mdpresco

With 115,000 miles, about 6 months ago, my 2007 has developed a rattle when going over small bumps (gravel driveway, cracks in road, etc.) . I hear it distinctly inside the car. My wife hears it too. Not so distinct outside the car standing at the wheel. So far, here is what I have checked:

• Isolated to the passenger side - 2x4s in the driveway and idling over them revealed passenger side only.
• Removed and replaced steel covers under the car.
• Does it when braking (not loose brake pads).
• Tie rod ends (inner and outer) are tight.
• Steering rack bolts are tight.
• Upper and lower control arms - almost new. No looseness in ball joint ends. No cracks or wear in the bushings.
• Ball joints - jacked the tire off the ground at the strut under the lower control arm. Used lever under tire. No up/down looseness in ball joint.
• Sway bar links - removed both links and tied up the sway bar and drove the car. Still rattles.
• Top air strut bushings - all bolts are tight. No play under mounting bolts under the hood or in the fender well. Removed covers and can't feel looseness in the top while idling over 2x4s.

What's left? It is not a body rattle. The rattle sounds like when conventional struts have been replaced and there is looseness in the mounting bolts - every.single.little.bump makes a noise. Could there be a loose connection or bushing at the shock in the air strut? It is definitely tied to the front right suspension.

Am I leaving out anything? Has anyone tried a ChassisEar with good results?

KYLS

Your front end situation sounds similar to mine. My normal shop replaced the upper arm bushings with little change, so now I suspect the lower bushings or links as the issue. The bushings appear a bit flat but no tears I can see. Should know more in a week, after the suspension shop has a look. In addition, the passenger side rear makes a loud clunk at low speed over speed bumps which I suspect could be a bad air shock, but hoping they find that to be a bad link instead. It is certainly frustrating. Keep us posted on what you discover, and I will do the same. I may look into camera and/or sound monitoring if the shop can’t diagnose the source,

mckellyb

Sounds like classic control arm bushings are worn out.

I noticed my '12 with 83K on it has an occasional rattle in the RF when going over just the right series of bumps, at low speed.

mdpresco

Thank you for the replies. I did read one CL post where the car had a noise in the rear. After the strut was replaced, the noise stopped.

So I have ordered the Steelman Mini EngineEAR diagnostic tool. The wife is out of town with the car and will be back Monday. I will get the tool Tuesday and do some listening for the rattle. I will keep you posted.

Daprano

Did you ever resolve the rattling issue? I have a 2007 LS460L and this is exactly what I am experiencing. I had all four upper control arms replaced last month, front sway bar links replaced and it continues to make the same noise. Thank you

KYLS

What is the verdict?

My car went into the shop this morning, and they isolated the rattle in the front to the driver's side air shocks, and found that the rear passenger's side shock was bottoming out over low humps. There were no issues with the lower bushings or links according to them. They referred me to a different shop for further diagnosing of the air shocks, so I should know more within a few days.

From what I've read, failing air shocks drop the car in height, which is not the case with mine, but it makes me wonder if a weak rear shock could be causing issues with the opposite front shock, or vice versa? Might replacing the top stop in the air shocks help with this issue? I'm trying to educate myself on the topic and options before the shop calls back, for I suspect I will have some decisions to make. If they recommend full replacement, I'm leaning toward going with (a set?) rear Arnott's, and see how that effects the front rattle. Perhaps finding a used salvage yard shock for the front left, if needed after that. I'm thinking of doing the rear as a set, for symmetry and because of all the labor to pull out the rear seats is already done, but what do I know?

mdpresco

Sorry for taking so long to post. I did get the steel man chassis ear. It is the single channel wired device. I have attached it to all the control arms (upper and lower) on the right side, the sway bar link, the cover pan, steering arm - NO RATTLE. Today I connected it to the steering knuckle and the cross member - NO RATTLE. The top strut bolts - NO RATTLE.

The clamp of the ChassisEar did not fit the top of the strut under the control wire connection. I will find a way to clamp it there and drive the car. It is not a safety issue - just a nuisance. So until I find it I will put up with it. I will keep you posted.

KYLS - Tell the shop to prove it to you. If the car is level and bottoms out on small bumps, what does it do on large bumps? What do mean - “replacing the top stop in the air shock”?

