I've got the knock!

[The-Acre]

I had my Celsior MOT 8 weeks ago which passed without an advisory, in the past 4 weeks I've had a knock driving over bumps, it appears to have started at the front but now it's the rear as well, in fact the rear seems to be the loudest. I've just come back from the garage where we had it up on the ramp but all joints/bushes are good.  The mechanics suggestion now is strut top mounts.  Has anyone had experience of the top mounts causing a knock?

[Cotswold Pete]

1 hour ago, The-Acre said:

 The mechanics suggestion now is strut top mounts.

Phil,

I keep getting told all is fine under my car (had new tyres just a few weeks back, and they had a good poke about, as have two other places), but I am getting front clunking, on both sides.

I did have new front shocks and ARB bushes back in May, so I would have thought the top mounts on mine would have been looked at and seen to be okay.

I assumed my knocking was the drop links going, but the chaps at Chris Mullins Glos (who know their stuff) said links were fine.

If anyone thinks this could be cause, be interested to know.

At some point soon I need to get my LS down to Osaka for a really good poke about, as getting the front end 'totally' sorted, as the car does feel lumpy and rumbly.

 

[The-Acre]

12 minutes ago, Cotswold Pete said:

Phil,

I keep getting told all is fine under my car (had new tyres just a few weeks back, and they had a good poke about, as have two other places), but I am getting front clunking, on both sides.

I did have new front shocks and ARB bushes back in May, so I would have thought the top mounts on mine would have been looked at and seen to be okay.

I assumed my knocking was the drop links going, but the chaps at Chris Mullins Glos (who know their stuff) said links were fine.

If anyone thinks this could be cause, be interested to know.

At some point soon I need to get my LS down to Osaka for a really good poke about, as getting the front end 'totally' sorted, as the car does feel lumpy and rumbly.

 

That sounds like my problem, lumpy and rumbly!  I'm only on 69k and looking underneath today you'd think the car was only 3 years old.  We checked all joints and bushes with a pry bar, checked bolts etc but all is solid.  The rear drop links were very easy to swivel in their joints which surprised me as I expected some resistance but no other movement.  I'm reluctant to take it to Lexus, especially as the closest is over an hour away.  Generally it's fine on most surfaces, just annoying over small bumps.  I don't mind spending to get it sorted, it would just be nice to know what it is. Even my wife has noticed it, and that's unusual!!

[Cotswold Pete]

Just found this link on USA web site, not fully read it, but might be useful to see if it helps us 'lumpy knockers' (ooo err missus 😂) work out what is going on.

noise and clunks

Mine has done over 203K, so expecting all sorts to reaching beyond end of life, but my bank balance not in fit state to be handing out cash willy-nilly

[Britprius]

Phil. If the roll bar link ball joints can be turned by hand they have had it. There is a turning torque figure for testing purposes in the workshop manual. Anything below that figure means they are ready for the scrap heap. I will see if I can dig the figure out. I have in the past effected a temporary repair on link ball joints by removing the gaiter putting the threaded pin between the jaws of a vice than smacking the circular lid with a hammer. This tightens the joint up nicely.

John. 

[Britprius]

The test procedure for the links is:-

Fit the nut to the ball under test.
Turn the nut with a torque wrench at the rate of 2 to 4 seconds per turn.
The torque required should be 0.05 N*m.

Less than this figure is a worn joint.

John.

[The-Acre]

26 minutes ago, Cotswold Pete said:

Just found this link on USA web site, not fully read it, but might be useful to see if it helps us 'lumpy knockers' (ooo err missus 😂) work out what is going on.

noise and clunks

Mine has done over 203K, so expecting all sorts to reaching beyond end of life, but my bank balance not in fit state to be handing out cash willy-nilly

Some interesting reading, thanks for that.

[steve2006]

Since I first got mine it has always had a squeak when going over speed humps but only when the engine is cold from overnight, if I come back over them a couple of miles later no squeak. It’s all OEM suspension but does have TEMS.

[The-Acre]

16 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

Since I first got mine it has always had a squeak when going over speed humps but only when the engine is cold from overnight, if I come back over them a couple of miles later no squeak. It’s all OEM suspension but does have TEMS.

I know I mentioned a while ago that my suspension seemed slightly harder than previous ones, but still the ride has been excellent, and still is.  It's just getting to the bottom of this knock that's difficult.  There's no change in pattern whether hot or cold, wet or dry, it's always there. If I could be sure a knock could be caused by even a slight amount of wear in the drop links I'll happily replace them all.  So if someone could confirm they can cause a knock rather than a rattle or squeak I'll get some ordered, there's nothing to loose.

