LS430 lower control arm bushes

[LS road runner]

I wonder if anyone can confirm this.

 

I had a really bad brake judder on my LS430, I have changed all discs/pads and brake fluid. Everything was genuine apart from the front discs which are Mintex. I have done 150 miles since they were fitted and have taken it very easy.

 

I can still feel a very slight vibration. I have put it down to the control arm rubber bushes having too much play in them. 

Do I buy genuine ones at £100 a piece (bushes only, with trade discount applied) I know they require a lot of pressure to get them in but my mechanic can manage it.

Do I buy them from Lexus spares direct for £160 already fitted to the arms or do I buy cheaper ones from eBay. 

Only thing which puts me off buying the £160 ones is it raises the question is how can they be that price when the bushes alone are more expensive and they claim the bushes to be genuine Lexus.

 

 

[The-Acre]

I'm sure you've done this but it's worth asking. Were the hubs cleaned well before the new discs were put on?  When the front pads on my LS were changed, a tiny, and I mean tiny piece of trapped rust flake  caused it to wobble when braking.  I took it off and cleaned the surfaces and all was fine.  Personally I wouldn't buy cheap suspension/steering parts.

[cornershop]

If it only happens when you apply the brakes, it will most likely be unclean hubs as mentioned above.

This is what Paul at Toyotatech did to my hubs:

 

[LS road runner]

1 hour ago, cornershop said:

If it only happens when you apply the brakes, it will most likely be unclean hubs as mentioned above.

This is what Paul at Toyotatech did to my hubs:

 

Thanks for this, ill give this a go first.

[DaKa]

They really should have cleaned up all the hub when the new Mintex rotors where fitted - it could be this - it was enough to resolve my wobble when I changed all my front braking 6 months ago on my LS430 2001.

However, the stresses that are applied to such a heavy car at the front on the bushes while breaking are massive - they almost certainly will improve the holding and handling when braking/cornering as would a struct brace.

My previous SC430 needed the same a year ago (now sold) and I bought the upper/lower control arms and track rods ends from eBay - not the cheapest but quality parts that stated OEM or  similar with good feedback and UK seller - some of the parts delivered were manufactured by Toyota but much cheaper than from Lexus - they were a easy to fit.

If you pockets are deep buy original otherwise perhaps the same seller would make sense?

a2zmotorspares - lower control arms (Pair £58)

doctor_car - Track Rod ends (Pair £58)

ziggy-a2z - Upper Control Arms (Pair £95)

Good luck

  

[cruisermark]

Hi John

If your car has over 130k miles then definatley look at the control arms bushes - you can put the car on full lock and check the bushes with your finger - if the rubber is soft enough for your fingers to dig into the bushes then imagine what the weight of a 2 tonne car does to it.

[LS road runner]

5 minutes ago, DaKa said:

They really should have cleaned up all the hub when the new Mintex rotors where fitted - it could be this - it was enough to resolve my wobble when I changed all my front braking 6 months ago on my LS430 2001.

However, the stresses that are applied to such a heavy car at the front on the bushes while breaking are massive - they almost certainly will improve the holding and handling when braking/cornering as would a struct brace.

My previous SC430 needed the same a year ago (now sold) and I bought the upper/lower control arms and track rods ends from Ebay - not the cheapest but quality parts that stated OEM or  similar with good feedback and UK seller - some of the parts delivered were manufactured by Toyota but much cheaper than from Lexus - they were a easy to fit.

If you pockets are deep buy original otherwise perhaps the same seller would make sense?

 a2zmotorspares - lower control arms (Pair £58)

doctor_car - Track Rod ends (Pair £58)

ziggy-a2z - Upper Control Arms (Pair £95)

Good luck

  

a2z motor spares are very close to me so ill give them a visit. Thanks for this its very helpful. Budget isnt an issue really but I only paid £1650 for the car a year ago and have spent over £2500 now on tyres, brakes, diff oil, gearbox oil/stainer/gasket, ac condensor, new radiator, new gearbox cooling pipe, cambelt and full service with iridium plugs. Its just a case of how far to go but I suppose if i do this it will hopefully be the end of the maintenance (apart from the air suspension common problem lurking around the corner, hopefully doesnt happen for a while 

[LS road runner]

13 minutes ago, cruisermark said:

Hi John

If your car has over 130k miles then definatley look at the control arms bushes - you can put the car on full lock and check the bushes with your finger - if the rubber is soft enough for your fingers to dig into the bushes then imagine what the weight of a 2 tonne car does to it.

i have checked them and they need changing for sure. I checked them on a ramp with a crow bar and there is a lot of play in them

There are two different tyres according to Lexus, they say take them out to see which ones are needed as they are colour coded. 

