V300Graham

44215-60010 White
44215-60020 Purple
44215-60030 Orange
44215-60040 Yellow

https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j...47883778,d.ZGU

The range goes from White which is softest and yellow is the hardest. These part numbers are for rack damper springs for the rack damper, to be installed into the steering rack to prevent flutter or wobble on bigger Lexi, the LX 470 and there is a TSB out about it in 2012. Link above.

I am struck at the amount of people talking on the net about these issues in Lexus and Toyota vehicles, and the cynic in me wonders is it all a rouse in the design stage to get people to put new (expensive) parts into basically serviceable vehicles. Anyway I will order up the two harder springs and install them one at a time in due course. They cost about 2 dollars each. If only the other suspension parts were as cheap....

PS I flushed my power steering fluid, I did about a 50% fluid change, something that I had neglected to factor into the equation. It was brown and much more vicous than new Dextron II or III fluid, so I'll put in more soon once I have some miles up on her, but alas apart from the fluid being fresher and cleaner, it has made no difference to the wobble issue.

PPS I'm told the welding idea will not suit the SC430 due to the tilt and slide of the steering column. See previous posts n this thread for details on the welding up of the safety feature in the steering column.

416tt

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys,

So I ended up doing the Castor arms and steering rack, I still have upper control arm and lower left to do. Mannn the castor arm was a pain. As for the outer shell, I could not keep it in because rubber wasn't easy to get off plus it would not work with the Daizens anyways..

I used the hacksaw method to cut the outer shell out and I wanted to use the oem sleeve like "runyun" in the thread:"https://www.clublexus.com/forums/suspension-and-brakes/610414-psb-adus-caster-arm-bushing-install.html". But I discovered something else...

If you look at his oem sleeve; it has a metal buldge in middle but mine's didn't.. instead when I used a torch to get the rubber off, everything eventually melted and so did the buldge in the middle because mine was made of PLASTIC. I used a wire wheel to clean OEM sleeve and used it anyways since it was better then the Daizen one and had this grippy section in middle.. as for the buldge im assuming there is a difference in production years and parts (check pics below) but I dont think you want that buldge in there anyway because there is honestly no room, just getting this straight cylinder required the press.. When it came to pressing the bushing in, I used the grease that was supplied and to get the bushing through I used a metal plate on top and bottom from the harbor 12 ton press. When it came out the other side I noticed some of the lip was bitten off, not sure if anyone else had this experience but for those who are going to perform this I suggest you use the grease provided and on top of it put alot of regular grease, something more slippery just to get it through easier then maybe you wont lose bits of the bushing along way.

Getting the castor arm to sit and the holes to line up with the LCA holes was torture. Eventually I put a wrench at the end then put a 3 ft long 4x2 piece of wood on top of the wrench and as someone pushed down on it, I lay underneath to get the bolts in and eventually it worked !!

Steering rack bushings were straight forward...

I put the car back together as I was thinking of getting the other 2 arms done from a mechanic.. so i took the car out for a ride a it definately made a HUGE HUGE difference in the ride specially the steering rack bushings. Keep in mind I still haven't got my allignment which is very off, so there was a wobble but still the car was riding straight as I let go of the steering and everything just felt so much better. Once I change the other control arm bushings, put summer wheels on which have new tires.. allignment. everything should be perfect!

I might just do the other 2 arms myself so I will keep you guys updated with my process.

@v300graham,
I noticed earlier you said you ordered steering rack bushings, did you end up getting/installing those?

@bacardi11
use the oem sleeve, torch the rubber off.. and when pressing the bushing in, use the provided greese in the middle of the bushing, and on top of that put tons of normal grease aswell as on the lip getting pressed in (make sure you use the smoother side of bushing to press in as one side is a matte unfinished surface) once the lip is in, press the rest fast, the more you wait the more time it gets to deform and possibly rip.

@harleydjce
thanks for the input!! poly bushings are a must upgrade!

416tt

iTrader: (1)

When pressing them in, the approach you see in the picture did not work!! The black metal plate you see under the arm, i used the second one that came with the press on top to push this bushing in.

V300Graham

Yes, I got and installed them, and now the wobble is nice and tight, but still present. My next milestone of hope is the four rack springs of increasing stiffness, which I have yet to order.

Each bushing and joint I have installed has made a small difference, but still the "solution" item has yet to be fitted.

As for your castor arm bushings. I installed mine in a vice and the y squeezed in fairly easily.

Let us know how your car is once she settles down from the parts installed, Bimmer. If you are anything like me you go "Aha, there IS a difference" and then a few days later "But it's still not cured..."

EDIT:
After another yet another adjustment of the rack, this time to the to the slightly stiffer LX470 specification, the wobble kicks in at a much higher 80 mph and is still present in tiny quantities at lower speeds but is well below my threshold of interest at those speeds.
Steering quality is unaffected with this adjustment, not like before when with one of the adjustments I had the rack so tight that the steering mechanism wouldn't self center after bends.
This is starting to look a rack damper spring tensioner issue. The rack tensioner available band of adjustment currently goes from too loose to too tight in a fraction of a turn of the tensioner. I am hoping the springs give me some room to find the missing sweet spot.. I can't wait to get those 4 springs and put them through their paces in my steering rack, one at a time.

