RX300 The car that keeps on giving..... me more work!

Delphius1 · June 8, 2018

Okay, so the reversing camera is sorted as per my other thread, I've fitted LED reversing lights, a USB socket in the dash and today I replaced the rear anti-roll-bar bushes during lunchtime at work.

Yep, less than half an hour to do the bushes. I had to do it at work as the car park is the only level parking space the car sees! A couple of the bolts had eroded so a normal 12mm socket spun on them. Out came the gripper sockets and they won the battle.

Anyway, while the rear of the car was jacked up, I checked out the rear suspension. Then the car gave me another job: the link for the headlamp height adjuster attached to the offside wishbone had sheared. Looks like one of the joints had seized and snapped the arm. I've doused the thing in penetrating oil and I'll have a look at it over the weekend. Hopefully I can strip it down and fit a new threaded bar.

Although the rear ARB bushes have gone quiet, there's still a small clunk from the front ones. so replacements have been ordered (£16) and will be fitted in due course. Not as simple or accessible as the rears though so maybe not a lunchtime fix....

This car does like to keep me busy.....

welland · June 9, 2018

Hi Delphius,

Where did you get the rear ARB bushes? None of my local factors can get them and I'm not very close to a Lexus stealer. Hoping to find a mail order supplier ........

Delphius1 · June 9, 2018

Hi,

The ones I got are here on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-LEXUS-RX300-350-400H-2003-2008-REAR-STABILISER-ANTI-ROLL-BAR-D-BUSHS/263697308537?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

But make sure they are the correct ones for your car using ebay's compatibility matrix. When I checked for mine there seemed to be different ones.

Delphius1 · June 12, 2018

I know you guys ahave been interested in the various links of parts I'm ordering, so here's a bit of a catch up so far. The rear ARB bushes have tamed the knock from the rear, but there's still a thump from the front ones. The front ARB bushes ordered off eBay are due later this week. Looking under the car it looks like access is a bit tight. Looks like the front wheels come off at the very least to get at them from the side. I might have to actually pay a mechanic to get it up on a lift and do them.

According to Mazda's compatbility Matrix, some front bushes were not suitable for my car. Not sure that's whether there are different ones for different specs of car, but it sounds plausible that the air-suspended SE-L might have different anti roll bars to my springy-sprung SE.

The front ARB bushes I ordered are here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FITS-LEXUS-RX300-350-400H-2003-2008-FRONT-STABILISER-ANTI-ROLL-BAR-D-BUSHS/252063387858?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Fingers crossed they put an end to the clunk from under my feet and I get a Lexus-like ride. Well, I will when I sort the annoying rattle from the dashboard area. Seems to be related to the wipers somehow.

The height sensor link is ordered as well. Initially I looked at this genuine one on eBay but baulked a bit at the cost for such a simple part : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Level-Height-Link-Sensor-Lexus-RX300-330-400h-for-89407-48030/132597305839?hash=item1edf6a51ef:g:908AAOSwk-1Z8zab I'm sure 30-odd quid is good for a Lexus part but thought I could do better than that. But handily the link above gave me the rough sort of length I need to be looking for when searching for generic non-Lexus parts.

After putting a few different search terms in eBay I found this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xenon-HID-light-Ride-Height-Level-Sensor-Linkage-Connecting-Rod-125-135mm-M6-RJ/263729764788?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

It's a little longer than the standard one, but a little work with a hacksaw can sort that if necessary. And at £15 less than half the price!

It might save someone else a few bob if their height sensor links have snapped but the sensor itself is still working, like mine.

Hopefully once this is all done I can relax a bit and enjoy things.

Arharh · June 12, 2018

Thanks for the info you are giving us. I have ordered a camera and will be replacing my broken camera this weekend. As for the height link. Mine broke as yours did. Seized and then snapped in half. I removed the link, freed off the joints with some wiggling and oil. I welded the broken threaded part back together. A year later and it is still working well. I also use parts from https://www.igus.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw3v3YBRCOARIsAPkLbK6f5-k18SsvczlAVIHAQ3u_zA6nt3FicyGhiKS7 at work and a little searching on their website found 2 suitable joints in plastic so unlikely to rust. Know the company and being a regular customer allowed me to get some samples for when the parts fail again. May be worth a look on there website.

