Need help with ordering parts
03-12-19, 10:26 AM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Need help with ordering parts
Hi everyone!
I have a 2007 Lexus 460 now with 114,000 miles and I have been informed by my long time trusted independent mechanic that I need all new suspension components.
He said I should order online all eight front control arms and struts, so what is the forum consensus of where to order from?
I have read some people order from Ebay and others say Rockauto?
IF you were me and obviously wanted what is considered "good" quality parts but not willing to pay for super premium parts, what would you do, who should I order from?
THANKS !!!
I have a 2007 Lexus 460 now with 114,000 miles and I have been informed by my long time trusted independent mechanic that I need all new suspension components.
He said I should order online all eight front control arms and struts, so what is the forum consensus of where to order from?
I have read some people order from Ebay and others say Rockauto?
IF you were me and obviously wanted what is considered "good" quality parts but not willing to pay for super premium parts, what would you do, who should I order from?
THANKS !!!
03-12-19, 01:55 PM
#2
Driver School Candidate
The short answer is.....how long do you plan on keeping the car? And here's why I say that. Your mechanic is half right. The control arms on the 07 to 12 are crappy but it's not the arms that are at issue - it's the bushings within them. Because of some design flaw, these arms meet at weird angles that cause a lot of unnecessary force or friction and they wear out fast. I live in Denver and there's an awesome, high end Lexus (and other brands) shop called Figs Engineering (www.shopfigs.com) that last swapped out my upper control arms that included some much improved Australian made bushings and after they were installed, it was a whole different ride. Now that was a long time ago and I've blown through those bushings but the reason I had them put new arms on as well as the bushings was so I could have a set in the "bullpen" so to speak. So I've got upper control arms sitting in my garage with new bushings in them (PSB I think and quite honestly, I don't know if the manufacturer of the bushing or the material from which they make it makes a hill of beans difference) However, and having said that you should know I drive my car. I mean I drive the snot out of it. It's a '10 AWD w/air suspension and it gets pushed as I have something in common with Sammy Hagar. You get it. And the roads in Colorado are similar to those in Mogadishu or Sarajevo so I'd prefer to drive quickly over potholes than to experience them slowly. So I know I'm accelerating the demise of the bushings in my vehicle. I knew I'd keep this for a while so my philosophy is to have (2) sets, have my backups ready to go when I pull in the garage and am thoroughly p*ssed at the ride quality again, I know I'm staring at the answer in a box and the next warm day with 4 to 6 hours of free time, I'll swap them out. It looked daunting until I saw the guys at Figs do it and they did it in their parking lot since their couple of lifts had some exotic racers on them at the time. And they banged it out with a couple of guys in 90 minutes I think (and put on a tie rod end for me at the same time). You might try their bushings if you're not an aggressive driver like I am. I think someone who takes it easier would get an extended life cycle and a much improved ride for a long time.
A couple of other notes: It sounds like you've got a good mechanic and he should have no problem swapping out the control arms (with new bushings) in way less than book labor. If he gets the car in the air, I'm sure he'll have both sides done in less than an hour. My guess. I don't think brand whether it's Mevotech (the brand Figs likes) or Fern Beckley or whatever that name is...regardless...when you see a control arm it looks like it's made of pot metal and I've never seen one snapped or cracked so they appear to hold up..just not the bushings.
I don't hear about any new brand of bushings that anybody is raving about so go cheap until there's not a reason to be cheap. If somebody gets those same Aussie bushings from Figs and I read about them still on them at 30K miles with a great ride, I'll buy some and change my driving habits. Until then, and BECAUSE I plan on keeping my LS for a long time, I'll keep buying cheap bushings, and resign myself to replacing them with some frequency. (as of this writing, I'm debating on getting a cheap shop or machine press from Harbor Freight - 20 ton unit for less than $150 with a 20% off coupon so I don't have to farm that out anymore. I can press out the old and press in the new ones and alter how they're pressed, lubricated and with what etc.)
