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Outside of here (3rd gen), I've seen people say absolutely use Mevotech, and that's on LS460s. It could be, that people have a view of Mevotech, that I would of Monroe for shocks. I used the quik struts on my Nissan and would consider it junk. At the same time, it's money for the muffler and tire shops of the world. I have looked at the price of Lexus OE tie rods and there's no way I would spend that on a 15 y.o. car. At the same time, I've looked at prices for OE Lexus shocks, and would spend that. So it totally depends. If I could have done it over I would have used Mevotech front lower control arms, instead of having the bushings pressed out and in. They're stamped steel anyway, and it would have accomplished the front bushing replaced too.
The mevos will rust in less than a year, my stock ones still have no rust plus the welds and metal thickness is a joke compared to the stock arms. It's best to punch out the old bushings and replace them if you don't want to install inferior parts
The link to Lexus of Atlanta, do you know if that is for all four bushings? One bushing?
I actually ordered the ones off of Amazon as well but it has been a week and it has yet to ship. I think it may just be TM Engineerings Amazon portal in which case I won't receive them.
I’ve had my Lexus a little over 3 years. It’s currently at 189k. When I bought it it had wheel shake at 40mph. I put new tires on it (Nitto motivo) new steering rack bushings. New sway bar end links, new rear lower control arm bushings, I’ve had the front tires road force balanced, it’s been aligned. Today I’ve just had it. It has Monroe oe spectrum struts on it now, mileage unknown but I think they are worn since I get some bad nose dive. It still shakes but now at 65 ish mph and sometimes I think the tires flat spot so it’s worse than other times. Today I ordered new Monroe quick struts and new upper a arms to start replacing some things and hopefully solve a clunking/rattle issue that’s either ball joint or strut mount related from the drivers side front. I hope to put that on this weekend maybe. Apart from trying new tires what else should I do? I got a $1200 stimulus check to throw at this *****, help covid19 fix my wheel vibration!
I didnt read the complete topic but I want to give you some advice because I am quite experienced in vibrating steering wheels. I had an Audi before and after 4 years of search it was the steeringhouse hydrolic system but I dont believe thats the case with the LS. I would advice to find a company who works with the Hunter 9700 and you must ask them to let them calibrate the machine before you arrive. Most balancing machines are crap. Good luck.
strut and a arm install should happen this weekend. Im thinking of disassembling the monroe quick struct and putting the stock OEM coil spring in. Think its worth it?
Just to add my experience onto this thread, I had vibration that was mainly felt in the driver's seat and a little shake in the steering wheel beginning around 50mph and would get worse as the speed went up. It was worse when it was cold, and would get less noticeable once warmed up and driven for a bit, but still easy to feel and annoying. I tried the 12 and 6 o'clock test on both front wheels and they both felt solid, no discernible movement. I decided to replace the lower ball joints anyway along with the sway bar bushings as the car is high mileage (242K) and they are quite easy to replace. At worst it would just eliminate some possibilities for the vibration. Install was easy and now about 95% of the vibration is gone, the car finally feels smooth again and stable, much less wandering compared to before at highway speed. The sway bar bushings were quite worn, they slid easily on the bar once unclamped whereas the new ones gripped and were difficult to move. The old ball joints were easy to move in any direction, no dampening at all, whereas the new ball joints were much harder to move around and felt a lot more damped. An afternoon well spent and now my car feels like a Lexus again!
Just to add my experience onto this thread, I had vibration that was mainly felt in the driver's seat and a little shake in the steering wheel beginning around 50mph and would get worse as the speed went up. It was worse when it was cold, and would get less noticeable once warmed up and driven for a bit, but still easy to feel and annoying. I tried the 12 and 6 o'clock test on both front wheels and they both felt solid, no discernible movement. I decided to replace the lower ball joints anyway along with the sway bar bushings as the car is high mileage (242K) and they are quite easy to replace. At worst it would just eliminate some possibilities for the vibration. Install was easy and now about 95% of the vibration is gone, the car finally feels smooth again and stable, much less wandering compared to before at highway speed. The sway bar bushings were quite worn, they slid easily on the bar once unclamped whereas the new ones gripped and were difficult to move. The old ball joints were easy to move in any direction, no dampening at all, whereas the new ball joints were much harder to move around and felt a lot more damped. An afternoon well spent and now my car feels like a Lexus again!
Whats the 12 and 6 oclock test?
And are the swaybar bushings not mounted under a massive load of pressure?
Whats the 12 and 6 oclock test?
And are the swaybar bushings not mounted under a massive load of pressure?
You jack it up and test for play by holding at those points on the tire so you aren't moving the steering rack when checking for movement of the ball joints or wheel hub.
The sway bar is not under much load at rest as it only comes into play during uneven loading
You jack it up and test for play by holding at those points on the tire so you aren't moving the steering rack when checking for movement of the ball joints or wheel hub.
The sway bar is not under much load at rest as it only comes into play during uneven loading
Oh ok I understand the 6 and 12. So you say that if the car is on jacks the sway bar isnt under pressure at all?
I have an VAG oldtimer with mc pherson and it needs strong force to mount the sway bar and renewing rubbers is extremely difficult. Crappy engineering.
Oh ok I understand the 6 and 12. So you say that if the car is on jacks the sway bar isnt under pressure at all?
I have an VAG oldtimer with mc pherson and it needs strong force to mount the sway bar and renewing rubbers is extremely difficult. Crappy engineering.
Should be extremely minor if any, this is not a McPherson type suspension
Yep, I lifted both front wheels and did the bushings one at a time, the bar barely shifted when the bracket came off and it was very easy to shift it back into place and line up the holes to get the bolts back in once the bushing was changed. Took me 30 mins or so to do both, very easy.
Well I got the front upper control arms and Monroe quick struts put in. I now have massive wheel gap but the front end doesn’t dive and it rides better. Hopefully they settle, or I need to do rears but they don’t make a quick strut for the rear. Fronts that came off were kyb and maybe original but not sure. Took about 45 a side start to finish.
Well I got the front upper control arms and Monroe quick struts put in. I now have massive wheel gap but the front end doesn’t dive and it rides better. Hopefully they settle, or I need to do rears but they don’t make a quick strut for the rear. Fronts that came off were kyb and maybe original but not sure. Took about 45 a side start to finish.
Question. At what position of suspension have you torqued the bolts of upper control arm and strut bushings?
