I changed the control arms a week ago on an 08 rx350. The steps matched another set of instructions posted in this forum. Passenger side is good, but driver side has a noise that I hear when I go over small bumps in the road, like potholes. I have no clue what it is. There is no noise with big movements. All bolts are tight. I even took the engine mount out again today to make sure the bolt behind it was tight enough. I’m dumbfounded and thinking maybe the ball joint that came on the new control arm is bad or maybe the strut is making noise now for some reason. I can’t make anything move with a pry bar when the wheel is off and I can’t repeat the noise by pushing down on the car or pushing on the tire when it is jacked up.

Another symptom of what I think is the same issue.. occasionally when starting to drive forward or backward, I hear a slight clunk and it feels like the tire shifts slightly in the direction it is pushing.

Background: I changed the struts 6 months ago and then the axle a few weeks before the control arm and didn’t have any noise until changing the control arm. Also changed the sway bar links while trying to find the noise. Didn’t change tie rod ends, but they seem solid. Hoping someone has a suggestion. This is getting time consuming and I am close to taking it to a shop, although that defeats the purpose of doing it myself in the first place.

Thanks in advance.

 

Have you replaced the sway bar links and bushings? whenever you replace new suspension parts, the parts that you didn't replace may also be weak will start raring there ugly head, hope that makes sense

 

I had the same issue, I would get a huge popping noise and feel it right in the wheel while taking off from a red light after changing my front control arms. For me, the threads were so rusted and gave me so much resistance that my torque wrench clicked prematurely - turns out the bolt for the circular rear-facing bushing to the subframe was VERY loose. Had to wire-wheel the threads and reinstall. All good 8 months later.

Have you tried loading up the suspension with a secondary jack and checking for play too? I find that on our cars you gotta load them up pretty good to find a clunk.

 

I just did the LCAs and the knocking noise you describe, which sounds like mine, has gotten more frequent and louder. I second the comment to replace the sway bar bushings. I ordered some yesterday and will install them next week and will let you know how it goes.