Does anyone know what size socket I'll need to remove the upper control arm?

 

Well... you'll need a couple. a 14, a 17, and a 19 (3/4").

 

any luck on that oes part being orignal?

 

So I have now replaced the upper control arms, lower ball joints, sway bars and their bushings along with outer tie-rods. I still have a creaking noise coming from the front end when going over bumps and driving slowly. What els is there that could be causing this? I have not replaced outer sway bar links, trailing arms or lower control arms. Any other ideas as to why I can't get to the bottom of this creaking noise? Could there be bad steering rack bushings? I know that I am needing to replace both engine mounts, but that would cause more of a vibration, not a creaking noise correct?

 

did you change out the caster arm bushings the big ones?? thats probably the creaking

 

I have new UCA's and caster arms on order. My front end has squeaked for the past three years. I've replaced the struts, ball joints and tie rods in the past year. DOing a brake service the other day I checked for play in the upper ball jiont on the left side. There was quite a bit of play so it is time to change them out. I'm thinking the ball jiont may be the problem but am going to change out the caster arms with new oem just because I doubt they've been changed before. I bought the car with 90k on it a little over 3 years ago. It has 172k now.
I've also serviced the sway bar bushing with no positve result. If this doesn't work, I'm left with strut support or LCA as the culprit.

 

The dealership told me while I was in getting the upper control arms installed that my "trailing arms" should be replaced next. I believe Lexus refers the trailing arms as the same thing as the caster arms. Is it safe to assume that new trailing arms/caster arms come with new bushings?

 

They do. Unfortunately Lexus does not sell replacement bushings, only the entire assembly. I want the stock ride so no Daizens for me.
Trailing arm=caster arm

 

when i did my suspension
just last week the Caster arm was the only bushing that was bad, when i had everything unhooked and moved the hub up and down it was creaking, I replaced that bushing with a daizen I left all the others stock I dont think One daizen bushing is going to make the ride that much harder if i did all of them it probably would but the upper and other bushings seemed fine even the steering rack and sway bar bushings looked just like new.
My upper balljoint is just OK....
my tie rod was bad i replaced those as well because i didnt do it when i did my Lower ball joint.
but yah Id say its the caster arm, and yes the new one would of course come with a new bushing already in place