andyman32

Good day fellow forumers!

Still trying to sort out a few issues on my 'new' LS400. I have a clunk in the front suspension. It causes a kind of heavy clunk particularly when you turn a corner and the car 'rolls' laterally - as in, turning in to the driveway, or running over a joint in the parking garage when turning almost all the way to the locks. The same clunk occurs when going over particularly bad defects in the road. The noise seems to be on one side or the other when it occurs, but not always on the SAME side, nor on the same side in the same conditions. So SOMETHING is shifting around. I had somewhat suspected the outer tie rod end ball joints on the steering rack.

Today I got the car up and took off the wheels. After a great deal of yanking, pulling, lifting, banging, and close observation with a flashlight, it looks like all of the control arm bushings are in perfect shape. The only thing that was loose was the anti-sway bar. It didn't have much longitudinal play but it did have an inch or more of lateral play. The sway bar link bushings were pretty weak even though they hadn't disintegrated, and moved around freely.

What is normal play for the sway bar on this car? Should it move laterally by 1 to 1.5 inches with very little resistance? I'll probably go ahead and order new bushings anyway, it won't hurt.

Thanks!

BRADSGS4

The lateral motion you speak of is pretty normal. Checking the sway bars is much easier with a buddy close by. Have him grab the roof thru the drivers window and rock the car side to side as hard as possible. You can turn the wheel to put your hand on the sway bar near the bushing on each side and see if you feel and clunking / motion in the bar. No clunking should be felt. I've also seen a few endlinks develop play tho they produce more a snapping noise than a deep clunk.

andyman32

Thanks Brad - There is some normal play in the sway bar but this is a bit more than I've seen elsewhere and I really just don't see anything else that could be causing it. So I'm afraid I'll be on a bit of a witch hunt if I start replacing suspension bushings without having identified anything. Well - the sway bar bushings and linkages will only cost about $100 so I'll probably go ahead and swap those out anyway. It's all easy work and relatively inexpensive before digging in to the more costly and/or difficult projects... lower control arms, etc.

Thanks...

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

your strut rod bushings are done.
search this forum and replace them.

Rollaboy

iTrader: (1)

PD, is it these? 48674. They cost $188 a piece. Pretty expensive.

http://lexus.sewellparts.com/oem-cat...S400-1991.html

I have the same noise in my 91' LS but cant find any loose parts either. I will check it again with a buddy rocking the car side to side.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

yes, common issue. search for it, common wear item.
48674. i believe adus makes one.

andyman32

Now that starts to make sense. The Jag wears these things out every 5 to 8 years depending on usage patterns & environment. I thought it might be something like that but hesitated to start taking the strut apart without knowing what I"m looking for.

The bump stops are fine...

Well, I guess it's no big deal to press out & press in.

Thanks!

andyman32

Nahh... don't blow that much cash for a little piece of rubber at the dealership.

http://www.mybushings.com/lexus-ls-4...hing-p-89.html

They're not cheap but they're definitely not worth $180 ea!

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

that only works for 95-00 LS400s

89-94 have a whole different design for the front strut bar, in which the bushing is encapsulated in a metal surround.

sethjon

The clunk could be a wheel bearing since its happening when you turn. If thats it it should not shift from side to side if its actually shifting. It could also be the strut bearing or the strut itself.