GS owners - are your ball joints broken?
03-24-07, 12:16 AM
#33
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When my ball joint was going bad, it sounded like metal on metal grinding noise. It was pretty much every time I turned the wheel. At first I thought it was maybe the caliper/pads that were loose. I tried tightening all the brake components, and I thought it went away. The sound would only come after I drove for more than hour. I have no F*&%ing clue what it was. It was so odd, i've lowered plenty of cars, and worked on every car I've owned, and I could not figure it out.
Anyway, I finally figured out after hours of checking every part on the car, and going through clublexus, that it was the ball joint. The thing was, other people having ball joint problems did not have the same symtoms as me. The reason the ball joint was only makin noise after an hour was because, the whole brake assembly was gettin so hot that it would heat up the ball joint, and pretty much degrease it. If you've ever taken off a ball joint, there's plenty of grease in there, but i guess the heat was causing the grease to be thinner and there would be more metal on metal. After I took the ball joint out, you could see the heat marks, and stress from metal on metal.
I bought a new ball joint assembly, had the part for a few week, and was not able to install the part because of conflictin schedules. Since I knew the ball joint was bad, I tried driving the car for less than hour, no hard turning, or hard braking. After like a month or so, (yes i was being lazy) the handling on the GS started to act funny. It was as if my rack n pinion was bad becasue the car wouldnt drive straight. I knew it was from the ball joint having too much play, and wheel alignment was f'ed.
The next day, I decided to fix the ball joint, but I had to pick up some stuff from Pep boys before I did the install. As I was backing out my car, the ball joint snapped, and the entire lower control arm was sitting on my wheel. Luckily it was my stock wheels and I wasnt driving more a few MPHs.
sorry for the long post, but If your ball joints make noise...change it ASAP. I could have been going like 80mph on the freeway, thank God I wasnt.
Anyway, I finally figured out after hours of checking every part on the car, and going through clublexus, that it was the ball joint. The thing was, other people having ball joint problems did not have the same symtoms as me. The reason the ball joint was only makin noise after an hour was because, the whole brake assembly was gettin so hot that it would heat up the ball joint, and pretty much degrease it. If you've ever taken off a ball joint, there's plenty of grease in there, but i guess the heat was causing the grease to be thinner and there would be more metal on metal. After I took the ball joint out, you could see the heat marks, and stress from metal on metal.
I bought a new ball joint assembly, had the part for a few week, and was not able to install the part because of conflictin schedules. Since I knew the ball joint was bad, I tried driving the car for less than hour, no hard turning, or hard braking. After like a month or so, (yes i was being lazy) the handling on the GS started to act funny. It was as if my rack n pinion was bad becasue the car wouldnt drive straight. I knew it was from the ball joint having too much play, and wheel alignment was f'ed.
The next day, I decided to fix the ball joint, but I had to pick up some stuff from Pep boys before I did the install. As I was backing out my car, the ball joint snapped, and the entire lower control arm was sitting on my wheel. Luckily it was my stock wheels and I wasnt driving more a few MPHs.
sorry for the long post, but If your ball joints make noise...change it ASAP. I could have been going like 80mph on the freeway, thank God I wasnt.
03-24-07, 08:11 AM
#34
Lexus Test Driver
do this:
1. jack one front wheel up and locate the ball joint.
2. take a stick or baseball bat and place it under the tire.
3. lift one end of the stick up so that it is like it is jacking up the tire.
4. if you see play (movement) on the lower ball joint, it's about time to replace them. you'll notice that the ball joint shaft will move up and down.
1. jack one front wheel up and locate the ball joint.
2. take a stick or baseball bat and place it under the tire.
3. lift one end of the stick up so that it is like it is jacking up the tire.
4. if you see play (movement) on the lower ball joint, it's about time to replace them. you'll notice that the ball joint shaft will move up and down.
06-12-07, 10:43 AM
#36
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I just got my gs4 done last week at the dealer. I was actually looking to fix the double clunk I had when I would acellerate from a stop. After getting the b-jnts done I still have the double clunk(or pop) from stop position. Though I do have better tightness in steering and no popping on turning my wheel and no drifting while driving. So, I am now thinking I have to replace my struts. ??
