2004 ES330 Vibration issue
02-08-18, 06:24 PM
#16
Lexus Champion
I know you said you inspected the LCA bushings, how torn are they?
I remember having a similar untraceable vibration on my old ES330, and the control arm bushings looked cracked. On my current Camry, they seem to be delaminating from their inner sleeve, on some road surfaces I get a minor vibration, nothing super annoying unless your looking for it. Not super excited about replacing the LCA because it requires jacking the motor and removing the mounts
I remember having a similar untraceable vibration on my old ES330, and the control arm bushings looked cracked. On my current Camry, they seem to be delaminating from their inner sleeve, on some road surfaces I get a minor vibration, nothing super annoying unless your looking for it. Not super excited about replacing the LCA because it requires jacking the motor and removing the mounts
02-08-18, 06:51 PM
#17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
LCA bushing rubber is not separated or severely split, just some deep grooves of cracks, I pried using pry bar it seems to be solid without much movement. Thanks!
I know you said you inspected the LCA bushings, how torn are they?
I remember having a similar untraceable vibration on my old ES330, and the control arm bushings looked cracked. On my current Camry, they seem to be delaminating from their inner sleeve, on some road surfaces I get a minor vibration, nothing super annoying unless your looking for it. Not super excited about replacing the LCA because it requires jacking the motor and removing the mounts
I remember having a similar untraceable vibration on my old ES330, and the control arm bushings looked cracked. On my current Camry, they seem to be delaminating from their inner sleeve, on some road surfaces I get a minor vibration, nothing super annoying unless your looking for it. Not super excited about replacing the LCA because it requires jacking the motor and removing the mounts
02-09-18, 12:02 PM
#18
Since I will have the front suspension undone anyway, I will also remove the strut assemblies to inspect. What should I be looking for on the mounts? extra play or rotational noise?
If the car saw severe enough service that calipers were compromised and shocks blown out in 100k, it's fair game that aftermarket mounts could fail soon after replacement or that an axle could be damaged. I would have thought axle damage would have been caught replacing bearings and hubs; you can grab the loose axle stub and manipulate it with the hub off, and outboard spline damage should have been apparent.
Where/how was this car driven that so many reasonably very reliable components failed so soon? This is not normal and you should not take it as indicative of the build or design quality of this platform.
02-09-18, 12:21 PM
#19
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
OK, this was an old lady car who always took it to Lexus stealer for services, at 88K she was sold a $1600 timing belt/WP job and all that, idler pulleys weren't even touched... you know what I'm talking about. I can hardly imagine there was any substantial abuse to the car...
I did do the corner press tests and each corner came back firmly with no bouncing... When I replaced the wheel bearings, I did it the text-book way, at no time was force applied to the axle end, I made sure the splines were free from hub before slide-hammering on the hub, I also un-did all ball joints and removed the knuckle off the car so when it went back on, the axle did not have to be over-bent... I am really puzzled!
Thanks!
I did do the corner press tests and each corner came back firmly with no bouncing... When I replaced the wheel bearings, I did it the text-book way, at no time was force applied to the axle end, I made sure the splines were free from hub before slide-hammering on the hub, I also un-did all ball joints and removed the knuckle off the car so when it went back on, the axle did not have to be over-bent... I am really puzzled!
Thanks!
Before you take it apart, you can test it by bouncing the corner like testing shocks, then listening or feeling by hand on the top of the mount. Check the torque on the cartridge and mount nuts. This isn't a foolproof test, but can work.
If the car saw severe enough service that calipers were compromised and shocks blown out in 100k, it's fair game that aftermarket mounts could fail soon after replacement or that an axle could be damaged. I would have thought axle damage would have been caught replacing bearings and hubs; you can grab the loose axle stub and manipulate it with the hub off, and outboard spline damage should have been apparent.
Where/how was this car driven that so many reasonably very reliable components failed so soon? This is not normal and you should not take it as indicative of the build or design quality of this platform.
If the car saw severe enough service that calipers were compromised and shocks blown out in 100k, it's fair game that aftermarket mounts could fail soon after replacement or that an axle could be damaged. I would have thought axle damage would have been caught replacing bearings and hubs; you can grab the loose axle stub and manipulate it with the hub off, and outboard spline damage should have been apparent.
Where/how was this car driven that so many reasonably very reliable components failed so soon? This is not normal and you should not take it as indicative of the build or design quality of this platform.
