I just recently bought my first Lexus bought a 2000 gs300 with 165k on it. Seemed like a good deal at the time. Yesterday I started hearing and feeling a knock / clunk from the driver front wheel well. I notice it when I come to a stop or accelerated slowly, or in a parking lot on expansion joints at low speeds. I changed the oil Saturday and looked over the suspension. It looks like everything is factory original with no visual signs of any failing. I have been considering replacing the lower ball joints, but now I am also considering the outer tie rods too. I am scared that these may not be the culprit of this noise. Any ideas?

 

Change your Outer Tie Rods/LBJ's with Moog from Rock Auto. Get them both for $120 shipped. Also check your Sway Bar End Links to make sure that they're on tight and nothing is loose. I just made a thread about a popping noise I was having when braking and going over bumps and whatnot. Ended up being my sway bar end link being loose, so that needed to be tightened and the sound went away.

 

Thank you for your reply, I am going to see if I can get it in my garage and the wheel off to take a closer look at everything before the winter storm hits Wednesday... I had also read about shock mounts being loose, plus a possible transmission mount issue. I doubt with the specific direction the sound is coming from that the tranny is the issue. I will get the new parts and check out the sway bar. Thanks

 

So you suggest Moog over Raybestos? I have read a couple unfavorable reviews about the Moogs when compared to the Raybestos. So I was kindof leaning towards the Raybestos. These were not on Lexus, it was on other vehicles.

 

I'm about to do the same thing, I have the same symptoms. Just waiting to get paid on Thursday to order them. I've done some research haven't seen a single complaint about Moog on here but have seen a lot of people say they're running them. The OEM lower ball joints are prone to failing on our car.
Good luck! Hope that fixes our sound! If not I was thinking possibly the wheel bearing but other than that idk...

 

SwayNV thank you for your input. I will look closer at the MOOG, I believe they were cheaper than the Raybestos anyway. I have been shopping on Amazon and have found good prices there and if you have Prime you can get free shipping on a lot of stuff. Are you going to do the outside tie rods?

 

I'm having similar problems. I'll get a clunking/knocking noise whenever I turn my steering wheel all the way to one side (example: making a u-turn). The steering wheels still returns but it knocks until the car is going straight again. This morning when I backed my car out the driveway/curb, turned my wheel to the left and got the noise again.

I checked the LBJs last week and they seemed okay. Could it be the coilovers are starting to wear out?

 

You may want to check your brake pads/calipers and make sure everything is in order there. I had a similar problem with a clunk a while ago and looked to the suspension components for the problem but getting my brakes done actually fixed the issue.

 

I ordered the LBJ's and Outer tie rods all Moog, and will install them when they get here. Mine doesn't only Clunk/knock while turning, you can hear it sometimes when straight. If this doesn't fix it, I have a friend that owns a shop and ask him what he thinks it is. Both front tires are only 2 months old and it started about a month ago, so I know it's not the tires.... Idk though, we shall see.