Lastly the second option - that being you weren't planning on keeping the car for any length of time. Go cheap. Just replace the bushings. And be prepared to do it right before you sell the car so if the buyer has been researching the vehicle, he'll come to realize the suspension was a huge issue for these years of LS and yours will ride like the big old boat I wish mine drove like. Albeit a very, very, very fast boat. That's very quiet. And handles really well. With killer sound. Did I mention how fast this thing is?
Good luck my friend just south of me. If you're in Denver sometime, honk your horn and we'll grab a car wash and coffee somewhere. Welcome to control arm corner!
Spartan 8
in Centennial, CO
A couple of other notes: It sounds like you've got a good mechanic and he should have no problem swapping out the control arms (with new bushings) in way less than book labor. If he gets the car in the air, I'm sure he'll have both sides done in less than an hour. My guess. I don't think brand whether it's Mevotech (the brand Figs likes) or Fern Beckley or whatever that name is...regardless...when you see a control arm it looks like it's made of pot metal and I've never seen one snapped or cracked so they appear to hold up..just not the bushings.
I don't hear about any new brand of bushings that anybody is raving about so go cheap until there's not a reason to be cheap. If somebody gets those same Aussie bushings from Figs and I read about them still on them at 30K miles with a great ride, I'll buy some and change my driving habits. Until then, and BECAUSE I plan on keeping my LS for a long time, I'll keep buying cheap bushings, and resign myself to replacing them with some frequency. (as of this writing, I'm debating on getting a cheap shop or machine press from Harbor Freight - 20 ton unit for less than $150 with a 20% off coupon so I don't have to farm that out anymore. I can press out the old and press in the new ones and alter how they're pressed, lubricated and with what etc.)
Lastly the second option - that being you weren't planning on keeping the car for any length of time. Go cheap. Just replace the bushings. And be prepared to do it right before you sell the car so if the buyer has been researching the vehicle, he'll come to realize the suspension was a huge issue for these years of LS and yours will ride like the big old boat I wish mine drove like. Albeit a very, very, very fast boat. That's very quiet. And handles really well. With killer sound. Did I mention how fast this thing is?
Good luck my friend just south of me. If you're in Denver sometime, honk your horn and we'll grab a car wash and coffee somewhere. Welcome to control arm corner!
Spartan 8
in Centennial, CO
03-13-19, 08:27 AM
#4
Pole Position
The short answer is.....how long do you plan on keeping the car? And here's why I say that. Your mechanic is half right. The control arms on the 07 to 12 are crappy but it's not the arms that are at issue - it's the bushings within them. Because of some design flaw, these arms meet at weird angles that cause a lot of unnecessary force or friction and they wear out fast. I live in Denver and there's an awesome, high end Lexus (and other brands) shop called Figs Engineering (www.shopfigs.com) that last swapped out my upper control arms that included some much improved Australian made bushings and after they were installed, it was a whole different ride. Now that was a long time ago and I've blown through those bushings but the reason I had them put new arms on as well as the bushings was so I could have a set in the "bullpen" so to speak. So I've got upper control arms sitting in my garage with new bushings in them (PSB I think and quite honestly, I don't know if the manufacturer of the bushing or the material from which they make it makes a hill of beans difference) However, and having said that you should know I drive my car. I mean I drive the snot out of it. It's a '10 AWD w/air suspension and it gets pushed as I have something in common with Sammy Hagar. You get it. And the roads in Colorado are similar to those in Mogadishu or Sarajevo so I'd prefer to drive quickly over potholes than to experience them slowly. So I know I'm accelerating the demise of the bushings in my vehicle. I knew I'd keep this for a while so my philosophy is to have (2) sets, have my backups ready to go when I pull in the garage and am thoroughly p*ssed at the ride quality again, I know I'm staring at the answer in a box and the next warm day with 4 to 6 hours of free time, I'll swap them out. It looked daunting until I saw the guys at Figs do it and they did it in their parking lot since their couple of lifts had some exotic racers on them at the time. And they banged it out with a couple of guys in 90 minutes I think (and put on a tie rod end for me at the same time). You might try their bushings if you're not an aggressive driver like I am. I think someone who takes it easier would get an extended life cycle and a much improved ride for a long time.