02-10-18, 07:35 AM
#20
Oro,
out gently driven well maintained 2006 Solara 3.3 (owned 48k-178k) saw 3 calipers seize. It’s the road salt up here. After that, I’ve made it a point to clean/lub puns yearly. Point is, may have not been severe service, just environmental. Also, snowpacked roads are bumpy... hard in shocks
out gently driven well maintained 2006 Solara 3.3 (owned 48k-178k) saw 3 calipers seize. It’s the road salt up here. After that, I’ve made it a point to clean/lub puns yearly. Point is, may have not been severe service, just environmental. Also, snowpacked roads are bumpy... hard in shocks
02-10-18, 07:53 AM
#21
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Yes Philadelphia definitely has snowy winters and salty roads. Early 2000's Toyotas did have caliper design flaws where the rubber boots over the sliding pins were too short, letting moisture, dirt and sand to get in, especially the rear calipers that have the top pins attached to the brackets.
08-19-18, 07:20 PM
#23
Driver School Candidate
Hi OP,
Did you manage to figure out the cause for the issue you were (/are) having? I feel like I am having a similar issue on my 2005 ES330.
I feel this rhythmic kind of bumpy feeling in my seat around 35-40 mph while cruising down a seemingly smooth road.
I took it to a Toyota dealership and the mechanic said my front right lower ball joint is loose. I checked for play by moving tire in 12-6 and 9-3 positions but it didn't budge. Also, the feeling is not in my steering wheel but rather my seat pointing to the rear wheels for problems. Perhaps it was a misdiagnose? Perhaps my ball joint is loose but that's not the cause of the issue?
I had also gotten all 4 of my tires replaced recently and so I had them rotated and re-balanced a few times, but still the problem remained. One of my wheels had a slight bend but I was assured by the mechanics that it would not cause me a problem, especially the one that I am experiencing. I even had them put that wheel in the front to test if that eliminated the bumpy feeling in the seat, but it did not.
Some things that I have considered that could be causing the problem but do not know how to test for it, maybe it can help you and you can help me figure out ways to test it:
Uneven/Warped Rotors
Wheel Bearing/Wheel Bearing Hub
Stabilizer Bar Link/Sway Bar Link
Stabilizer Bar Bushings
Tie Rod Ends
Control Arm
Struts
Power Steering Rack
Universal Joint
Thank you.
Did you manage to figure out the cause for the issue you were (/are) having? I feel like I am having a similar issue on my 2005 ES330.
I feel this rhythmic kind of bumpy feeling in my seat around 35-40 mph while cruising down a seemingly smooth road.
I took it to a Toyota dealership and the mechanic said my front right lower ball joint is loose. I checked for play by moving tire in 12-6 and 9-3 positions but it didn't budge. Also, the feeling is not in my steering wheel but rather my seat pointing to the rear wheels for problems. Perhaps it was a misdiagnose? Perhaps my ball joint is loose but that's not the cause of the issue?
I had also gotten all 4 of my tires replaced recently and so I had them rotated and re-balanced a few times, but still the problem remained. One of my wheels had a slight bend but I was assured by the mechanics that it would not cause me a problem, especially the one that I am experiencing. I even had them put that wheel in the front to test if that eliminated the bumpy feeling in the seat, but it did not.
Some things that I have considered that could be causing the problem but do not know how to test for it, maybe it can help you and you can help me figure out ways to test it:
Uneven/Warped Rotors
Wheel Bearing/Wheel Bearing Hub
Stabilizer Bar Link/Sway Bar Link
Stabilizer Bar Bushings
Tie Rod Ends
Control Arm
Struts
Power Steering Rack
Universal Joint
Thank you.
Last edited by Helius; 08-19-18 at 07:26 PM. Reason: Typos
08-19-18, 09:57 PM
#24
How many miles are on it and the typical roads you drive are on are useful to help guess at these type situations. The other information you gave is quite complete.
Top item on my diff. diagnosis would be a wheel bearing. What you describe is one way to experience that. You can jack the front, then spin the wheel with one hand with another grasping a spring coil. Any vibration felt is a very good indication of a bad wheel bearing. Replacing the bearings on these isn't terribly fun; I did both of them last summer...
Top item on my diff. diagnosis would be a wheel bearing. What you describe is one way to experience that. You can jack the front, then spin the wheel with one hand with another grasping a spring coil. Any vibration felt is a very good indication of a bad wheel bearing. Replacing the bearings on these isn't terribly fun; I did both of them last summer...