KYLS

The first shop basically eliminated the arms and links from the picture. They test drove and experienced the issue, then shook the car while under it and determined the only noise they could hear was from the shock. They charged me nothing even though they spent considerable time with it, and suggested another shop. That shop suggested driving it until the problem gets worse, to be sure the correct part is being replaced. Probably good advice, with little profit for them, but it is driving me nuts and must be fixed sooner than later. I'm fairly sure (95%) that they are right about the noise being the struts at low speed. Once over 30mph all struts are quiet and ride is fine; only problem is noises at low speed, but that is much of my commute. I'd like to be 100% sure, and might need to purchase a ChassisEar to do that, since I have yet to find a shop that is equipped with one.

I could swear I read a thread on replacing the bump stop at the top of the shock complete with diagram and the Lexus part number, but now I can't find it. If I run across it again i will link it, but I some how doubt that will resolve my rear shock issue even if I was to have that done.

KYLS

It seems that defective air shocks do rattle:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...r-on-rear.html

I read TSB L-SB-0138-11 referenced in this thread, and decided to order the updated front LH side air shock for mine; should have it soon. I'll only be sure that was the culprit once done and quiet (me hopes). It looks like there is a new actuator and mount, but I'm not sure if the new shock will require that. So may need that too. Does anyone know?

I found it interesting that the doc recommends using a ChassisEar to confirm the issue.

hippchip

Bushings Maybe?

KYLS

In my case my first thought. All bushing on uppers are already replaced; they needed it but that made no improvement on the rattle. All other arms were examined by three different shops and ruled out.

I was hoping for bad bushings for that would have been cheaper.

KYLS

So sorry for Hijacking your thread. I look forward to hearing the results of your additional diagnostics, and like the methodical way you are proceeding. I only wish I had the same patience.

mdpresco

I finally isolated the noise to the strut. Not the outside but the inside. I attached a small clamp under the electrical connection and connected the ChassisEAR clamp to that. Pulling out of the driveway and around the block confirmed the rattle was inside the strut. There is oil on top of the strut I guess from the internal dampener. So what does the nut do? Attach the shock to the car body? What happens if I tighten it? Regardless, I still have a failed strut. I checked the other side and it is dry.

Has anyone installed the Arnott struts on the front? How well do they perform?

KYLS

Hey mdpresco, glad you were able to trace the source of your noise; it appears we are both battling the same issue. My replacement strut is scheduled for delivered on Monday morning. In my case (LS600h with AWD) I had to go with OEM, since Arnott only offers a rear air strut replacement. I did look into Arnott's for the rear and best price I could find was RockAuto for $578 per strut. I was leaning toward getting two for the back until I found I could get new OEM air struts for around $650 out of UAE.

On a LS460 with RWD, you could convert to strut/spring, Arnott air, or OEM air. It really comes down to weighing price, durability and ride. I read every thread I could find on Arnott's, and they seem no more or less durable than OEM air, though it seems some had trouble getting them to level after installation. The lack of active damper control could be minus (or plus; they may be less complex inside), but I did not want to give up active control, for such a small savings. I PM'd Dave from Arnott about if there is a front option for me, and if a set was required when changing to theirs, and never got a reply. In the end I figured that by sticking with OEM I could just replace the side with the issue without any sacrifice. I too look forward to what other Arnott users have to say, for I have yet to purchase anything for the rear. That said, the Arnott videos are great for showing the steps of removal and replacement. Useful regardless of if you end up swapping to theirs or just swapping out the factory air struts.

Front Strut Replacement on a Lexus LS 460 AS-2855

Rear Strut Replacement on a Lexus LS 460/600h AS-2856 - Video Installation Guide

mdpresco

KYLS
I like your suggestion of replacing only the bad one with an OEM instead of both fronts. Also, I see those replacement struts on websites carmarka, amayama, and megazip advertising air suspension struts around $600 to $700 each shipped from the UAE. Do you believe they are Toyota OEM or Chinese? Is there any way to tell?

Yes, the Arnott videos are excellent. ALLDATA DIY instructs you to take them out through the bottom by removing the lower control arm.