well today i installed my ball joints but I'm having a issue on the drivers side.. If i go over a bump i hear like a metal sound or somthing when i go over certain bumps or train tracks.. Nothing is hitting the rotor so i'm so frustrated.. I took pics so there in my gallery. The install too k about 3 hours total.. Would have been less but i had to get my neigbor and borrow some tools.. The passenger side took about 45 min.. THis was my first major project but the drivers side issue is killing me..

Driving is fine and certain dips in the road are fine so i don't know waht it could be.. Thanks

Tony

 

It could be possible that your other bushings are gone. If all the parts were wearing at the same rate and in the same condition before...and then all of a sudden you replace one part and leave the rest old. Maybe the other parts are causing a heavier or different load on the ball joints. Just a thought....

 

Thanks jeff, it doesn't sound like a bushing noise.. I guess its almost like a peice of metal shaking or loose, but nothing is loose? Like i said driving is fine no issues.. Its weird..

 

I just looked at the PM you sent me. I can't seem to find anything wrong. Maybe it's not the balljoint? Maybe it something else?

 

after my front ball joints were replaced, I was trying to hunt down a noise..

front drivers side, lower area, like a faint knock, like a tap or a slight clunk/knock ...

put it on the rack with great lighting, and we determined that I had to change out the Lower "secondary" control arm ie the lower trailing arm.. (the smaller and cheaper one $125) it was slightly bent/warped.....we as in a Family member Lexus Tech and myself determined it.

probably hit a pothole and continued to drive around with 19s, lowered, dead L-tuned shocks, with stiffened Daizen bushings etc...just stressed out that lower arm piece..

sound went away.

Prior to this area...you should check your Rubber Bushings in your front suspension..Grease em up, shoot them up with White Lithium grease...in the hard to reach areas. good luck.

 

Thanks for the tips... i'm going to go through everything again ( the install) and see if i forgot something.. The car is just shy of 60k so don't think anything maybe warped.. I don't drive the car hard and it has a very moderate drop... thanks again

Tony

 

Yea Henry everything looks nornal.. Its very strange.. I even chatted with Ed (lexforlife) and he mentioned turning the spring alittle because it may have moved while jacking the car up.. So i turned the spring a little to reset it back in place and i think it sort of helped.. I'm going to go through everything again step by step to see whats going on..

Thanks

TF

 

Ok, I beleive the front end is perfectly fine.. and the noise is coming from the the drivers side rear.. I think its been going on for a while i just never noticed it because of the radio always on and so forth.. I had the window down and went over reflectors in the road and train tracks etc and it coming from the rear for sure..

The sound is a clank type almost like a metal sound.. Its not a ticking or clicking sound either.. It sounds like a bolt is loose and moving around when i hit the bump.. I've taking the wheel off and inspected, check the bolts and even turned the spring a little to see if jacking the car had anything to do with it but I've been hearing this for awhile because its not a prominent with the radio on.. LOL I rechecked the coilover bolts and even loosed them and retightned them and nothing..

Ball joints seem to be great.. My stock ones were fairly easy to move so i think it was time.. I recommend the DIY from oversteer it was a great write up.. GL..

 

If it's coming from the rear, try to tighten all the bolts back there . Also, check if your sway bar end link is bent or cracked and make sure those bolts are tight too.

 

Drive on the bumps that make noise and then do it again with your brakes lightly applied. It could be the brake pads rattling. I had that problem for a little while.

 

anyone have a manual on how to replace upper and lower ball joints and struts and where to get best price on parts?

 

There's a DIY on the ball joints and tie rods.. I'm a beginner and i did it.. It looks harder than it actually is.. I was impressed at myself.. GL..

check out Seweel Lexus for the parts.. I got the ball joints for 110+ 10.00 shipping..

 

Jeff your like the 3rd person that said to check out the endlinks etc.. I'll give that a shot tomorrow.. I'm fed up with the car today and have to work.. Tomorrows another day..LOL

BTW i tried to move the rear sway bar and it didn't move.. I'll check the bolts..

 

I hear the same clunking metal noises from the front. It happens when I go over railroad tracks and larger potholes and dips as well as braking hard right before coming to a stand still. The previous owner said he replaced the lower ball joints and outer tie rods right before selling the vehicle to me. I have the invoice with the part numbers and it checks out. Should I check out the front "secondary" control arms.

 

if you heard the noise when you go over the bump, check on the endlinks