Front end clunk potentially solved, LCA bushing compatibility
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
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From: SoCal mtns.
Front end clunk potentially solved, LCA bushing compatibility
Some bad potholes around here,no doubt I hit one that hit me back,now a nasty clunk when I hit minor road defects.Car riding straight and true,no clunks turning wheels at rest.Where should I be looking and how to diagnose offending parts would be most helpful.I will send some pics when capable of getting it jacked up in next few days.Any thoughts?
EDIT-2 weeks ago going 40-45MPH a car pulled in front of me from a cross street going from my right to the left.I slammed on the brakes,ABS kicked in.As it was clear I was about to T bone him
I whipped a hard left turn (only option remaining) and wound up EXACTLY parallel to him with not much room to spare as he zipped by on my right.So hard braking and heavy load to right front....that may have been what did it in? AMAZING the braking (OEM Lexus/Akebono brake shoes) and handling on Blackbird,these are crazy good cars! 
EDIT-2 weeks ago going 40-45MPH a car pulled in front of me from a cross street going from my right to the left.I slammed on the brakes,ABS kicked in.As it was clear I was about to T bone him
I whipped a hard left turn (only option remaining) and wound up EXACTLY parallel to him with not much room to spare as he zipped by on my right.So hard braking and heavy load to right front....that may have been what did it in? AMAZING the braking (OEM Lexus/Akebono brake shoes) and handling on Blackbird,these are crazy good cars!
Last edited by spuds; Jun 7, 2021 at 02:09 PM.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,286
Likes: 212
From: Chandler, AZ
Some bad potholes around here,no doubt I hit one that hit me back,now a nasty clunk when I hit minor road defects.Car riding straight and true,no clunks turning wheels at rest.Where should I be looking and how to diagnose offending parts would be most helpful.I will send some pics when capable of getting it jacked up in next few days.Any thoughts?
These could all be bad if original, I've had each one fail on me on my 97' with high miles (250k+) on nice AZ roads
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
Strut rod bushings sound like a good start, i see one symptom is a brake pedal vibration and i do historically have that at times that clears up with driving,thanks friend for quick helpful reply!
What did you do about that UCA?
What did you do about that UCA?
Last edited by spuds; Jun 7, 2021 at 02:11 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
Yup,got on strut bar threads and sounds exactly like what Im having,see the bushings at amayama about 35 dollars each delivered.Thanks Losiracer2,I think you nailed it,VERY much appreciated! 
https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/4867440051
https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/4867440051
Racer
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,906
Likes: 491
From: Nevada
You get clunks at a fixed rate of speed when hitting road defects? Does the sound change when doing different things like turning? Does loading up the suspension on that side of the car make it stop or get worse?
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Brake pedal vibrates, but it stops once things heat up? What about if you were to drive for 15 minutes on the highway and not touch the brakes once so that they are stone cold, would they vibrate then?
If the brakes stop vibrating once they are regularly used around town, that's pads\rotors\calipers. If just "in general" once you start driving the car they stop vibrating then it's probably something else in the wheel\suspension assembly.
____________
- Strut rod bushings usually are clunks when hitting brakes below 10mph. That's the classic test for those. They are a brace that longitudinally supports the car, so at a fixed rate of speed they *should* be okay (don't quote me on this!). Go to a parking lot and slam on the brakes light\medium\hard a few times. It it doesn't make any noise, they should be fine.
- Next most likely would probably be lower ball joints since usually you hear those from sharp quick impacts to the suspension. They will clunk around and impart some other weird characteristics to the handling\feel of the car. The downside is theses can be worn out & making noise yet visually appear to be perfectly fine. Mine looked perfectly healthy... until I replaced them. They can wear out quite quickly on our cars to be almost considered a regular consumable.
- Also worth checking the shock mounts. Unpop the little rubber cover and visually take a look. Mine were squeaking like hell in this video, but they were clunking for a few thousand miles before they got this bad. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...13k-miles.html
- Upper control arms also a possibility, though I would chalk them up as less likely than the previous items.
- Sway bar to body (sway bar bushing) typically sounds like a rusty door hinge rather than a clunk. Sway bar end links may clunk if they're completely FUBAR\broken and the sway bar is loose banging against stuff.
If the brakes stop vibrating once they are regularly used around town, that's pads\rotors\calipers. If just "in general" once you start driving the car they stop vibrating then it's probably something else in the wheel\suspension assembly.
Last edited by 400fanboy; Jun 7, 2021 at 06:08 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
Oddly enough the brake vibration seems to be altitude related,but its a super minimal hardly felt issue,not a now fix.Simple brake job should handle it.
Good points you made,thank you.I need ideas where to start learning and all advice given is so helpful.
Did the SRB bushing research,a pair from amayama is 58 dollars delivered.Part # 48674-40051,says for Toyota Century but thats the part folks here have used.There is no listing for one under LS400.
OEM strut rod is 140 each on ebay delivered ,best price Ive seen so far,part # 48660-40021
Also saw a loose subframe was a guys thunk,will check that when I get car up in a few days when able.Will check for loose shock mount bolts too.Saw that one.Saw your video,sorry KYB,no shock mounts for me.
Off to learn all the ball joint upper and lower threads.I'll research all possibilities before I do anything,must get car up first,soon as body can cooperate.Hard to say when we havent looked yet.
GREAT lower ball joint thread,ready if I have to go there,
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-joints-5.html
Good points you made,thank you.I need ideas where to start learning and all advice given is so helpful.