08-20-18, 06:51 AM
#25
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Helius, unfortunately, I had decided to drive the car as-is, try not to pay attention to it, so far 10K later, I haven't noticed any abnormal wear to the tires...
I ended up not replacing the CV axles after reading those horrible stories about after-market axles, and my last suspect will be the rear wheel bearings, but haven't got a time to replace those. About your list:
Uneven/Warped Rotor: No, unless you have vibrations when braking at high speed
Wheel Bearing/Wheel Bearing Hub: possible, but my front bearings are not the culprit
Stabilizer Bar Link/Sway Bar Link: No, unless you have clunking noise when going over bumps
Stabilizer Bar Bushings: No, see above
Tie Rod Ends: No, you have no 9-3 play
Control Arm: likely not, you can visually inspect
Struts: likely not, check tire wear pattern
Power Steering Rack: likely not
Universal Joint: what u-joint? in CV axles?
I ended up not replacing the CV axles after reading those horrible stories about after-market axles, and my last suspect will be the rear wheel bearings, but haven't got a time to replace those. About your list:
Uneven/Warped Rotor: No, unless you have vibrations when braking at high speed
Wheel Bearing/Wheel Bearing Hub: possible, but my front bearings are not the culprit
Stabilizer Bar Link/Sway Bar Link: No, unless you have clunking noise when going over bumps
Stabilizer Bar Bushings: No, see above
Tie Rod Ends: No, you have no 9-3 play
Control Arm: likely not, you can visually inspect
Struts: likely not, check tire wear pattern
Power Steering Rack: likely not
Universal Joint: what u-joint? in CV axles?
The following users liked this post:
Helius (08-06-19)
08-21-18, 05:31 PM
#26
Driver School Candidate
Hi Oro,
My car has driven over 163K miles. I will check my front and read wheel bearings using the method you suggested. Supposedly, I feel the vibration in my spring coils as I rotate my wheels, do you think its better to go to the dealership/mechanic shops to get it replaced compared to doing it myself? It it worth (cost of tools+difficulty and risk) of doing it on my own than to pay more to a mechanic?
Seanddd,
Thank you for replying and suggesting ways to test the listed parts.
Sorry I am new to car mechanics, but yes I mean CV axles. How might you test for it?
Also, I do hear the clunk sound from time to time when I go over bumps (but not every time), hence, I thought there may be a problem with my stabilizer bar link or its bushings. Do you think they can be causing the slight vibration issue?
Thank you.
My car has driven over 163K miles. I will check my front and read wheel bearings using the method you suggested. Supposedly, I feel the vibration in my spring coils as I rotate my wheels, do you think its better to go to the dealership/mechanic shops to get it replaced compared to doing it myself? It it worth (cost of tools+difficulty and risk) of doing it on my own than to pay more to a mechanic?
Seanddd,
Thank you for replying and suggesting ways to test the listed parts.
Sorry I am new to car mechanics, but yes I mean CV axles. How might you test for it?
Also, I do hear the clunk sound from time to time when I go over bumps (but not every time), hence, I thought there may be a problem with my stabilizer bar link or its bushings. Do you think they can be causing the slight vibration issue?
Thank you.
08-22-18, 11:07 AM
#27
Getting the hubs off is not terrible. But then you need a hydraulic press to mount the hub in while it is pressed out. If you can do everything else, you can farm that smaller job out to a machinist. If you are a hands-on diy type and have a roomy garage or storage shed, it would also be a good excuse to buy a press. They are not that pricey, used or new.
Have you ever changed the shocks? The “clunk” could be related to that, also (mounts). If so, that could be the source of the vibration, also.
Have you ever changed the shocks? The “clunk” could be related to that, also (mounts). If so, that could be the source of the vibration, also.
Last edited by Oro; 08-22-18 at 11:14 AM.
10-29-18, 08:06 AM
#28
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Helius, have you figured this vibration out? Is it fixed now and how? Thanks!
Hi OP,
Did you manage to figure out the cause for the issue you were (/are) having? I feel like I am having a similar issue on my 2005 ES330.
I feel this rhythmic kind of bumpy feeling in my seat around 35-40 mph while cruising down a seemingly smooth road.
