Tlutrick

First thanks to everyone on this forum for their help. You took my 2007 LS460L (71K miles) from ready to dump it, back to my favorite car. So todate..

1) Road Forced balanced the tires 2x
2) Replaced Wheel bearings
3) Replaced all 8 Front Control Arms & Ball Joints in Steering Knuckle
4) Replaced front/rear brakes & rotors

Though it's marginal, I still feel it, but there is a vibration from the rear (i feel it in the seat not steering wheel). When I had the wheels off, I visually inspected the rear bushings. I did not see any visual indications of tearing or problems on the rear control arms, but in all fairness, my front control arms did not show what I thought to be "tearing" and changing them took the vehicle from feeling like a weed eater to a fine automobile again. Even changing ATF & Diff Fluid has made the car feel more responsive, and it's amplifying the rear.

So before I order bushings, can anyone tell me how to properly diagnose the bushings? I've researched the threads and they're all about visual tearing, which. Can't they break down internally and not show visual outer tearing? My "car friends" think I've developed a problem and that I like working on the car more than driving it, and I have to prove them wrong. It's now a Moral Imperative! 😎 (Great Movie...bonus points if you know).

Lastly, if it's not the rear control arms, then what's left? I know someone is going to say something to do with propeller drive shaft...please don't say propeller drive shaft, as that is a huge PITA just waiting to happen and I really don't want to go there if I don't have too. Please, Please, Please be something else.

Comments are welcome...

Tlutrick

I have. Took a wire grinder wheel, and cleaned them throughly.

Fhobbs

Could it be something aerodynamic causing the vibration?

Tlutrick

I don’t see how it could be aerodynamic related, but always open to learning new perspectives.

I have ordered the rear bushings, and since I didn’t want to take any chances and it was just another $88, I’m going to replace the stabilizer links on the front and rear. I should have done that with the control arms, but was thinking cheap instead of thinking about work miniminalization

caha14

Hate to say it (against your will, too), but at that mileage (relatively low) and given past experience, I'd expect it to be driveline/driveshaft related (assuming you're 100% certain there are no road force issues in the rear tires). There is even a TSIB for driveline vibration.

Failure of the rear bushings/control arms is arguably unheard of - relative to the front, that is.

My 2008 460L was, sadly, a case study on vibrations, and as in your case, it was one thing at a time until everything was resolved. I've posted plenty on the subject and am happy to share more details with you if it helps.

Tlutrick

That is helpful and I’ll go see if I can search on your username, but if you have some specific threads or findings that would get me better focused, would be greatly appreciated

caha14

Hi, sorry for the delay... This post (and links contained within) should do the trick. Happy to share more details if/as needed.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post8470170

Tlutrick

So thanks for the reply. I read the TSB and not completely sure that's my problem, but it could be part of it. I'm not experiencing any "drone" or noise, but a vibration as depicted in the TSB and thread you referenced. Much of the TSB talks of removing seats, sunroof, glueing felt, yadda yadda, but only the beginning talks of the driveshaft. I know it's famous last words, but the actual portion that affects the drive shaft doesn't look too hard. Rotate 120 degrees, adjust angle, replace rubber rear suspension stoppers, as depicted in the workshop manual...https://workshop-manuals.com/lexus/l...mph/page_6465/

My question, is that since my vehicle is out of (48mth or 50K mile) warranty, have you heard of anyone that turned a wrench on this? I would like to know what hurdles I am really up against?

caha14

All excellent points that you raise. I had zero noise or drone, but since the TSIB was ordered/approved, they did the whole thing, including the drone-related parts (and, of course, indexing of the driveshaft as the bulletin calls for). That did not solve the problem, and this is where a new driveshaft came on board, and presto. In addition to vibration, I remember that whenever I stepped on the gas hard and forced a significant downshift, the rear end/differential would clunk. This disappeared with the new driveshaft; evidently something wasn't tight enough (likely in the u-joint/yoke/splines).

Not only have I not heard of anyone who did DIY on this, but also am unclear as to who else ever had this TSIB done here on CL. There was one person I was sharing updates with, whose 2007 also had vibration issues, but I'm not sure if they ultimately did the bulletin on his car.

Tlutrick

Wow, lot's to think about. I'm going to go in this weekend and double check all the control arms following the installation a couple of weeks ago, to ensure proper seating/torque/abnormalities. I went ahead and ordered new stabilizer links, since they were not that much money, due to some comments from friends who had a similar issue that turned out to be stabilizer links. I will start on the rear bushings, and though I don't expect a problem, so many people have looked at bushings thinking they're fine when they failed internally. I'm also not fooling myself, in that I think this is just peace of mind for me. While up on jacks, I'll try and take a look drive shaft and until then see if I can find out what the alignment "should be". Again, I doubt I'll be able to troubleshoot this one, as it's moving more into the expert column of Ghost Chasing.

Tlutrick

So I posted this as a new thread for others, but I solved my vibration problem...

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ion-issue.html

Hub Centric Rings were the culprit. Couldn't see the broken piece until this weekend, when I went in to do investigation of other components. Would not have figured them to cause so much problem.

Tlutrick

Correct on aftermarket wheels. Funny thing is, i didn’t know the wheels were aftermarket when I bought the vehicle, as the dealer installed them. So the clarification is important for those that are unaware.

I learn a little more everyday