A couple of other notes: It sounds like you've got a good mechanic and he should have no problem swapping out the control arms (with new bushings) in way less than book labor. If he gets the car in the air, I'm sure he'll have both sides done in less than an hour. My guess. I don't think brand whether it's Mevotech (the brand Figs likes) or Fern Beckley or whatever that name is...regardless...when you see a control arm it looks like it's made of pot metal and I've never seen one snapped or cracked so they appear to hold up..just not the bushings.
I don't hear about any new brand of bushings that anybody is raving about so go cheap until there's not a reason to be cheap. If somebody gets those same Aussie bushings from Figs and I read about them still on them at 30K miles with a great ride, I'll buy some and change my driving habits. Until then, and BECAUSE I plan on keeping my LS for a long time, I'll keep buying cheap bushings, and resign myself to replacing them with some frequency. (as of this writing, I'm debating on getting a cheap shop or machine press from Harbor Freight - 20 ton unit for less than $150 with a 20% off coupon so I don't have to farm that out anymore. I can press out the old and press in the new ones and alter how they're pressed, lubricated and with what etc.)
Lastly the second option - that being you weren't planning on keeping the car for any length of time. Go cheap. Just replace the bushings. And be prepared to do it right before you sell the car so if the buyer has been researching the vehicle, he'll come to realize the suspension was a huge issue for these years of LS and yours will ride like the big old boat I wish mine drove like. Albeit a very, very, very fast boat. That's very quiet. And handles really well. With killer sound. Did I mention how fast this thing is?
Good luck my friend just south of me. If you're in Denver sometime, honk your horn and we'll grab a car wash and coffee somewhere. Welcome to control arm corner!
Spartan 8
in Centennial, CO
A couple of other notes: It sounds like you've got a good mechanic and he should have no problem swapping out the control arms (with new bushings) in way less than book labor. If he gets the car in the air, I'm sure he'll have both sides done in less than an hour. My guess. I don't think brand whether it's Mevotech (the brand Figs likes) or Fern Beckley or whatever that name is...regardless...when you see a control arm it looks like it's made of pot metal and I've never seen one snapped or cracked so they appear to hold up..just not the bushings.
I don't hear about any new brand of bushings that anybody is raving about so go cheap until there's not a reason to be cheap. If somebody gets those same Aussie bushings from Figs and I read about them still on them at 30K miles with a great ride, I'll buy some and change my driving habits. Until then, and BECAUSE I plan on keeping my LS for a long time, I'll keep buying cheap bushings, and resign myself to replacing them with some frequency. (as of this writing, I'm debating on getting a cheap shop or machine press from Harbor Freight - 20 ton unit for less than $150 with a 20% off coupon so I don't have to farm that out anymore. I can press out the old and press in the new ones and alter how they're pressed, lubricated and with what etc.)
Lastly the second option - that being you weren't planning on keeping the car for any length of time. Go cheap. Just replace the bushings. And be prepared to do it right before you sell the car so if the buyer has been researching the vehicle, he'll come to realize the suspension was a huge issue for these years of LS and yours will ride like the big old boat I wish mine drove like. Albeit a very, very, very fast boat. That's very quiet. And handles really well. With killer sound. Did I mention how fast this thing is?
Good luck my friend just south of me. If you're in Denver sometime, honk your horn and we'll grab a car wash and coffee somewhere. Welcome to control arm corner!
