mtommer

First, I have read the stickies about replacing the bushings in the lower control arm, and even replacing that too. With it being the dead of winter I can't really get under my car to see the state of the items. When Spring comes though, sure I'll be able to confirm the state of the items in question but I'm curious if there are other areas I should check out while I'm under there.

So here's what I get.

When I put the car out of a parking spot in reverse, either left or right, I will get a thunck as if I just rolled over a large obstacle. Turning is okay while driving forward but my steering does want to pull whenever I'm going over an incline. By that I mean, typically worn roads have depressions or "tire lanes". Whenever I stray left or right my car wants to pull the car back into the lanes on whatever side I happen to stray the most.

Thanks!

LEXXIUM

iTrader: (1)

What year is your car again? And how many miles on it, and how many miles have you been driving like that? It could be as simple as a loose sway bar link, but you just never know by guessing the sounds from driving. You need to get your baby on the lift or a Jack stands and start by visually inspecting the problem in the suspension and steering areas and go from there... Keep another thing in mind, if your balljoints are gone, you might as well fork your tax Chek for the new controll arms and call it a day, because new bushings at this point is a waste of more cash.

mtommer

Car is a '95 SC400 with 151,000. I'm guessing I've probably got 2 or 3K of driving with these issues. As long as I don't turn all the way left or right, or fairly close to it, then I'm okay when going in reverse - for now anyway. There's a lot I have planned coming up more for preemptive measures than anything else such as replacing all the shocks etc. If the ball joints are gone, I'm assuming the LCA will include new ones or am I replacing the ball joints and the process requires new LCAs?

LEXXIUM

iTrader: (1)

Yes, the lower controll arms will make like metal to metal noises as you drive or hit a bump especially. Turning also will have some play with those miles.
I know we have a lots of snow on the ground here in Indy and it's too cold to be working on the ride.
First I would replace something that's very cheap, go to Driftmotion.com and order yourself a solid steering rack bushing kit for sc3/4,, this will help you with the steering issues, after that go to shocks and if you want to lower do some searching on springs or coilovers here too that will help you find a lots of answers to with your issues as well as links to find and modify your ride with better performance parts for less than lexus oem, if you can do the work yourself. Balljoints are not replaceable, they are part of the controll arms, those should be last ones on your list in spring time