Here's problem number two. Looking for any ideas as to what may be causing this problem.
My 99 RX drifts to the left even though I have been told and shown (computer readout) that is aligned. I have swapped rims from left to right side and it still always drifts to the left. I therefor believe I can rule out the rims or the tires.

That leaves only the drive mechanism or alignment. I plan on raising the vehicle up on stands to make sure there is no drag on any individual wheel (like a sticky caliber). Unfortunately I don't think I can place the vehicle in drive to check the wheel revolutions since the driveshafts will be hanging too low.

Does anyone have knowledge of the drive clutch mechanism of this vehicle? Is it possible for one wheel to be driven at a rate that is less or more than the others? I suspect not but until I can read the manuals I have no clue. The only other possible problem would be something wrong with the rack and pinion but I don't know if a failure problem is this mechanism would cause a left drift of the vehicle.

I suspect it is still a bad alignment and I may break the current setup take it way out of alignment just so it is reset from scratch back to factory specs.

Anyone have any other ideas or suspect any other componenet?
Would Toyota be able to align this as wheel as Lexus? Or should I only go to a Lexus dealer? Previous garage that showed me the computer printout was a local garage....who are usually very competent and trustworthy (no charge since they said it was aligned).
Thanks

 

gp,

The only experience I've had with this problem have been 2 cases.

The first has been the sticky caliper problem which you can usually detect easily after jacking the car and sometimes changes with brake pressure applied (more or less). I've seen several of these on various vehicles and they have included the caliper piston binding and a clog in the hydraulic line preventing back flow to relieve the pressure on one wheel caliper.

The second thing I've seen is a bad tire. One that had an internal problem and actually caused a pull. to disprove this case, interchange the front and rear tires.

And of course, you’ve checked to see that air pressure is pretty well equalized between left and right.

Good luck.

 

What tires do you currently have on the RX?

Your problem was discussed quite a bit a couple of years ago over on the Edmunds board and, to a lesser degree, the previous CL. No one could determine a consistent problem with the car nor come up with a consistent fix, until owners started replacing the Goodyear Integritys. The then-new Bridgestone Dueler H/L and Michelin CrossTerrain tires were always a succesful fix. Though usually no defect was found in the Goodyears (they are just floppy-sidewalled, very cheap, quiet, passenger car rim protectors), it appears that they were in some way incompatible with the RX. Not everyone had issues with pulling/drifting, and some owners did have mechanical problems or alignment difficulties, but replacing tires fixed it in almost all other cases. It did for wifey's RX.

Interestingly, haven't really heard much griping about this starting around the 01 model year.

 

I actually currently have the Michelin Cross Terrains on (upped to one one size larger) with only a few thousand on them. I had the Goodyears on before and really don't recall the problem occuring with them but it was quite a while ago in the winter.

I bought a second set of brand new RX rims off ebay (cheap) and will remount the Goodyears and try them again too since they were practically new. I think though that the pulling would have changed somewhat based on the swapping around I did with the Michelins. If it does turn out to be a Michelin I'm going to be P#SS*D. My wife like the Goodyear ride better (slightly less noise and I have to agree with her) and she didn't want me to put new Michelins on in the first place.

I'm hoping it is a brake caliper issue to. Will check today.