robert1408

Hey, Vvman! Did your mechanic tighten all those control arms in their frame mounts with the car at its normal ride height? The lower bushings look like the bolt sleeve through the middle can't rotate in the mount after tightening the nut on the long bolt that holds it. I can't tell if the upper bushings are that way but poly bushings are usually free to rotate.

I looked under my '07 LS after seeing your excellent pics. All the lower mounts are easy to get to the mounting bolts.

Nearly all modern control arms are not free to rotate in their mounts. Their movement twists the rubber. They will last lots longer if they are not under a twisting load at normal ride height. Such bushings should be tightened with the suspension at normal ride height. I hope your guy did that. If not it would be easy to loosen them, bounce the car a few times and re-tighten. Those poly uppers should be fine.

I hate to be a wet towel here but I saw so many replacement bushings/control arms prematurely fail from missing this important little detail. I almost don't want to post this...

roadfrog

Robert1408 -

You make some excellent points! Good info. :-)

Vvman

The upper arms swivel freely after the install - that was the comment from the mechanic.

He also tightened some bolts under the car while it was up on the alignment machine although I did not see exactly what he did. In any case, I will visit him sometime this week to loosen and re-tighten them as per your advice.

Thanks robert1408.

randomwalk

I was able to source the front bushing but no love on the rear. Are the rear bushing not replaceable?

Vvman

I haven't got any luck finding the bushings for the rear either - not that I need them.

The ones on the rear are not known to be as vulnerable as the fronts, guess you'll have to replace the entire arm if something broke down there.

roadfrog

What year is your ride Vvman? Is it true that the bushing issue is pretty much just on 07's?

Vvman

I have a 2007 LS and the bushing issue is definitely not peculiar to 07 models only.

1Putt

I would say the front control arms bushings issue may apply thru the 2009 year. I have an 08 and had to change all of my front arms at about 72k mi.

roadfrog

I saw a post that said Lexus had corrected the issue late in the 08 produciton.

cerbum

Any idea where you saw this? I'd love to know if my '08 is late enough to have the fixed bushings.

Thanks!

roadfrog

I honestly can't remember. I think it was when I was readnig through old posts schooling myself on the LS shortly after I bought it last week sometime. I just remember being relieved that my car might not be one of the ones effected....

Vvman

I think this is the thread you guys are talking about.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...trol-arms.html

Scroll to post #32. I think Lexus might have redesigned the arms for their 2010-2012 model.

roadfrog

Nope, that's not it. But it had a similar tone. It definately said something about production in 08/09. No matter, apparently they were wrong and I may have to be vigilant with my cars bushings after all.

Devh

I'm in the same boat with a 2011. Who knows maybe the upgraded parts were changed before the TSB.

roadfrog

Well, the good news is that apparently it's not a big deal to repair now like it once was.

As someone who came from BMW 7 ownership where EVERYTHING was high drama and high dollar (including replacing a battery), this is all so trivial by comparison! LOL.

Sooooo good to be in a Lexus now. I don NOT miss my E65 AT ALL.