Car has a little over 100K.

Does anyone know how to replace the bushings on the suspension arms. Took my car in for the brake switch recall and was told my bushings were cracked. Not sure which ones, but I assume all of them. Looked online for a DIY, but not for the RX330. From some of the DIY's I've seen so far, it looks like a bit$! to replace those rubber bushings.

Keyes Lexus Dealer in Van Nuys, CA $1375.00 for repair.

Anyone have similar problems and would like to share some ideas!

Thanks,

 

are they making noise? if not, a cracked bushing is not safe, i would wait til its noisy or somehow becomes unsafe

 

Do you get any play/sway in the steering wheel while driving the vehicle, i.e., suddenly lurches left or right while holding the wheel straight...for no apparent reason?

 

kiwi - uh, negative. no sound that i'm aware of.

Lexmex - what you described has never happened.

I should just get a second opinion from an independent!

 

Wow $1400 for that job?? Is this the front control arms?

My RX300 has over 150K miles on original cotrol arms and has no issues.
I'd get a second opinion on that definately.

If they are worn (which I doubt) usually it's the back side or the arm which has a bushing that gives out.
If they do it will be noisy over bumps.

Just for reference...My Aunts ES hit a curb and bent the left control arm. Insurance paid for it but the part was only around $200 + labor cost and an Alignment.

Figure $220 for the part
Labor about 1 hour shop time (each side). 3 bolts. Another easy 3 on the balljoint.
and $89 for an Alignment.
That Dealer is "Wacking" you !!

 

Inspect them yourself. Most likely the "cracked" part of the bushing is the rubber lip that is sticking out, which is nothing. If that's the case, just ignore it.

It does sound like the dealer is just trying to scare you into contributing to his yaht payment this month.

 

I'm sure the setup is different on the RX, but the control arm bushings on my BMW are shot, and it's noticeable in a shudder during high-speed braking (say from 60 to 40), and the tires tend to follow every little bump in the road--steering into the path of least resistance, so to speak.

 

At least the bushings are much easier to replace on a BMW.

 

Ok, so I needed to replace the front right lower control arm, along with the ball joint. I came across this post on the Toyotanation forum.


Note, the highlander and lexus are rx350 are identical (changes for the lexus are in bold)

.............................

I changed out the left and right lower control arms today, using Beck Arnley parts. They look identical to the OEM and fit perfectly.

I changed them because my HL has 161k on it, there were lots of rubber cracks on the lower control arm donuts, the car had lost its ride suppleness, mild potholes and road ridges were coming though very harsh and I am trying to remedy a severe steering vagueness and freeway wander.

Whoever designed one of the arm bolts to be inaccessible behind a motor mount (both sides) should be flogged. Actually, if they had shortened the motor mount base bolts by 1/4" it would have made this job 1 hr per side instead of 2 hrs.

Although the service manual says to remove the engine and transaxle so that you can remove the engine mounts, so you can get to the arm bolts, that seemed quite drastic just to change control arms.

Instead, here's what I did;

- jack up car and remove front wheels
- place 2nd jack under edge of oil pan and snug up (insert a piece of 2x4 about 8 inches long between the jack and oil pan)

(remove the dog bone stablizer on the right side of the engine (2 bolts secure it in)

- remove top bolt from radiator side engine mount.
- remove cross bolt from rear engine mount (near fire wall passenger side). (I did not do this because I was only replacing the right side lca)
- remove two bolts attaching plastic protector flap from passenger wheel well (lexus-stupid, there is a third push pin behind the fender skirt. I had to remove the fender skirt to remove the pin to remove the flap)
- remove top nut and 3 bottom base bolts from passenger side (right) engine mount. (note -- two of the base mount bolts are hidden , need to remove the plastic caps to get at these bolts)there are a total of 7 bolts which I loosened to remove the motor mount
- jack up engine until right mount clears bracket and can be removed.
- remove control arm frame attach bolts (two). It might help to remove top sway bar link nut and lay the link over to get a better angle on the one arm bolt.
- remove ball joint to arm nuts (two) and bolt. (I replaced the ball joint also so you will need to remove the ball joint from the steering knuckle)]

- remove control arm donut bushing through bolt.
- rotate control arm to left and pull out.

- for install,
- control arm; install donut end and bolt loosely, then swing around and attach two frame bolts loosely, then pull down on arm and get ball joint bolts studs in. Make sure to snug all control arm bolts and nuts. (here I had to remove the brake rotor and the 4 bolts that secure the plate to the steering knuckle. The stem of the after market ball joint was longer and the plate restricted the ball joint from going in.)

- reinstall right motor mount and bolt up.

For driver side, pretty much the same procedure except move the 2nd jack under the transmission oil pan corner.
- remove driver side engine mount three bolts on bottom, one nut on top.
- jack up engine until right mount can be removed.
- remove and install driver side control arm like the passenger side.
- re-install driver side engine mount.
- remove 2nd jack
- install radiator side motor mount bolt.
- the rest you can figure out.

Driving around near the house, I immediately noticed the return of that bump isolation and much reduced pothole shock, just like when it was new. Will know next week whether it helped the steering and wander.

 

by the way , mu suspension is making noise, i spray ricino oil (vegetal) and the noise return in 1 day
o took photo (below) . see rubber engine support last photo
My question . Is it possible change the bushing easily . if yes could you say how ?

 

search for my DIY thread

 

would silicon oil help bring some life back into the bushing?

 

I'm getting these exact symptoms from my 2010 RX350. Now I'm starting to wonder if my bushings are going bad as well. The shuttering while braking almost feels like warped rotors and the vehicle certainly wanders at 70-80 MPH (But it pulls left a little all of the time because the alignment is a little out).

In addition to those symptoms, I notice that when I hit bumps at low speeds the steering feels loose (sortof like the tires are loose).

It was like this when I bought it months ago (CPO). So I didn't know if it was normal. Now I'm thinking no... It's not major or else I would have known it wasn't normal. But it is enough that it bothers me.

Edit:
I'm going to get an alignment done on Friday at a local shop and have them look at the steering and suspension equipment. Then if something else is wrong I have a verifiable source to back me up at the dealership in case they try to give me the runaround about getting it fixed under warranty (if it's covered, and I believe it is since those aren't wear and tear items afaik). The local shop has no reason to lie because I already told them it's under warranty and I'm going there if I need more than an alignment.

 

I just noticed my bushings are cracked too. They don't look so bad unless you lift the car and control arms are in the lowest position.

Can slightly crack bushings make Rx pull one side?


There is no noise, no clucks, no loose steering feeling etc.

Rx only pulls one side and it has been done basic alignment, three times. Twice in different independent garages and last one with brand new tyres in Toyota dealer.
And still pulls to right.
Should I replace Control arms?
Or should I just follow alignment TSB instead and alter cambers?

 

did you fix your car?
my car does same as yours.
slowing down and put a brake the wheel moves left to right on rough/uneven street.
dealer keep telling me the car is normal.
I'm going crazy!