I do like these tips on how to save cash on dealer costs.

Delphius1 · June 14, 2018

The new link came in the post yesterday and today I had another lunch break at work rolling around under the car, to the amusement of my work colleagues.

Once I've finished all the bits and bobs that need doing, maybe I'll do a post with pictures of all the mods and work done.

Arharh · June 16, 2018

Well I just spent a happy hour or 2 fitting a cheap camera. Easy job and it works a treat. Thanks for letting us know how to do this.

welland · June 16, 2018

Hi Delphius,

My new rear ARB bushes arrived in the post today, so I have had a go at fitting them. Unfortunately, the clamp bolts are seized solid. One of them has already sheared off, so I've stopped work on the other bolts for now until I can find a solution.

Can you tell me about the clamps on yours: were the nuts attached to the rear part of the clamp, or did they come off when you removed the bolts? Mine are so corroded that it is difficult to tell if the nuts are attached, or just rusted in place? However, I'm leaning towards the understanding that the nuts are attached, because they appear to have square heads, not hexagons. I nmay be able to drill through the bolt in the seized nut, but it won't be easy in situ......

Delphius1 · June 17, 2018

The rear ARB bushes are held in by bolts, the nuts on the back are welded to the bracket. I'd soaked mine in wd40 for a couple of days to make things easier. The two top bolts had corroded so much a 12mm socket almost rounded the heads. I had to use special gripper sockets to get them out.

Delphius1 · June 17, 2018

Arharh, glad it worked for you. It's nice having a working camera. Even better when it hasn't cost a lot to fix. 🙂

Delphius1 · June 18, 2018

The gripper sockets I used on the undersized bolts are like these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11X-3-8-Drive-Socket-9-19mm-Damaged-Nut-Bolt-Remover-Stud-Extractor-Locking-SY/123145599664?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Got me out of a sticky situation more than once when bolts have rusted so much they have reduced in size smaller than a standard socket.

I put a 12mm 12-point socket on the anti roll bar bracket bolts and I could feel the socket just about to slip. Put a 6-point on there and it still moved too much. The head of the bolt had rusted so much it must have eroded a millimetre off the head size. Just enought to not allow a standard socket to hold. Gripper sockets don't care what size the head is, they are able to deal with odd sizes and just grip the head.

Drilling the seized bolt out will be tricky on the left hand side because space is very tight on that side. I hope the snapped bolt is on the right hand side.

Another option may be to unbolt the whole arb bracket off the car and work on it away from the car. The brackets look to be bolted to the subframe by a couple more bolts. But I'd bet they would be seized solid too as they wouldn't have been undone since the car was made. Lots of penetrating oil soaking in for a long time needed I reckon. :-)

Delphius1 · June 19, 2018

Front bushes arrived today. Now I've just got to find out how to fit them using the limited space available without dismantling half the car.

The-Acre · June 19, 2018

You've inspired me! I've just ordered rear bushes for mine, a little job for the weekend.

Delphius1 · June 19, 2018

I'd recommend soaking the mounting bolts in penetrating oil for the next few days before you do the job. :-)

The-Acre · June 19, 2018

1 hour ago, Delphius1 said:

I'd recommend soaking the mounting bolts in penetrating oil for the next few days before you do the job. :-)

I will, they've been there for 13 years so I'm expecting some resistance!

welland · June 21, 2018

On 6/19/2018 at 1:49 PM, The-Acre said:

You've inspired me! I've just ordered rear bushes for mine, a little job for the weekend.

Beware! I was also inspired to do mine, but it didn't go very well. Although the bolts appear to be easily accessible, and I did soak them in penetrating oil, they were still stuck fast. All i succeeded in doing was shearing one bolt right off. The others appeared to be going the same way, so i gave up.

The trouble with sheared bolts is that the nuts are welded to the bracket, so it's not a simple job to just put on another nut and bolt.

The bolt I sheared was the bottom bolt on the RHS, and there was just enough room to get a drill in the right position to drill out the old bolt.

I will now ask my mechanic to do this job, because with the benefit of garage tools and facilities, the job will be accomplished much more easily.