Spartan 8
in Centennial, CO
Thanks
03-13-19, 06:56 PM
#5
So read through this post and search for others https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...l-arm-omg.html
Control Arms are a known issue that will come back to haunt you later. I bought Mevotech parts (Lifetime warranty) via Rock Auto, and NIST ball joints via eBay (don't mess with this last part unless you are comfortable using a C-press, but it will be well worth it). If I could have done it over, AutoZone had the Duralast parts (Lifetime warranty) within $50 difference (online order only) and when a part eventually fails (and it will), I can run down to my local brick/mortar store and get it local or at least faster than sending to RockAuto and waiting.
hope this helps...
Control Arms are a known issue that will come back to haunt you later. I bought Mevotech parts (Lifetime warranty) via Rock Auto, and NIST ball joints via eBay (don't mess with this last part unless you are comfortable using a C-press, but it will be well worth it). If I could have done it over, AutoZone had the Duralast parts (Lifetime warranty) within $50 difference (online order only) and when a part eventually fails (and it will), I can run down to my local brick/mortar store and get it local or at least faster than sending to RockAuto and waiting.
hope this helps...
03-18-19, 02:25 PM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Sorry that my answer wasn't as clear as I intended. I know for a fact that Figs bushings are superior to the PSB brand. What I don't know in my specific example, because I consider myself a pretty aggressive driver, is would the Figs be the best bushing for a driver of my style - period? That I don't know but I'll tell that we as a group of manufacturer and model specific car enthusiasts need to support shops like Figs. I realize you're in the Ukraine but I'm sure you've been in shops where when you walk in the door, you feel the energy. You can tell these guys are probably the same bat **** crazy guy behind you on the highway and the two of you are glued together doing 90 miles an hour up a mountain pass and when it's time to break off at your exit you get the wave or chin nod of another enthusiast. They're good guys and the more we can do to support them, then I think we'll see more products for the LS product line. I think they're only beginning to see that us old "Luxury Sedan" guys like to go fast like the IS guys and we'd love to upgrade our suspensions, and slam the car down to where the line between vehicle and asphalt is indistinguishable, anything that makes it go faster, perform better, and come out of the corners like Phil Mahre on his home slalom course (yeah....old school you IS youngsters).
So short answer is yes, Figs. If you are easy on your LS and don't push it hard every day, I think you can expect a reasonably long(er) life on Figs Aussie version of bushings versus what else is out there. The evening the Figs guys put mine on was a drive home like no other.....call it California King sized bed with pillow top mattress....soft and smooth compared to how harsh it has been when the bushings have been left in the game too long. For me personally, and because I"m a quick study, I'm going to jump on our man in LA (Louisiana) and buy the Autozone lifetime replacement arms/bushings....I didn't realize that was an option. Thanks for the tip!
As a personal aside, I was in my mechanics shop last night and we were installing new rear brake pads, and rear rotors/wear sensors and it's surprising to see that hte back control arms and those accompanying bushings looked dry and somewhat cracked but not shredded like the fronts can look after leaving them in too long. And they appeared to be factory arms and I"m at 125K miles right now. So this is and will be a front control arm issue and it's probably needless spending to do the rears as well. I gotta save my money for when the Figs guys have a replacement for my air suspension as I'm waffling about coilovers. I can appreciate the setup flexibility but I'm not sure I want to surrender the luxury ride from time to time and whatever I'll lose in dash and alarm integration when Lex Luther (your car doesn't have a name? really?) loses communication with known original Lexus parts. I can't bear to be staring at alarms on the dash. I'll bet it can be disabled and I'm sure I'll warm up to a coilover solution that can be adjusted from firm-luxury position to pole position on race day. And back. With a couple of clicks or turns.
Note: I'll post some pics of Lex now that he's got the brushed aluminum rotors with calipers painted kind of a marine blue with white lexus (name on front, logo on back) decals applied to the calipers.
