Rear end issue
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 306
Likes: 13
From: Auckland
Rear end issue
The rear end of my LS feels real off recently. It seems to handle bumps and corners well enough but when I come off the power after giving it a good shoeful, it feels like the back end is really loose and just wobbles around. I'm yet to get it up in the air to have a look but I haven't had the time to do so. Anyone experienced this?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 8,574
Likes: 390
From: PA
No but just theoretically I wish the rear camber weren't so negative (one side of mine is out of spec) and were in the middle of the range. So it would seem that is less than optimal for handling, on all cars right off the bat (apparently due to springs aging)...
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 377
Likes: 14
From: Ohio
The rear end of my LS feels real off recently. It seems to handle bumps and corners well enough but when I come off the power after giving it a good shoeful, it feels like the back end is really loose and just wobbles around. I'm yet to get it up in the air to have a look but I haven't had the time to do so. Anyone experienced this?
What year and model LS do you have? Air suspension or regular?
I have an 05 with air and the rear is real wavy when going over bumps and such. I've taken it to three places and they all say it looks good. Only thing one shop said was to buy adjustable camber arms in the rear so that it can be set to 0 or something like that.
I do a lot of Time Attack / Time Trial stuff with my WRX, and this car feels like a boat compared to that. I've read some posts where people have swapped out the Rear Sway Bar and Bush for the Sport Model which is a little larger diameter. That should help mitigate body roll a bit. Also Ultra Racing on eBay offers an upgraded 19mm Rear Bar + Bush combo if you want a big upgrade.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 716
Likes: 168
From: FL
The rear end of my LS feels real off recently. It seems to handle bumps and corners well enough but when I come off the power after giving it a good shoeful, it feels like the back end is really loose and just wobbles around. I'm yet to get it up in the air to have a look but I haven't had the time to do so. Anyone experienced this?
- tire structural damage
- tire incorrect pressure
- necessity to reset zero calibration system
- air in the braking system
- tiny bushings in the lower part under rear hub bearing assemblies worn out due to vehicle mass and cause floaty drive.
- loose bolts in any suspension part.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 914
Likes: 70
From: CA
What year and model LS do you have? Air suspension or regular?
I have an 05 with air and the rear is real wavy when going over bumps and such. I've taken it to three places and they all say it looks good. Only thing one shop said was to buy adjustable camber arms in the rear so that it can be set to 0 or something like that.
I have an 05 with air and the rear is real wavy when going over bumps and such. I've taken it to three places and they all say it looks good. Only thing one shop said was to buy adjustable camber arms in the rear so that it can be set to 0 or something like that.
My rear end gets some horizontal motion over bad bumps which is strange.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 306
Likes: 13
From: Auckland
Found the issue. Turns out wheel bearings aren't meant to be 2 separate pieces while installed in the vehicle. I've ran the hub nut down with the impact to stop the hub floating around to get the car home, but that bearing is toast.
To answer everyone elses questions, its a 2000 Singapore-spec ML without air that's getting up there in the miles.
Next question, what torque should be applied to the hub nut? The hub nut seemed to be a bit loose when I removed the split pin and retainer
To answer everyone elses questions, its a 2000 Singapore-spec ML without air that's getting up there in the miles.
Next question, what torque should be applied to the hub nut? The hub nut seemed to be a bit loose when I removed the split pin and retainer
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Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 306
Likes: 13
From: Auckland
Its aftermarket but genuine wheel bearings are prohibitively expensive down here. 214 lbft seems like a hell of a lot of torque. When I ran them down I definitely noticed the increased drag when I started driving
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 215
From: Ontario, Canada
You get what you pay for with wheel hub bearings. I would not take the risk on any of the cheap bearings. SKF has lots of free literature on their website on proper hub design. Best hubs are OEM (made by Koyo), next best are SKF and Koyo, both very high quality. Raybestos would be my third pick. Would not consider any of the no-name, economy brand, cheap hubs unless you're fine with changing them out again after 20,000-60,000mi.
Just changed both my OEM rear hub assemblies at an independent shop last month due to metallic grinding noise audible only in dead silence at at low speeds, affecting both rear hubs equally. Got new Koyos from one of those UAE parts stores, Amayama or PartSouq. Rear right started the noise first but within 3000km the rear left started doing the same thing. 162,000km and 17 years on the road, driven in all Canadian winters.
Humming from the rear is also strongly indicative of wheel bearings needing replacement in the near future. Yes, 214 ft-lb is the required amount of torque for the axle nut. I would highly recommend following the Lexus engineers' specifications.
Just changed both my OEM rear hub assemblies at an independent shop last month due to metallic grinding noise audible only in dead silence at at low speeds, affecting both rear hubs equally. Got new Koyos from one of those UAE parts stores, Amayama or PartSouq. Rear right started the noise first but within 3000km the rear left started doing the same thing. 162,000km and 17 years on the road, driven in all Canadian winters.
Humming from the rear is also strongly indicative of wheel bearings needing replacement in the near future. Yes, 214 ft-lb is the required amount of torque for the axle nut. I would highly recommend following the Lexus engineers' specifications.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 306
Likes: 13
From: Auckland
Again, genuine wheel bearings are roughly 3 times the price of aftermarket hubs, and I simply don't have that sort of money, nor can I justify it on a cheap car. I get mine out of Australia but I can't remember which bearings they use in them
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 215
From: Ontario, Canada
This is very normal for axle nuts. Here are some cars that require 200+ ft-lbs on at least one of their axle pairs:
Acura NSX, RL, TL, TSX (09-11), ZDX: 242
BMW 3 series AWD, 5 series AWD (2004-2010), X3, X5, X6: 310
Chevy Aveo: 221
Dodge Durango: 229
Ford Crown Victoria (92-02): 221
Ford Edge, Five Hundred, Freestyle: 259
Honda Accord (09-11), CRV/Odyssey/Pilot/Ridgeline (2005+): 242
Hyundai Sonata (08-09), Tiburon (2008), Tucson, Veracruz: 207
Kia Rondo, Sportage: 202-207
All FWD Lexus ES, GS, IS, LS460, LS600, RX are spec'd for 217 on the front, all RWD Lexus spec'd for 214 on the rear, except for 99-03 RX300 which is 159.
Acura NSX, RL, TL, TSX (09-11), ZDX: 242
BMW 3 series AWD, 5 series AWD (2004-2010), X3, X5, X6: 310
Chevy Aveo: 221
Dodge Durango: 229
Ford Crown Victoria (92-02): 221
Ford Edge, Five Hundred, Freestyle: 259
Honda Accord (09-11), CRV/Odyssey/Pilot/Ridgeline (2005+): 242
Hyundai Sonata (08-09), Tiburon (2008), Tucson, Veracruz: 207
Kia Rondo, Sportage: 202-207
All FWD Lexus ES, GS, IS, LS460, LS600, RX are spec'd for 217 on the front, all RWD Lexus spec'd for 214 on the rear, except for 99-03 RX300 which is 159.
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