416tt

iTrader: (1)

@ V300Graham
thanks for the info! I know what you mean, every part you change seems to narrow it down but then there is always something else, lol I thought M3 issues were bad but atleast that car drove properly, I absolutely love this car but just wish it would ride without shakes and wobbles like a drunk fat lady trying to walk straight :P. Im wondering if the issue is corrected in the newer models? I actually really want to drive one and see the difference..

for Castor arm: The daizen ones have huge lip so I guess alot more grease is needed for those attempting this in future lol but yeah the edge of lip had a small piece bitten off, no difference tho

As for your steering rack, seems like your getting close to the problem but im hoping the new springs solve it because it must be frustrating for you! how long have you been dealing with this issue btw?

Also, I ended up changing the upper control arm bushings but my lower control arm bolt is stuck :/ i tried torching it, hammering.. no help.. Im thinking of cutting it off.. Just this last bushing left then ill get my wheels on + allignment done and let you guys know how it goes!!

V300Graham

Re Your stuck bolt.

Spray that rusty bolt and area with generous amounts of WD40 or some other penetrating oil every morning and evening for a week, but wipe away the excess in case a hot brake ignites it, and try again to remove it. I'll bet it will come loose with reasonable force after that procedure.

416tt

iTrader: (1)

@v300Graham

Thanks for the advice, so im pretty much spraying it everymorning and driving the car to short distances maybe that will help move it around. Will open it up again this weekend and let you know how it goes!

Thanks Again!!

416tt

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys,

so i havnt opened up my car yet again but I had ordered new camber adjustment bolts which i just picked up because mine are siezed in my lower control arm which I may have to cut so I can replace that bushing.. and I noticed these bolts have thread in the middle and that doesn't make sense... maybe there bolted into the bushing? or maybe thats whats siezed? anyone know?

Thanks!

V300Graham

It does not screw into the arm. That second section of threads are some relic of another use on some other car for that part number, as fitted elsewhere.

416tt

iTrader: (1)

Thanks V300Graham!

So I attempted to take those bolts out and after going at it with a hammer and spray.. It got on my nerves lol so I put my foot against the control arm, pushed it down while i pulled the bolt up with a long wrench and it came free! now finally the bushings are on but I screwed something up while closing it all up... I over tigthened the small bolt which holds the bracket down on the control arm. Luckily the thread in the control arm is fine but the thread on the bolt is gone. So i ordered new bolts, they should arrive this week so i can finally close this up.. but im wondering if anyone knows the torque recommendations for all these bolts?

btw if anyone else runs into rusted bolts, i recommend you replace them because they screw other stuff up.

V300Graham

You will need to run the correct thread tap down those threads to "clean the threads in that arm before attempting to install the new bolts, lest you inadvertently damage the new bolts too.

Alternatively if the arm is beyond redemption it can be drilled and have a heli coil insert installed, but you might want to buy a new arm if it goes that far.

Thread tapping or cleaning.

416tt

iTrader: (1)

Thanks V300Graham! I rechased the threads with a tap and it worked out fine! car is closed up, just waiting until next thursday to get my allignment! will let you know how it goes after that!

416tt

iTrader: (1)

So I finally got to do some analysis on my sc430's drive... The car is very smooth and solid at slow speeds, there was still this funny wobble if the road became bumpy or uneven, a wobble sort of like the wheel was shifting in and outward with the ball joints above and below! anyhow I decided to take the car 480km to my old city and see some friends aswell.. On the way there, highway speeds 85 to 130 km/h, car felt horrible... specially from right side, now the bushings and everything definately helped as the car still kept straight and felt firm, but the shake was narrowed down and I was able to tell that it was mostly on the right side. It felt like a loose wheel if you guys know what I mean? everything was torqued down so thats definately not the issue, but then i decided to give the car a shake down and go 140 km/h + ... the car seemed to settle ALOT by the time I got there and I guess my new tires have been shaped to what they are supose to be, but the shake is very minimum and still there slightly.. I really want to just get rid of it. Im really starting to beleive that its the extended studs causing force in an angle making the wheel do funny stuff.. Its on both sides but definately more on right!

**Im really happy with the results of the bushings, its definately a must upgrade and it also reduced my gas mileage.. The car would usually be close to reserve when I got there but this time it was slightly lower then half a tank. So those bushings definately worked some magic.. Im asumming the shakes were absorbed mostly by the soft rubber bushings its why i never felt it on the steering, but after the install it has definately narrowed down to where the problem could be.

@ V300graham, any updates on your car? did you change anything recently?

bacardi11

iTrader: (1)

hi bemmer
what you talk about seems to be built into the car. its not the spacers with or with out. I have tried everything still the same thing. I think lexus has a problem and should fix it. we all have this problem.

416tt

iTrader: (1)

I believe you are right. I notice the hub assembly is pretty much held by 2 ball joints.. The feel i get is that the hub rocks back and forth as the road goes in different angles.. Seems like very weak connection on a car so heavy. Im wondering what we can do :/ ? I notice alot of lexus have these issues. To be honest with you, my m3 had alot of issues such as SMG and what not, cost me alot to fix but I was still happy with that car as it rides properly. This car is a beauty but the ride really dissapoints me..

oh and btw I dont have spacers.. I actually had extended studs installed at the time because I was not getting enough thread and did not know about ET ultra shank.. but now I may go back to the stock studs.. or unless someone knows of another brand which make studs about 55 mm long ?

Thanks for all your help guys!