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Owning an AWD model myself, I was disappointed to hear so many people say that OEM was the only option for replacement control arms. A few quick searches and a couple emails out to distributors seemed to confirm what they said as I couldn't find anything that specifically stated it was compatible with the USF45/46 (AWD 460/460L, respectively) and could get no guarantees from sellers. So I started looking for replacement bushings, but still couldn't find anything for these. What's the deal? Why are these SOOO undersupported? Were production numbers really that low compared to RWD models? Well, I can't wait for answers that might never come and decided to make mine the guinea pig. I'd like to freshen up the suspension (not bad, but at 116K it could use it) before I list it for sale in the coming months and really want it to be 100% for potential buyers.
Today I began pouring over the parts pages at South Atlanta Lexus to see if I can get an idea of what I'm dealing with before just diving in and pulling stuff apart. I'd hate to make anything worse and be stuck going to the dealer. You can find the pages I'm referencing at these links: RWD here, and AWD here. To make things simple I pulled the diagrams out to compare them side by side.
The UCA's are identical!!! This was a great first finding as it opens at least some options from an arms/bushing standpoint.
Part #s and prices match for LCA No.1, but not for LCA No.2. This is where comparing the diagrams gets a little confusing and I'd like some help. Looking at the numbers boxed in purple it would appear that they're mixing mounting hardware between the 2; similar part numbers being applied to different control arms. And if 48623/24 is the difference, are they labeled correctly in the diagram? I can't see a difference between those arms but do in the ones labeled 48620. Am I seeing that right?
So for right now it appears that AWD guys only need to go to Lexus for the Left and Right No. 2 Lower Control Arms (48623/24), currently selling for $299/ea at the links above, and the other 6 arms can be sourced elsewhere or bushings can be ordered/replaced. If anyone can confirm my assumptions, or help me see the error in my ways, that would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise I'll be ordering aftermarket poly bushings and tackling the 6 arms I can do without going to Lexus and just see how it goes
As a little update to this, I stumbled across this deal for the 8 front control arms, originally priced at $900 with 3 sets left in stock:
Designed for RWD, but if my above assumptions are correct 3 of the arms (per side) should be a direct fit. Leaving only the lower control arm.
I know they're cheap and I doubt they'll hold up long, but for the money I couldn't think of a better way to validate what I found. If they work, I'll be ordering bushings for the OEM arms and will put those back in should these go south.
Bad news folks, as of right now it looks like only 2 of the 8 control arms are an exact match. The forward upper control arms should be 1:1 but all others show differences. For the rearward upper control arms the difference is so small that they could "potentially" work, but it's in the overall length between the mount point and the ball joint (~1/8-1/4") and I'm afraid it will throw toe far enough out of spec that an alignment won't be able to get it back within spec.
I'll pull them from the drivers side and get some comparison pics for everyone but it may be a couple days. Will have to order the rearward upper control arms through Lexus so I'm in no rush to dive back in.
Bit the bullet and ordered the OEM rearward arms for the USF45/46. Found them on eBay at just over $300/ea
I did go back and double check full part numbers and the forward arms are the same, so go with Febest and save yourself some money. For the other 6 you'll have to hunt for a deal on OEM parts.
So just to Clarify the FRONTCFRONT UPPER CONTROL ARMS for AWD & RWD are the Exact Same? Sorry to beat a Dead Horse but I got a Little Confused.....THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!
Yes, he said "The forward upper control arms are a 1 to 1 match."
Pressing bushings out is really easy. I don't have an awd but if someone mailed me awd control arms I'd be happy to compare bushings from my rwd car. And possibly press new bushings in for them if they were at match.
For bushings for the front upper (4) control arms (1 bushing per control arm) I'd recommend the SuperPro bushings that Figs Engineering offers. $100 for the four of them + shipping. I'm lucky in that I live in Denver and Figs is across town from me so I can pick them up.
IMHO I don't think who makes the control arm is relevant. It's not the arms that are at issue. It's the bushings. What I did was about 3 years ago I bought bushings from Figs with the Australian SuperPro bushings already pressed into MevoTech arms. We put those on the vehicle and I kept the old control arms that came out and pressed (4) new SuperPro bushings into the old control arms and put them in my "bullpen" if you will. Just so I've got them ready to go when the noise level gets the best of me, I wait on no one to change them.
Pressing out the old and new bushings is a bit challenging but by the second bushing you've gotten the hang of it. No need to buy a Harbor Freight press, just rent a ball joint press kit from one of the auto parts retailers in your area. Note: Rent to them means buy it and return it for credit when you're done using it. That's why you'll see they hand you over a kit that's been used a lot. If you get Figs and probably other control arm manufacturers get a cheap 34 mm socket as this is an exact fit to match the diameter of the bushings you'll press out and in. I found that grinding the top of the socket down so I a) had a flatter surface to butt against the bushing and b) it was a rougher surface so it was less likely to slip and get off axis as I was pressing the bushings. I paid $11 at Autozone for the socket but it can be found cheaper. And I cheated at bit as I was having some struggles getting the new bushings in so I ground them down around the perimeter ever so slightly to ease the install into the control arm. It was still work but it lessened the time to go in and they're not going anywhere. Hope this helps. $300 and change for a control arm is way out of my budget. I'd get them from a junk yard before I'd pay that. You might consider www.amayama.com as they sell genuine Toyota and Lexus parts but come out of Australia or the Pacific Rim and take maybe 2-4 weeks to get here but they've got great pricing on big ticket parts for our Lexus'
Drive fast, drive fun and drive for someone who can't anymore. I drive for my Alzheimers stricken father who's life long baby was not my mom but a 1972 Morgan Plus 8. I drove it once and the Michigan State Police dude that pulled me over said " A Morgan?! Wow.....how fast did your speedo say you were going? Cuz my radar said I had you at ______ ....... need to check statute of limitations in MIchigan before I volunteer this number.....anyhow it was my old man who got me into appreciating automobiles and sports cars and my LS. Thanks.
It is relatively easy to find bushings for front upper control arms. I haven't seen any for front lower arms. Beck and Arnley makes front lower control arms for AWD, but it is impossible to find. Rockauto used carry front lower forward and rearward arms, only forward arms remain in stock.
Control Arms: AWD v. RWD
