rubber is sticking out the edge on one side completely.
thanks for help :-)

lgirard50

Hope this helps, on 1st pic, rubber is sticking out the left side of the sleeve, its almost like it would come out if not for the 'nut holding face. Same on pic 016 left hand side and on 012 on right hand side.
I think I try doing it myself with one of those Push/Pull bushings cups I see on ebay.

lgirard50

Oh, I'll reserve comments on dealers. Up here, for a loose/shaky mirror, they'll tell you that you must change the whole mirror for $1100. plus labour...........even if you tell them about the TSB....and in WA, the dealer charged $110 to change the nuts according to the TSB........then I'm told cars up here are not the same as US......

lgirard50

No clunking here but some inner wear and like you indicate, I did replace tires with cheap Goodyear RS-A 2's and they hop a lot when cold, then it goes away after 1/2 mile of driving.

ShamanLS

So the issue started after you hit the pothole?

Why don't you go to an expert mechanic and have him diagnose your bushings properly? and if you're still not sure about them, then try replacing some of them and see if there's any improvement...

I heard you can find an after market bushings for a good price.. In the dealer, you'd have to buy the WHOLE control arms O_o

Good luck

Doublebase

I just figured that the rubber sticking out was from normal casting, because usually when you look for bad bushings you're looking for tears in the rubber, etc. If the rubber is so torn that it actually is falling out of the sides, then yes, they are gone....long gone.

lgirard50

I found my problem, the bushings/arms. Thank-you everyone for your help and advice, it is much appreciated.

Solution, I changed all the bushings for the lower front and complete arms for upper front
(from Taiwan company on ebay, quality seems good but only time will tell but it has reduced the vibration by more than 50%, need to do the rear. Importantly, the steering feels really tight and nothing loose just like a brand new car.
The big culprit was the lower No. 1 arm bushing, it was toast, although the upper front arm bushing casting was oval.........must be from the pothole hit.
If I started again, I would not buy the bushings alone anymore, I'd buy the complete arms only, too much work and too slow. cry:

See pics below. I can move the no. 1 lower arm bushing 2-4 mils with my fingers.