Hi RKW - Thanks for all the great info you give in these forums. Your posts have helped me immensely over the years!

I just had the Lexus Dealer replace these LCA castor bushings and guess what? They pressed them in upside down! I have 5500 miles on them this way.

 

Interesting that since Saturday, I've had the underbelly plus trans plastic out, and have been inspecting things. The indie in early 2017 put the LCA bushings in with the tab down. Nice. I am also of the camp that they did nothing lol Here it is early 2020, so 3 years later. There are cracks in them, not like before, but lines or something. imho it's like the indie told me, they don't mean anything. There are bushings that are torn and can be moved by hand--that's a problem. I'm of the camp where I am willing to be open where I spent this $$$$, it didn't do anything, maybe you can save $$$$.

Next time mevotech hahahahaha

 

i feel like i have the same issue....my mechanic says my LCA bushings are still okay..

ive gotten it rebalanced multiple times at Costco. My question is -

Do the service technicians at Lexus really balance the wheels that much better

 

Attached are the pages from the 2001-2003 LS430 repair manual. On page SA-42, a diagram (with accompanying instruction) shows the "index tab" should be pointing down.

 

My opinion, Costco does a fine job mounting/balancing. They have modern equipment. My wife's GM SUV "requires" lug centric balancing-if they are done by the hub, as most wheels are, they will vibrate. No issues getting tires from Costco. Pretty sure the computer instructs them and I saw all the adapters in their shop.

When my car vibrated in early 2017, unfortunately, it was a moving target. The LCAs had zero effect. But then, simultaneously, an alignment and wheel balance was done. I did not ask for the wheel balance, and the wheels were Hunter Road Force'd (means nothing haha) already, so doubtful they were not balanced properly--the tires were nearly brand new < 2000 at he time. That leaves the alignment, which showed virtually every setting out. At the end the right rear camber was -1.9 which is not adjustable but all else green

 

Well, umm, on closer inspection, my dealer DID properly install the castor bushings with the index tab in the down position as per the drawing. What I was seeing in the upper position was some kind of other feature, perhaps a mold line or mold feature, which made me think they were upside down.