The blue on my black Lex Luther's matte silver rotors looks sharp. Can't wait for one of those WRX p*ssants to pull up with his new muffler so I can show him my customized plates and all the cool badging on the back of my car. But it'll be a short look at that.
Hope this helps and sorry for the length. I type too fast.
So short answer is yes, Figs. If you are easy on your LS and don't push it hard every day, I think you can expect a reasonably long(er) life on Figs Aussie version of bushings versus what else is out there. The evening the Figs guys put mine on was a drive home like no other.....call it California King sized bed with pillow top mattress....soft and smooth compared to how harsh it has been when the bushings have been left in the game too long. For me personally, and because I"m a quick study, I'm going to jump on our man in LA (Louisiana) and buy the Autozone lifetime replacement arms/bushings....I didn't realize that was an option. Thanks for the tip!
As a personal aside, I was in my mechanics shop last night and we were installing new rear brake pads, and rear rotors/wear sensors and it's surprising to see that hte back control arms and those accompanying bushings looked dry and somewhat cracked but not shredded like the fronts can look after leaving them in too long. And they appeared to be factory arms and I"m at 125K miles right now. So this is and will be a front control arm issue and it's probably needless spending to do the rears as well. I gotta save my money for when the Figs guys have a replacement for my air suspension as I'm waffling about coilovers. I can appreciate the setup flexibility but I'm not sure I want to surrender the luxury ride from time to time and whatever I'll lose in dash and alarm integration when Lex Luther (your car doesn't have a name? really?) loses communication with known original Lexus parts. I can't bear to be staring at alarms on the dash. I'll bet it can be disabled and I'm sure I'll warm up to a coilover solution that can be adjusted from firm-luxury position to pole position on race day. And back. With a couple of clicks or turns.
Note: I'll post some pics of Lex now that he's got the brushed aluminum rotors with calipers painted kind of a marine blue with white lexus (name on front, logo on back) decals applied to the calipers.
The blue on my black Lex Luther's matte silver rotors looks sharp. Can't wait for one of those WRX p*ssants to pull up with his new muffler so I can show him my customized plates and all the cool badging on the back of my car. But it'll be a short look at that.
Hope this helps and sorry for the length. I type too fast.
03-18-19, 02:27 PM
#7
Driver School Candidate
Hey Tlutrick, thanks for the sage advice to go to Autozone. Would you also get the same NIST ball joints via Ebay or would you (in the future knowing what you know now) get the ball joints also from Autozone for the same lifetime warranty? thanks
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03-19-19, 07:53 PM
#8
I just went through most of your situation on my 07 with 161k:
Rockauto order KYB front struts ~108 a piece, and upper Mevotech control arms for ~110 per side. My lowers look in very good shape.
Most difficult part was compressing the coil springs. Use a bungee or nylon pull strap to wrap around the compressors to maintain a safety control on the spring/compressor system.
I used Autozone spring compressor and ball joint press which is Buy/borrow.
If the ball joints are good you could just replace bushings.
If you plan on keeping the car for a long time I would invest in Figs or replacement bushings for the control arms.
https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/cat-lexu...LS460-FRUCABSH
https://www.armstrongdistributors.com/collections/ls460
I have never had a car with this age and mileage come apart so EASY. I put most everything back with antiseize to make sure it stays this way.
Rockauto order KYB front struts ~108 a piece, and upper Mevotech control arms for ~110 per side. My lowers look in very good shape.
Most difficult part was compressing the coil springs. Use a bungee or nylon pull strap to wrap around the compressors to maintain a safety control on the spring/compressor system.
I used Autozone spring compressor and ball joint press which is Buy/borrow.
If the ball joints are good you could just replace bushings.
If you plan on keeping the car for a long time I would invest in Figs or replacement bushings for the control arms.
https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/cat-lexu...LS460-FRUCABSH
https://www.armstrongdistributors.com/collections/ls460
I have never had a car with this age and mileage come apart so EASY. I put most everything back with antiseize to make sure it stays this way.
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