[Britprius]

Having suffered this problem myself for some while on my GS450H I can confirm the drop links definitely do cause a knock. Disconnect the link on both sides at the bottom arm and tying them out of harms way. Then drive the car "with care as there will be body roll" if the knock has gone  you have found the culprit.

John.

[The-Acre]

7 hours ago, Britprius said:

Having suffered this problem myself for some while on my GS450H I can confirm the drop links definitely do cause a knock. Disconnect the link on both sides at the bottom arm and tying them out of harms way. Then drive the car "with care as there will be body roll" if the knock has gone  you have found the culprit.

John.

Thanks John, I'll give that a go later this week.  In fact while I'm at it I'm guessing it wouldn't be a bad idea simply to replace them anyway, they're not that expensive.

[Malc]

49 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

they're not that expensive.

my front droplinks from Toyota / Lexus were about £128 EACH I believe, so we used ECP parts ( or someone like that ) at about 25% of the cost

Rears I don't know about

What i do remember quite well was the front nearside UCA just " went " clunk while I was in the Dolomites a few years back and it didn't make one iota of difference to the drive at all, just an MOT failure and replacement with BluePrint which was a bad move, it only lasted 43k miles before being replaced with a Toyota part from Amayama at the effective same price after all costs

Malc

[The-Acre]

16 minutes ago, Malc said:

my front droplinks from Toyota / Lexus were about £128 EACH I believe, so we used ECP parts ( or someone like that ) at about 25% of the cost

Rears I don't know about

What i do remember quite well was the front nearside UCA just " went " clunk while I was in the Dolomites a few years back and it didn't make one iota of difference to the drive at all, just an MOT failure and replacement with BluePrint which was a bad move, it only lasted 43k miles before being replaced with a Toyota part from Amayama at the effective same price after all costs

Malc

I'm most definitely not buying Lexus parts!  I've been looking at getting them from the US, even with shipping and customs it works out soo much less than we pay here. I'm replacing all four, it may not be necessary but it certainly can't doing any harm, other than to my pocket!

[Cotswold Pete]

The chaps at Osaka in Newport have the view that Lexus parts for shocks, and upper control arms. Everything else it matters less.

 

 

[Razor61]

6 hours ago, The-Acre said:

I'm most definitely not buying Lexus parts!  I've been looking at getting them from the US, even with shipping and customs it works out soo much less than we pay here. I'm replacing all four, it may not be necessary but it certainly can't doing any harm, other than to my pocket!

I ordered front and rear drop links, all new nuts etc and rear anti roll bar bushes from Amayama (thanks to Malc for telling me about them) all for £177 (for a 1996 LS400). From Lexus it was £112 for each front drop link alone iirc. They should be with me in a few days and I don't think there is any duty to pay because I rang Parcel Force Customs dept to pay the duty and they said there wasn't any. I'll know for sure when I get them though.

Correction - just found out the parts are subject to duty, which I though they would be, and the duty was £48.61. I reckoned the duty would be around £35 but didn't know about the £12 admin fee. Just paid it on-line and they will be delivered tomorrow.

[The-Acre]

4 hours ago, Cotswold Pete said:

The chaps at Osaka in Newport have the view that Lexus parts for shocks, and upper control arms. Everything else it matters less.

 

 

In the end I decided on Blueprint parts, and although Malc says he had a bad experience with them I thought I'd take the chance as I've found them to be very good in the past. I wouldn't do it for more important parts but this should at least discover if the links are the problem, personally I think it's something else but we'll see. It does sound like quite a heavy knock.  Blueprint parts were £19 each.

[Britprius]

I used Blueprint parts for my GS. They have now been on the car for 2 years without problems, and from memory they were under £35 for the pair delivered.

John.

[Malc]

my one single BluePrint part was a front UCA and it lasted only 43k miles, about 3 years or so and cost about £250 the cost of each genuine Toyota UCA from Amayama incl carriage, Customs Duty, VAT and the other £12 fees tooooooo for Parcelforce admin fee who had a hand in it all somewhere 

Malc

[skyway]

where did you order the blue prints from Phil

 

[The-Acre]

23 minutes ago, skyway said:

where did you order the blue prints from Phil

I can't work out how to copy the link using my phone but I found them on eBay.  There are others but only the ones I ordered are Blueprint.  I think they were £19 each for the rear, and unlike the fronts which are the same the rears are side handed.  Because I ordered two the price came down to £36 for the pair.  

[skyway]

Thanks Phil

 

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