I took it to a Toyota dealership and the mechanic said my front right lower ball joint is loose. I checked for play by moving tire in 12-6 and 9-3 positions but it didn't budge. Also, the feeling is not in my steering wheel but rather my seat pointing to the rear wheels for problems. Perhaps it was a misdiagnose? Perhaps my ball joint is loose but that's not the cause of the issue?
I had also gotten all 4 of my tires replaced recently and so I had them rotated and re-balanced a few times, but still the problem remained. One of my wheels had a slight bend but I was assured by the mechanics that it would not cause me a problem, especially the one that I am experiencing. I even had them put that wheel in the front to test if that eliminated the bumpy feeling in the seat, but it did not.
Some things that I have considered that could be causing the problem but do not know how to test for it, maybe it can help you and you can help me figure out ways to test it:
Uneven/Warped Rotors
Wheel Bearing/Wheel Bearing Hub
Stabilizer Bar Link/Sway Bar Link
Stabilizer Bar Bushings
Tie Rod Ends
Control Arm
Struts
Power Steering Rack
Universal Joint
Thank you.
Did you manage to figure out the cause for the issue you were (/are) having? I feel like I am having a similar issue on my 2005 ES330.
I feel this rhythmic kind of bumpy feeling in my seat around 35-40 mph while cruising down a seemingly smooth road.
I took it to a Toyota dealership and the mechanic said my front right lower ball joint is loose. I checked for play by moving tire in 12-6 and 9-3 positions but it didn't budge. Also, the feeling is not in my steering wheel but rather my seat pointing to the rear wheels for problems. Perhaps it was a misdiagnose? Perhaps my ball joint is loose but that's not the cause of the issue?
I had also gotten all 4 of my tires replaced recently and so I had them rotated and re-balanced a few times, but still the problem remained. One of my wheels had a slight bend but I was assured by the mechanics that it would not cause me a problem, especially the one that I am experiencing. I even had them put that wheel in the front to test if that eliminated the bumpy feeling in the seat, but it did not.
Some things that I have considered that could be causing the problem but do not know how to test for it, maybe it can help you and you can help me figure out ways to test it:
Uneven/Warped Rotors
Wheel Bearing/Wheel Bearing Hub
Stabilizer Bar Link/Sway Bar Link
Stabilizer Bar Bushings
Tie Rod Ends
Control Arm
Struts
Power Steering Rack
Universal Joint
Thank you.
08-06-19, 06:53 PM
#29
Driver School Candidate
Hi seannddd,
Apologies for the late reply.
I think I have found the culprit (but can't say for sure yet).
As previously speculated, it just might be wheel hub/bearing that needs replaced.
Background:
I kept hearing a grinding noise from my rear driver side. Thinking it was due to either a warped rotor or sticking calipers, I replaced my entire brake assembly: Rotors, Calipers, Pads (both sides).
Unfortunately, the grinding noise is still there. The wheel does not rotate freely and the new rotor "seems" to grind against the new pads OR its the wheel bearing grinding - I don't really know, but since the rotors and pads are new, I am thinking the wheel bearing is shot.
Did you find anything new regarding this issue seanddd?
Any thoughts on the new finding Oro?
Also, are there any forums demonstrating rear wheel hub replacement? If it's too complex, I am thinking of getting it done at a garage, anyone know how much it would cost approximately?
Apologies for the late reply.
I think I have found the culprit (but can't say for sure yet).
As previously speculated, it just might be wheel hub/bearing that needs replaced.
Background:
I kept hearing a grinding noise from my rear driver side. Thinking it was due to either a warped rotor or sticking calipers, I replaced my entire brake assembly: Rotors, Calipers, Pads (both sides).
Unfortunately, the grinding noise is still there. The wheel does not rotate freely and the new rotor "seems" to grind against the new pads OR its the wheel bearing grinding - I don't really know, but since the rotors and pads are new, I am thinking the wheel bearing is shot.
Did you find anything new regarding this issue seanddd?
Any thoughts on the new finding Oro?
Also, are there any forums demonstrating rear wheel hub replacement? If it's too complex, I am thinking of getting it done at a garage, anyone know how much it would cost approximately?
08-06-19, 07:07 PM
#30
Lexus Fanatic
Replacing the hub is a pretty easy job compared to most remove the caliper and bracket then the rotor and you have access. 4 bolts later and out it comes.
Different year but similar procedure the main difference is the ABS sensor on your car is integrate into the hub.
Different year but similar procedure the main difference is the ABS sensor on your car is integrate into the hub.
The following users liked this post:
Helius (08-06-19)