billyboy

If you really hate the RX300 so much, you should get rid of it. Your constant "picking" on it is getting annoying. You should by, say a Buick Randezvous, then you can really have something to pick on.

wwest

First, I live in a "bellweather" state.

Some years ago now I learned that the very best way to make a change in our "future" was education. Once you educate a certain level of people in a "segment" about an issue, some believe as little as 15%, that will have a very high probability of effecting a change in the near future around the issue at hand.

And Yes, I may dump my beloved RX300 and go to the ML320.

But I would hope to return to the RX300 in a very short time, once they have improved the AWD aspects of the vehicle. And that improvement would not be so terribly hard or expensive to come by.

All they would need do is copy the AWD setup in the T&C. Increase the viscous clutch "pre-load", increase its "attack" rate, add an over-running clutch so severe front braking doesn't "couple" through the now "tightened" viscous clutch and lockup the rear wheels, and add a "dog-clutch" to bypass the over-running clutch in reverse gear, so the vehicle is still AWD even in reverse.

billyboy

You will love the quality issues!

RX300TC

From the Lexus web site:
"Real Four-Wheel Drive, Made Easy: The transmission in the four-wheel drive RX 300 features an integrated transfer case and a viscous center differential that provides a 50/50 front-to-rear power split. The system requires no activation by the driver. If slippage occurs at the front or the rear, the viscous center differential automatically and transparently directs power to the wheels with the most traction. "

And from my correspondence with Lexus:
"For the 2001 four-wheel-drive RX 300, power flows from the transmission to the wheels through three differentials. The front differential serves the front wheels, the rear differential serves the rear wheels, and the center differential serves the front and rear axles. In addition to mechanical gears, the center differential includes a viscous coupling. On limited-traction surfaces, the viscous coupling will help provide power to the axle that has more traction. Under most driving conditions, power will be delivered to all for wheels."

If you are truly interested in "changing things for the better" you'd be writing letters to the head of Lexus USA. But face it, you just like to hear yourself talk.

Educate us? That's rather condescending . What, you think you are the only that can do research or knows something about cars?

Again, stop with the preaching. If you are truly right prove it once and for all. You need to be preaching to Lexus (not customer service) and not us. You act like the Christian missionaries that traveled to Africa to save folks there because they didn't have the same beliefs.

Face it, you just like to hear yourself talk.

willard west

TC:


Tell you what, you buy the 2001 RX300 AWD shop manuals and have them analyzed by a professional automotive engineer, if s/he disagres with my position, below, regarding the mechanical setup of the RX300 AWD system, then I will re-emburse you for your expenses plus write you a check for $10,000.

1. The viscous clutch is mounted on the downstream, rear drive side of the center differential, its output is only coupled to the rear driveline.

All three differentials are of the "open" type, allowing ALL engine torque to go to the one wheel or wheels having lost traction with the roadbed.

The viscous clutch's "latent" pre-load is such that in normal circumstances not more than 5% of the engine torque is routed to the rear.

The RX300 AWD setup is such that the rear wheels can NEVER recieve more than 49.999999% of the engine torque, and only in the most extreme cases.

RX300TC

"Tell you what, you buy the 2001 RX300 AWD shop manuals and have them analyzed by a professional automotive engineer, if s/he disagres with my position"

Tell me nothing, why should I do your work for you? Man, what goes on in that head of yours.

The burden of proof is on you, the plaintiff. When it comes down to it, you haven't proved your case and you aren't willing to do what it takes to prove it (contact Lexus directly, not Customer Service).
Why don't you take them to court if you think you are so right?

You must be a lonely old man.

wwest

So who wrote your textbooks?

wwest

I'm so lonely I could die...

Now where the heck did that come from?

Plaintiff? Me?

It seems to me that its you that is trying to put me on the defensive. You can keep trying if you will, but I don't buy into that, I can hear your insecurities all the way to anchorage.

If you don't want to believe anything I say, then that fine with me, I just write the textbooks, I don't care if anyone reads or understands them.

wwest

Clancy, my dog, is a Heinz 57 "ditch dog", rescued out of a drainage ditch over in Naches back in 87, just a pup. We think of him as exceedingly handsome, and he is just absolutely wonderful with our grand-kids, and gives out cat her daily "bath" every morning. There are those, I'm sure, that would have his ears "cropped" almost immediately.

But, suppose, while we do love him dearly, we discovered that his mother had passed on some genetic flaw. Wouldn't you advise us to notify the mother's owner so the flaw wasn't propagated any farther than necessary?

So, you have an RX300 and you love it, so do I mine. But I see no need in putting blinders on and not telling anyone who asks just what the vehicle's shortcomings are.

RX300TC

But see, that's the problem. Why can't you get it through your head that you don't have all the facts on this vehicle. Lexus claims that it is full-time 4WD with a 50/50 split.

You say it's mainly FWD with 5% of the power normally going to the rear wheels. Where did you get this 5% figure? Pick it out of thin air? Hmm?

wwest

The tool is called a torque wrench, the amount of torque it takes to turn a rear wheel with the fronts on the ground vs the front with the rears on the ground.

billyboy

O.K. Lexus people, we know you guys have to be looking at these threads. How about some help here so we can get WWest to button his lip. Please.

RX300TC

Ok, what was th actual lb/foot measurement?
Was the vehicle in Park?
Was the gas pedal depressed?
What was the rpm of the engine?

willard west

Hey, remember me, I'm the one certain of my facts, if you don't want to believe me, fine.

If you want to prove me wrong, DIY.

HINT: The way to test a limited slip rear differential is to jack one rear wheel off the ground, put the tranx in neutral and turn the wheel with a torque wrench. Without going and actually looking the number I remember is 70 ft/lbs.

Ask Lexus,

yeah, right, their EXPERT, sent to testify in the windshield fogging case actually testified that turning up the system heat to the windshield was actually detrimental to clearing it and keeping it cleared.

billyboy

go buy your M-Class or whatever, but just go away. We love our Lexus's and we are sick of your constant put downs and "know-it-all" attitude. I am sure when you go to the Mercedes "Community" they will more then appreciate your knowledge.
You are the Weakest Link, goodbye!