Grumpa72

While tracing a "chirping" noise in my daughter's 2005 RX330 (yes, I just finished the PS and Alt belts - noise still there) I had the entire right front wheel well opened up. After changing the belts, I noticed that there is a boot, behind the CV joint, over a rod that connects to the front lower arm. I have no idea what this is but the boot is torn completely free from the transmission/engine. I have been Googling this trying to figure out what it is but I keep drawing a blank. Any ideas? Oh, AWD model.

Follow on question - I am convinced that the noise is coming from the plastic cover, on the right side of the engine, that I suspect covers the timing belt,TB, and upper "stuff". I am taking it to our local Toyota dealer who will work on Lexus cars and see if he can fit this into his schedule for a timing belt change. The car has 123K on with original TB. Am I correct that this plastic cover is the upper part of the TB assembly and covers things like the camshaft sprocket?

jenright

Try this:

https://www.mylparts.com/auto-parts/...-v6-gas-engine

Grumpa72

This is the rod in question, just behind the lower arm. It is fixed, so obviously not part of the drivetrain but it has a boot on it that is torn. I can not find this in the previous link. Ideas?

Thank you in advance.

NVAKeith

iTrader: (1)

Looks like the tie rod to me. The boot would be on the steering rack. If fluid is leaking from the torn boot, then the seal in the steering rack may be damaged.

Grumpa72

I didn't think of tie rod. I used the supplied link, looked under steering and found it. Tie rod it is. Thank you.

jenright

Glad it worked out.

That link is golden. Saved me a lot of frustration and digging around on both the NX and the RX.

i usually identify the part, and then find aftermarket equivalent. I'm not cheap, just frugal.

Grumpa72

Now, here's hoping that the engine end of the tie rod isn't ruined because it was exposed to the elements. It's going to the local Toyota dealer for that boot and timing belt (water pump too, of course).
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Thanks for the help.

RedGemini

You're probably in for a new steering rack... not uncommon at all with these.

Grumpa72

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new steering rack? I hope you are wrong. The car has zero indications of bad steering components. It still rides and steers very nicely. Did you have this done and, if so, what was the cost? This is my daughter's car and I'm thinking she will go into cardiac arrest if the steering rack is bad.

RedGemini

I didn't have it done, but there are plenty of posts on here talking about leaking boots means new rack is needed, especially at a dealer, where they won't mess with just changing boots on them.

If that is the case, seek out a trusty Toyota mechanic, and get a rack from rockauto.com. Dealer pricing on a rack with labor is well over $1,000, from what I've seen. A replacement from rockauto.com is around $200 or so, and labor isn't all that terrible to swap them out.