Did the SRB bushing research,a pair from amayama is 58 dollars delivered.Part # 48674-40051,says for Toyota Century but thats the part folks here have used.There is no listing for one under LS400.
OEM strut rod is 140 each on ebay delivered ,best price Ive seen so far,part # 48660-40021
Also saw a loose subframe was a guys thunk,will check that when I get car up in a few days when able.Will check for loose shock mount bolts too.Saw that one.Saw your video,sorry KYB,no shock mounts for me.
Off to learn all the ball joint upper and lower threads.I'll research all possibilities before I do anything,must get car up first,soon as body can cooperate.Hard to say when we havent looked yet.
GREAT lower ball joint thread,ready if I have to go there,
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-joints-5.html
Last edited by spuds; Jun 8, 2021 at 05:02 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
amayama is 537/pair delivered for OEM upper control arms,200 cheaper than amazon or ebay
part # 48630-59015 left
part # 48610-59015 right
Lower control arms amayama is 445/pair delivered,1 is 243.00
part#48068-50020 right
part#48068-50020 left
Lower control arm bushing,folks say it will fit UCF20,same both sides amayama
52.00 for 1...74.00/pair
part#48654-50010
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...bushing-3.html
lower ball joints amayama is 200/pair delivered
part# 43330-59045
part# 43340-59045
part # 48630-59015 left
part # 48610-59015 right
Lower control arms amayama is 445/pair delivered,1 is 243.00
part#48068-50020 right
part#48068-50020 left
Lower control arm bushing,folks say it will fit UCF20,same both sides amayama
52.00 for 1...74.00/pair
part#48654-50010
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...bushing-3.html
lower ball joints amayama is 200/pair delivered
part# 43330-59045
part# 43340-59045
Last edited by spuds; Jun 8, 2021 at 01:37 PM.
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,906
Likes: 491
From: Nevada
Yeah I mean the next step before ordering parts is get under the car and see if anything is wonky or if you can get anything to make noise. No guarantee, but it's possible there will be something there which will give a direct answer.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
So here is the upshot,drum roll please....1998 LS400.Lots of hidden parts gems for these toyoders.Gathered this info from threads here.
Lower control arm from 1990-94 has a replaceable bushing,54 for 1,is 72 for a pair,OEM.Part#48654-50010
In 95 they changed arm to a 'non-replaceable' bushing,no part number for a bushing and its 245 for 1 complete arm,or 445 for a pair from amayama.
Thing is,those early bushing fit like a glove folks say in the later model arms,so 72 dollars vrs 445 dollars,WOW!!!Found on this thread,post#31 by member cyfi66 who installed them on his 1998
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...bushing-3.html
Also see this thread...
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...50010-a-3.html
OEM complete strut rod is 140 each on ebay,so 280/pair,no bushing available for LS400.
Strut rod bushing,a pair from amayama is 58 dollars delivered.
Part # 48674-40051,says for Toyota Century,but fits the LS400. So 58 dollars vrs 280,WOW!!!
Total on 'non available' OEM bushing replacements vrs complete arms is 130 dollars vrs 725 dollars complete arm replacements,WOW!! Lets hear it for homework!!!!
Lower control arm from 1990-94 has a replaceable bushing,54 for 1,is 72 for a pair,OEM.Part#48654-50010
In 95 they changed arm to a 'non-replaceable' bushing,no part number for a bushing and its 245 for 1 complete arm,or 445 for a pair from amayama.
Thing is,those early bushing fit like a glove folks say in the later model arms,so 72 dollars vrs 445 dollars,WOW!!!Found on this thread,post#31 by member cyfi66 who installed them on his 1998
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...bushing-3.html
Also see this thread...
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...50010-a-3.html
OEM complete strut rod is 140 each on ebay,so 280/pair,no bushing available for LS400.
Strut rod bushing,a pair from amayama is 58 dollars delivered.
Part # 48674-40051,says for Toyota Century,but fits the LS400. So 58 dollars vrs 280,WOW!!!
Total on 'non available' OEM bushing replacements vrs complete arms is 130 dollars vrs 725 dollars complete arm replacements,WOW!! Lets hear it for homework!!!!
Last edited by spuds; Jun 10, 2021 at 10:36 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
cyfi66 sent me this update
----------------------------
The 48654-50010 does fit perfect in the later model arms. I have them installed in mine right now. I dont think I have any pictures. They look 100% identical to the bushings that I took out of the arms with the only exception being the part number that is stamped into the rubber. As mentioned I believe that the bushing is the same and the PN was changed because Lexus didnt want the bushings replaced by the end user anymore for some reason.
----------------------------
The 48654-50010 does fit perfect in the later model arms. I have them installed in mine right now. I dont think I have any pictures. They look 100% identical to the bushings that I took out of the arms with the only exception being the part number that is stamped into the rubber. As mentioned I believe that the bushing is the same and the PN was changed because Lexus didnt want the bushings replaced by the end user anymore for some reason.
Intermediate
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From: AZ
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,611
Likes: 197
From: SoCal mtns.
They do make shock absorber bushings but are generically listed,not vehicle specific.Also cheap,like less than 10 bucks for a pair of em.
If you search start with Dorman shock bushings and it will lead you to many manufacturers.What we need are measurements,if someone can measure one,I cant,we can get a solution for our cars on this item.Ive seen rubber and poly items listed.
If you search start with Dorman shock bushings and it will lead you to many manufacturers.What we need are measurements,if someone can measure one,I cant,we can get a solution for our cars on this item.Ive seen rubber and poly items listed.