airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Hello,

Please pardon if this sort of videos have already been posted and discussed. I've been searching but the options of things that can go wrong are very wide, so I beg you to help me out on this one.

First of all, I started hearing rubber-like noises from front suspension like three months ago, but they were very minor so I didn't pay attention, but now they grew worse and I really want to fix it.

Here is a video where I turn my steering wheel a little with a motor turned off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbxwAZqrXvU

The same video but with a motor turned on and turning wheels from block to block
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LaDFKzwl_g

In next two videos I try to capture a sound that I hear from a cabin and can reproduce by pushing down on the fender.

Right side:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuU3z4giaJM

Left side:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL3CYPi-8NQ

In this video I also turn the wheels from block to block and you can hear a "clunking" sound when i turn the wheel to the right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHIhPWMtCjs

Me and my friend have already taken out the left upper control arm to see how it looks, well the center point with the ball-joint did move pretty freely but nothing major.

I've read that if you hear sounds when turning the wheel it's lower ball joints. Can anyone confirm judging by the video. If it is them joints, is it safe to drive like that, again judging by the video.

I've passed our strict technical control like two months ago with no warning or anything and I pretty much trust this place, I've been there again like last friday and they couldn't find anything regarding these noises

Please help! I can take more videos or pictures or provide any info to help determine the problem.

Thank you very much!!!

Infamous 1

iTrader: (20)

If you haven't already done your ball joints, do them asap! They're a notorious problem with the gs.

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Thank you for an answer.
I've had the car for less than a yer and haven't yet done any service.
I have all the "history" of the car and virtually nothing has been changed regarding suspension (one minor thing has been changed but that's about it).

I have found a DIY on how to change lower ball joints, but how do I determine if they need changing.
And how do I understand if it's safe to drive like that or not.

Do I also need the steering rack bushing, due to the "play" that I have in the rack? (seen in the video)

Infamous 1

iTrader: (20)

Search for more info about the ball joints and you'll see what needs to be done and how to see if its a problem.

Also, steering rack bushings pretty cheap and easy to install. I would go ahead and do it anyway

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Regarding upper control arm.
Me and m friend are novices in all this suspension stuff, so when we have removed UCA we have removed the rubber thing that goes over the ball joint to see how it moves

Could someone please verify if we can reapply grease and just put the rubber thing back. We didn't have no grease then, so at the moment I'm driving with little to no grease there. Do you think this is safe, I need to drive it less than a week, when I would be able to change them out.

Thank you in advance for your input on this and previously described issues!

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

I found this pdf instruction:
http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/tsb/LexusLX450/pg012l02.pdf

But can't understand which method to use in order to check for free play.
For the GS it says 0.016 in free play, how would one be able to see such a minor movement?

ElitistK

iTrader: (4)

if you are talking about the upper ball joint, no it is not safe to have no grease inside.

a good joint will always want to return to the center position, where as an older or worn out joint will not return back to the center position

how does your castor arm bushing look like?

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Hello,

Thank you for a reply.
Are you sure about the fact that a good joint will always want to come back to the center position?

Regarding a castor arm bushing, I took this picture:
Is it the correct part and how can I determine if it needs attention.


Regarding taken videos, has anyone heard anything familiar or can identify a part being broken? What about the video when I turn my wheels from block to block, is that the kind of knocks and sounds people hear when their ball joints are about to die?

Please people, help me out on this one! I really appreciate your time and input!

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Update:
Today I've been to the shop, where staff has examined my front suspension.
They have found out that my left side LBJ is (leaking oil or grease) Snap, I just remembered that the other day when me and my friend have been taking out the UCA we sprayed a whole lot of grease on every visible rubber part on the right fron suspension, so most probably the oil on the pic, isn't from a ball joint after all! Plus it has no play, squeaks or anything. I was told that it might look dirty and stuff but it doesn't seem to be worn out and doesn't necessarily need replacing.
Well I thought I'd first post pictures and then order just for peace of mind.

Left LBJ


Left LBJ


Right LBJ


Right LBJ


As to squeaking sounds coming from right side of the front suspension, UCA was to blame, I bought a new one and will replace it tomorrow.
The UCA is new, the center ball joint moves but with great force put to it, but it doesn't come back to the center position. Are you sure yours did? Can anyone confirm?

HI98GS

a ball joint will rotate, but it doesnʻt return to center by itself. it just rotates freely, of course you will need to give it some force, but not a whole lot.

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Today me and my friend have installed a completely new UCA.
But the squeaking sound didn't go away (as in the video). When somebody shakes the car and I listen underneath it, I hear the sound coming from the UCA area or the shocks/springs area. Not from lower ball joint area, but I can't be completely sure.
Can you please advice if this can be related to shocks/springs or this is definitely LBJ?

Please help!
Thank you.

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Up!
Please help, still need your advice!
Thank you.

hmoob_vip

iTrader: (1)

Replace both of your balljoints. Mine made the same noise...didnt find anything wrong with it...weeks later, balljoint snapped! Good thing i was doing around 15 mph...or it'll be worse.

junjun

i had same problem, to find out the root of the problem, i tried many things. when the car was on a jack, i could turn my wheels and no sounds were made, only when my car was fully lowered and springs settled. after that i disconnected the tie rod and turned the wheel manually and there was still sound. then i took apart the lower ball joint and found that it was no good but didnt have any signs of being bad until i moved it easily, and closer inspection showed a very small crack on the back which i couldnt see when it was on the car. after that i replaced both lower ball joints on both sides and the sound was still there, so i checked the uppers next and they were the same as the lowers (bad, small crack, easy to move) i ended up replacing my upper and lower ball joints on both sides and now the sounds are gone.

airestonia

iTrader: (1)

Thank you guys for all the replies.

Today I have had two LBJ's replaced. They looked worn out and the ball joint moved with little force put to it.
Here is a video (sorry for awful quality though)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFoVAMKh9Mk

New LBJ:


Well the story continues... I was kinda hoping that would fix my squeaking problem. But it didn't
The sound didn't change at all after changing out LBJ.
Mechanic then started touching everything suspension part he could to determine where the sound is coming from and in vain has touched the xenon auto leveling "link". Well to my big surprise this little part was causing all the loud *** squeaking noise
He has than took it off, applied new grease to it and made the link ends move as supposed to.
And that's pretty much it
I don't feel sorry for changing out LBJ, at least now I know they are OK either way

The moral is as following, sometimes not so obvious things could be the cause of loud squeaking