06-13-07, 02:06 AM
#37
I just got my gs4 done last week at the dealer. I was actually looking to fix the double clunk I had when I would acellerate from a stop. After getting the b-jnts done I still have the double clunk(or pop) from stop position. Though I do have better tightness in steering and no popping on turning my wheel and no drifting while driving. So, I am now thinking I have to replace my struts. ??
and anyone have a DIY guide for a GS400 and not a LS400??
06-13-07, 08:59 AM
#38
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Opps. My bad... I just bought the car a couple months ago. I have not even dug into the mechanics completely. So, I may be wrong. Is there something else I shoul dbe looking at? Or where I can look?
06-14-07, 11:45 AM
#39
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ok well, I was told by the dealership in Rockford. (descent people so far there) told me that if it was my rods I would have more vibration and rattle then my clunk and popping. they offered me to bring it back to let me know what coilovers I have in with towers and springs. This way I can get the same ones and just replace them. Unless anyone has a better thought to my delema. More to come...
06-14-07, 12:26 PM
#41
06-14-07, 08:41 PM
#44
When my ball joint was going bad, it sounded like metal on metal grinding noise. It was pretty much every time I turned the wheel. At first I thought it was maybe the caliper/pads that were loose. I tried tightening all the brake components, and I thought it went away. The sound would only come after I drove for more than hour. I have no F*&%ing clue what it was. It was so odd, i've lowered plenty of cars, and worked on every car I've owned, and I could not figure it out.
Anyway, I finally figured out after hours of checking every part on the car, and going through clublexus, that it was the ball joint. The thing was, other people having ball joint problems did not have the same symtoms as me. The reason the ball joint was only makin noise after an hour was because, the whole brake assembly was gettin so hot that it would heat up the ball joint, and pretty much degrease it. If you've ever taken off a ball joint, there's plenty of grease in there, but i guess the heat was causing the grease to be thinner and there would be more metal on metal. After I took the ball joint out, you could see the heat marks, and stress from metal on metal.
I bought a new ball joint assembly, had the part for a few week, and was not able to install the part because of conflictin schedules. Since I knew the ball joint was bad, I tried driving the car for less than hour, no hard turning, or hard braking. After like a month or so, (yes i was being lazy) the handling on the GS started to act funny. It was as if my rack n pinion was bad becasue the car wouldnt drive straight. I knew it was from the ball joint having too much play, and wheel alignment was f'ed.
The next day, I decided to fix the ball joint, but I had to pick up some stuff from Pep boys before I did the install. As I was backing out my car, the ball joint snapped, and the entire lower control arm was sitting on my wheel. Luckily it was my stock wheels and I wasnt driving more a few MPHs.
sorry for the long post, but If your ball joints make noise...change it ASAP. I could have been going like 80mph on the freeway, thank God I wasnt.
Anyway, I finally figured out after hours of checking every part on the car, and going through clublexus, that it was the ball joint. The thing was, other people having ball joint problems did not have the same symtoms as me. The reason the ball joint was only makin noise after an hour was because, the whole brake assembly was gettin so hot that it would heat up the ball joint, and pretty much degrease it. If you've ever taken off a ball joint, there's plenty of grease in there, but i guess the heat was causing the grease to be thinner and there would be more metal on metal. After I took the ball joint out, you could see the heat marks, and stress from metal on metal.
I bought a new ball joint assembly, had the part for a few week, and was not able to install the part because of conflictin schedules. Since I knew the ball joint was bad, I tried driving the car for less than hour, no hard turning, or hard braking. After like a month or so, (yes i was being lazy) the handling on the GS started to act funny. It was as if my rack n pinion was bad becasue the car wouldnt drive straight. I knew it was from the ball joint having too much play, and wheel alignment was f'ed.
The next day, I decided to fix the ball joint, but I had to pick up some stuff from Pep boys before I did the install. As I was backing out my car, the ball joint snapped, and the entire lower control arm was sitting on my wheel. Luckily it was my stock wheels and I wasnt driving more a few MPHs.
sorry for the long post, but If your ball joints make noise...change it ASAP. I could have been going like 80mph on the freeway, thank God I wasnt.
This happened to me TODAY! damn