kengonz

first just want to say hi i'm new and just bought a 07 sc430 I love the car only 96k miles
went to Chicago to pick it up 396 miles away can't find anything decent here just 1 and needs lots of work. anyway coming back home and when I get to 65 mph it start to shake a friend said it's the shocks how can I check them and can I change them myself or is the shocks struts.
p.s. I love my car.

Coleroad

Probably not the shocks. They are struts, you'll have to use a spring compressor. More likely a control arm problem, or a wheel problem bent ( easy to do with low profile tires) and or just out of balance.

Harold57

kengonz, first welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new acquisition.

Is it right at 65 mph or does it start around 50 or 55 and go up to 60 or 65 mph? If it is the latter, then it is a somewhat known problem.

Do you have OEM wheels and tires or aftermarket? A bigger question is whether you have larger than 18" wheels, like 20"? There seems to be more problems with aftermarket wheels than OEM and the same for the larger sizes also. (Some of the cheaper wheels cause the most problems.)

Are you running run flat tires or standard tires? Run flat tend to get flat spots much more easily than standard tires do. My tires are standard tires and they get flat spots and vibrate between 50 and 60 mph when I first start driving but after driving for a few minutes, the problem goes away.

Other members have replaced a number of front end components (especially the bushings) and got rid of the problem.

Bgw70

Welcome to CL.

Let me add, could be tire balance.

log on to Lexus and check the maintenance history, all you need is the VIN.

You may need to do the following,
Timing belt water pump pulleys
Upper control arms and lower ball joints, outer tie rod ends
Motor mounts and transmission mount.

Not all of these will help your current issue.

These are common and there are threads on all of those subjects!

cgroom

welcome. had the same problem and it was out of balance.

Harold57

When you get the tires balanced, be sure to request a road force balance.

jasone36

Welcome the SC430 world. Shakes are rattles are part of the "normal" SC430 ride, if you're on uneven roads.

On even roads, with no potholes, it should run smooth as butter.

ogjohnsmit

I test drove a 2003 and I'd get a steering wheel shake around 55 mph, not sure if it's the same shake as yours but I didn't get that one.

So after about a month of searching and test driving SCs I settled on a 2007 with 113k miles. It was one owner and had a meticulous service history (which I reviewed line by line 3 times) all documented at the Lexus dealership where I purchased it.

I test drove it on both city and freeway roads at various speeds. I even hit a few speed bumps faster and harder than you would normally just to see if I could shake up any suspension issues.

Overall the car drove straight and tight and was exceptional on all fronts so I purchased it.

Anyway my point is the Lexus service history stated the front lower control arms were replaced at 65k miles. If yours were not, that would be the first place I would look. From what I've read, SCs overall have issues with weak bushings in both front and rear suspension assemblies.

kengonz

the shaking starts at about 59 slightly at first then if I go faster it'll get more but sometimes it's not real bad
the wheels are aftermarket not sure of the make no names on them but a few scratches on the like curb magnets
tires are 245/402r18 97y falkens

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

You'll get lots of comments about this statement from other forum members, but most members will agree that they get a little steering wheel shake around 55-60mph. If you're are getting more violent over that speed you should investigate a bent wheel. Just my opinion, but I've had enough experience with this issue (three sets of different rims and wheels over my SC's lifetime, 18's and 20's).

GmanSC

Mine also 2007, 50K,, just bought two weeks ago, Firestones run flat tire, no problem at all even at 80mph. Love the car.

JDaveSC430

Agree with this advice. On my 2002 with 60K, it would start a steering wheel shudder ( slight ) at about 50 to 60 mph; then stop at 65mp or above.

After road force balance, proper air inflation, the problem resolved and it is, and has remained, smooth for a long time. I drive it very infrequently and it remains garaged.

Congratulations on a great car; you will love it.

Bgw70

At 68k miles we replaced the upper control arms, lower ball joints and outer tie rod ends. Then they performed a four wheel alignment. A few thousand miles earlier we replaced the tires.
The car is now very tight and handles much better.

I documented the repair and posted the link below.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...ml#post9150699

I have no shake, pulling or rough ride at any speed...

Bgw70

If you have a discount tire near you, take the car there and have them balance the tires...the first time I took a car to them, they rotated and balanced my tires at no cost!

I can tell you that you have worn out parts on the front end if they are still the originals. All Toyotas are very hard on ball joints.

Just google it!

kengonz

ill check it out thanks, i'll try to check it all out cheapest first lol
p.s. someone please tell the admin that in the fotos section on page 5 there is a guy giving a BJ. to some other guy only thing that bothers me is that I was looking at pics with my grandkids and they're not stupid.