Its really common for any u-joints to go bad inside each cap there are "needles" and they roll against the housings, and overtime like any other type of moving part get were and metal fatigue, or the grease dries up and its metal to metal which makes them go bad as well.

 

So are there only the two u joints?

One inside the car below the steering wheel on the intermediate shaft
One in the engine bay right next to the exhaust manifold

Are there more I am missing?

 

Perhaps, but in this application where the u-joint is hardly moving compared to u-joints on a driveshaft where it is in constant motion along with other loads and forces, I'd expect these joints to never need replacing...

 

Here's what I garnered from searching Lexus LS steering wheel. Item 11 is what I had replaced and it only has one knuckle/u-joint associated with it. Looks like at least two more downstream to me. Mine sure seems tighter and right now no clunking noise. I cannot tell if my part I got back was bad, the tech said it was but I can't tell. AND I really haven't gone down that bad road to really prove it. I just want to believe...

 

Its a possibility man there are so any variables that go into the creation of a car that it just could of been bad from the factory.

 

Those who always get a new car every 3 yrs. would never experience these issues, but they also don't know the feeling when we solve these types of issues either! Keep on plugging away....

 

One other thing to check is your sub frame bolts front and back. They tend to work loose over time. When they loosen you get weird clunk noises and weird steering symptoms. 2 bolts loosened on my 2003 LS and after my mechanic torqued them down I experienced major improvements immediately.

 

Do you know where exactly the sub frame bolts on the front are? Are the lower control arm bushing bolts also the sub-frame bolts?

 

I have a front end clunk as well, good to find this discussion...

 

My 2003 with 225K miles also has this front end clunk noise when going over a rough patch of road. I read old threads where some suspected the brake shims were missing, but mine were there and I even replaced the front end rotors and pads recently and the clunk is still there. If I am braking, however, the clunk does NOT occur. This noise drives me nuts! I wonder if I should replace the wheel hub and see what happens...

 

Good news! Steering Rack bushings replaced last night with the Daizen kit and it turns out that was the problem. That being said I think my intermediate steering shaft (with u joint) is probably getting a tiny bit loose as well. But I found that with the new rack bushings the rack doesn't move enough for the U-joint to be noticeable.

All the clunk and looseness are gone!

If anyone else tries this bushing replacement know that you do NOT have to unhook the high pressure lines or unbolt the steering shaft.

The only bushing that is tough to get out in the driver's side back bushing.

You can get it out by following these steps:

1. Jack the car up so the tires are hanging free and put jack stands on the sub-frame
2. Use a flathead screwdriver and begin to work the bushing out.
3. Once it is out a little bit spray some penetrating oil on the gap and continue to work the bushing out.
4. Use large channel locks to grab the circumference of the bushing and twist it while continuing to lubricate with penetrating oil.
5. Repeat step 4 until the bushing is basically loose
---At this point the bushing will be loose but there is not clearance to get it out between the rack and the sub-frame----
6. While laying under the car (feet sticking out the front end) reach over and pull the back side of driver side tire towards you pretty hard (as if the car was turning left) This will pull the rack and extra 1/2" away from the sub-frame.
7. While pulling on the wheel, grab the body of the bushing with channel locks and pull the bushing down and to the driver side to get it out (don't be afraid to wrench it out....it's getting replaced)
8. New Bushing goes in the same way that one came out just in reverse

I took a video to show the tire pulling trick if anyone wants that I will post it

Thanks for all the help!

 

 

Trend430 - Thanks for sticking with this thread and advising us of your solution! So many never provide the outcome once solved. A few follow-up question.

You had the clunk, which many of us do, but you also had the wandering steering at highway speeds, correct? If so, would you agree the wandering must the symptom to point to steering rack bushings?

The issue I am chasing is a clunk over smaller bumps at lower speed. No wandering of the steering but its very light at speed with little to no road feel. Did you feel the steering became less vague and provide more road feel once you replaced the rack bushings? I am trying to isolate if my issue is a steering rack bushings or suspension clunk (sway bar links, ball joint, control arm, etc.) as I also have zero play at 3-9 o'clock or 12-6 o'clock. Did you find play in the rack when jacked up? Also, do you have a link to the aftermarket bushing kit you used?

Thanks in advance and appreciate your video as well.

 

I did have wondering on the highway and that seems to be resolved, so I would agree that it points to the bushings. That being said, a bad alignment can cause this too...so probably check that first.

I don't know about improved road feel, I would say overall just more solid. Feels like I tightened the bolts on the whole front end.

I had no play anywhere. Wheels, rack, nothing. I will say I think my steering shaft probably needs to be replaced as well, but it is so minor compared to what I was feeling that I don't care that much and I will probably just wait a while.

Bushings here:

 

Wow just found this thread and thinking I'm chasing this same issue now. I have a rattle/clunking in the steering column on my 04 and makes sense that it might be that upper u-joint in the steering column.

I can replicate it by quickly turning the wheel left/right repeatedly while parked. I get the same noise when going over small bumps.Car otherwise tracks straight and no other play in the front suspension

Took a vid of it in action. Does this sound like the same issue many of you all had? (put on youtube instead)