[Haylands]

Paul at Lexus spares direct bought an awful lot of bushes direct from the manufacturer in the USA, they are genuine bushes pressed into genuine (second hand) carriers.

You even get some money back if you send your old ones to him...

He has sold over 100 sets.... stack em high and sell em cheap...!!

If yours look like this then they need changing, in fact any small split and they are toast...

This will be the cause of your wheel wobble when braking, guaranteed... don't bother doing anything to the discs until you have done the bushes...

You will be amased....

 

 

[LS road runner]

20 minutes ago, Haylands said:

Paul at Lexus spares direct bought an awful lot of bushes direct from the manufacturer in the USA, they are genuine bushes pressed into genuine (second hand) carriers.

You even get some money back if you send your old ones to him...

He has sold over 100 sets.... stack em high and sell em cheap...!!

If yours look like this then they need changing, in fact any small split and they are toast...

This will be the cause of your wheel wobble when braking, guaranteed... don't bother doing anything to the discs until you have done the bushes...

You will be amased....

 

 

I have already done the pads and discs and to begin with I felt a slight wobble however between today and yesterday I have done 600 miles in the car and I can feel them bedding and no more wobble, although I must say toyota/lexus brakes are the worst! German cars brake so swiftly in comparison. Its not just thisLS430 I have experienced this with. We had a RX400h at home and a land cruiser 3.0 2011 and the braking on both was shocking in comparison to a german car. 

I used genuine rear pads and discs, genuine front pads with mintex front discs. I changed brake fluid and all the fittings are new too (clips and holders) and I am very disappointed. I know its a heavy car but even on new brakes the stopping is worse than my 1987 Toyota corolla. It has been 1000 miles since brakes were fitted so they must have bedded in now and all the fitting is correct (has been checked again). Rant over, moving onto the bushes. I have ordered OE for £40 a pair and my mechanic will fit them for £40. He has the machine to compress the bushes into the arms.

[cornershop]

Re brakes - have you checked your rear calipers are working correctly?  I had mine refurbed along with new aftermarket discs, pads, shoes - it’s totally transformed braking performance and pedal feel/effort

I didn’t think the rears would have so much affect, but it has on my 400.

 

[royzels]

Hello all.... Where is this Paul at Toyotatech based at ?????. Thank you.

[cornershop]

Guildford

[royzels]

Thank you very much.........Cheers Roy.

[LS road runner]

Please see the picture of my New LCA bush fitted to my car. 

It took 20 tonnes of pressure to remove the old ones from the arms.

[The-Acre]

Have you driven it yet, how does it feel?

[LS road runner]

16 hours ago, The-Acre said:

Have you driven it yet, how does it feel?

main differences - steering response is much better, the car isnt rolling in the beds or corners, just feels tighter in general. Seems to have shaved years off the cars age.

 

I would recommend others to get them changed too if that havent already done so, gives the car a totally different feel.

havent tested the brake vibration yet as didnt take it on the motorway. The car is still at the garage, waiting for the radiator to arrive so that can be changed with the gearbox service and pipes. 

[AndyZ]

Having read posts on this thread (and on https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/115512-ls430-build-thread/) I had my lower control arm bushes changed last year.(I've only just recently starting posting on this forum having meant to have started sooner after buying an LS430 18 months ago.) I was experiencing a low frequency vibration at speeds from 60mph+. It felt as if my trouser legs were flapping about! Changing the LCA bushes fixed the problem. So a thanks to John and Peter for their respective threads.

The pictures below show the state of the bushes (2004 LS at 115,000 miles).

Regards

Andy