Can min lower springs (Swift) affect the lower front Ball Joints and cause them to wear out faster, or put more stress on them?

Anyone replaced them? Is it a big job, with removal of many other things? Do they have to be pressed in or out? Thanks.

 

No one knows the answer or replaced the Front Ball joints yet?

 

I would certainly think that lowering springs - which creates force stress and torque upon the ball joint's angle - will cause them to wear much faster, and to wear tires unevenly much faster too.

It would make sense that the more the drop, the greater the force stress and torque averting the suspension geometry angle they are designed for, and typically have to deal with...

 

FWIW I have been on RSR downs for a few years. I literally just was inspecting my lower ball joints as I already have the replacement parts laying around and the car is six years old now. That is what brought me to this thread lol .. They are fine and I have had springs on for like 40k miles. I may just change em anyway for peace of mind

 

How did you exactly check your ball joints?

 

On swift for almost 2 years. I loosen all the suspension arm bolts, dropped the car from the jack and tightened them back to spec to de-stress all the connecting components. So far so good. Btw car has about 120,000KM and from what I gathered from previous owner nothing has been changed. I only changed the front lower back bushes to the GSF ones when I got the car at 100,000KM.

 

I just jacked the car up and checked for two things: cracking in the rubber and looked for play in the wheel before I took it off to inspect.

 

Follow up on this thread.

I posted this a few months ago because my GS just seemed to lose a little handling tightness edge. I also started to recently hear a slight parking lot click on turning. Took it to a Lexus Dealer for inspection. After a few days of them telling me no problem found, don't hear anything. I had to go drive it with them and they heard it in less than 2 mins in the parking lot. After a re-inspect it was discovered the Ball Joints were going bad and Lower Control arms also.

For the record I currently have the 2020 GS350 F Sport new Lexus factory struts on my car. Also running the Swift Springs, Think Designs Steering Rack bushing Mount Collars, and the Megan Strut Tower bar. With only 59k on my 13 Lux I am now wondering if the Springs contributed to the failure of the Ball Joints and Control Arms? Could be just they are now 13 years old also?

Glad I still have a Platinum extended Service contract and they covered new L&R Ball Joints and Control Arms, all for only a $100 deductible. I am seriously thinking about taking those Swift springs off and replacing them with a set of newly new 2020 GS350 F Sport stock factory springs I have.

 

Generally speaking, the loads on the lower ball joint will not be greatly affected by lowering springs. Shock loading due to stiffer damping may have some impact, but only in extreme cases.

Jeff

 

Thanks.

So my 13 originally had the 13 Lexus original Struts. Come to remember for about 5k or less miles I ran the KYB AVS struts. They handled extremely well but were just to much stiffer to me so I swapped out to the softer known revised 2020 GS350 F Sport Lexus factory Struts. Maybe that Swift spring/KYB AVS combo could have had something to do with it? But then again like I said before 13 year old parts could just be the time due to the LCA needing replacement also? IDK?

 

I have stock AVS shocks in my 2013 awd. I lowered it on tanabes at 75k miles, have ~120k now.

The bushings where the shocks attach to the lower arms are shot. Everything else seems okay.

 

If put on a lift and moved and pried with the wheel? I wonder how the Ball joints are, being the LCA bushing are shot. My LCA's and Ball joints were bad. The thing I keep wondering tho is even with the Springs did time 13 years old play a big part?

 

I think the same thing happened to me, I've driven probably about 40k KMs on Tanabes in the rough norther roads and one side is definitely clunking a bit. Mostly apparent when I'm driving low speed on a wavy road. I've replaced everything on the front aside from upper control arms, that strut fork bushing and the other LCA (not the one frequently replaced with GSF LCA bushing).

Given that the control arms are $$$ from Lexus (and aftermarket is very limited), I've tried finding the bushing alone from somewhere like Febest and it lead me to Febest TAB-494 which is for the 3GS: https://febestparts.com/FRONT_ARM_BUSHING/TAB-494

Now, it's not listed as the same part number for the 4GS, however the Strut fork is the same part number for the 3GS and 4GS (among other models) from what I can see: https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/4850430020

Though the arm is different: https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/4862030330

I was thinking about biting the bullet and try grab a $40 TAB-494 and give that a shot and maybe that could save the cost of the arm since I'd just needs to press the bushing in and out which would be a lot easier. I'll probably give it a shot once the weather gets warmer

 

My symptom is also a clunking. My local shop advised of the bushing condition during inspection, said it won't fall apart so could pass, but I should plan to replace the bushings.

I fear that bushing is not the same, but without dimensions, I can't confirm. When searching for that bushing by tab-494 or the lexus part, I only find compatibility w older GS and IS models. I suspect the inner geometry is the same but the outer is different, which would explain the same fork part.

There is a bushing kit on ebay that has the right ones for $160. He would not sell me just the ones I needed. I found the supplier of them somehow, but it was only in a box of twenty. The dimensions are listed in the pictures if you can find dimensions for the tab-494 part to compare. Or maybe you can find the bushing itself somewhere -- that would be keen.

My current plan is to buy the ebay kit and a threaded bushing press and give it a shot...when the weather gets just a little warmer.

 

Interesting kit for sale, my only concern would be the quality of the bushing coming from China and that its about $160 ($229CAD for us canucks) for the whole set versus $27 for a TAB-494. I think you're right that its most likely different outer diameters between the 4GS and 3GS bushings. With those dimensions available from that set, I wonder if reaching out to FEBEST they might give me the specs of the TAB-494. I'll reach out and update this thread with my findings.