Dreaded UCA..advice (and bearing and bushes and brakes.....)

[Benaywood]

After a couple of years of pretty low cost motoring I'm faced with a bit of a bill or two.. I took my 1998 MkIV (S20 BHH) in to Blackboots to hopefully get the tracking done but I was told (in a very nice way!) that I needed to get a few bits done before it would be possible/worthwhile.  The list in order of urgency was:

1. NSF wheel bearing (very urgent)..

2. OSF UCA or 'A' Arm as they termed it.

3. Rear hub bushes (both sides).

I do have a contact/trusted friend in the trade who can arrange fitting at a fair price so I was hoping to order some parts to undercut the Lexus OEM prices which would be a bit of a stretch to do in one hit.  So I was wondering if anyone had any experience of Rock Auto they could advise on?

1. The bearing is proving harder than expected, I was advised those on Euro car parts are not great and they appear to be a little scarce through a couple of trade ordering systems.  I'm minded to just bite the bullet and get the OEM one for £160 as it's the most urgent thing and rock auto seem to be out of stock - is that stupid or does anyone have a good tip that i could get in the next week or so?

2. The UCA - OEM is £5-600!! Rock Auto seem to have one by a company called Moog for £85 plus whatever taxes and postage there is (about £50 postage).  Are they any good or is it a false economy?

3. The Rear hub bushes I feel I may as well order, I don't think they're wildly expensive but I can't see what I am ordering from Rock Auto? Does anyone know what I should look for?

Oh and I need brake pads and discs front and rear (front urgent, rear can wait a little) - does anyone have a good link to a good alternative to OEM (that appear to be ok value at the moment, discounted 30% to about £200 for rears and about £180 front).

Any help is appreciated - my wife is badgering me to get rid of my car and I am arguing the case that it doesn't cost me anything in monthly payments but a large bill like this will weaken my case....

Ben 

[Spock66]

I'd suggest getting a second opinion on what really needs doing, may be worth just putting in for an MOT and see what issues are flagged.

Also what are your medium to longer term plans for the vehicle, eg keep running for a bit longer at lowest cost or long term ownership maintained to the highest standards?

[Benaywood]

I had a good chat with them and absolutely trust the advice but the bearing was urgent/don't drive with the UCA and Rear bushes probably OK to drive for now but definitely need doing if I'm going to sort an underlying alignment issue it has.  I want to keep the car as I love it, I don't mind paying to keep it well maintained but £5-600 for the UCA is 'punchy', price wise so interested in good value alternatives..

[Alan305]

I used Rock Auto for my Corvette and they never failed.

[Illogan]

Ben,    As every bearing has its reference detail stamped on it (as far as I know), have you tried sourcing directly from a bearing supplier?

I'd suggest starting here:  https://www.midlandbearings.com/

[Malc]

My UCAs I obtained from Amayama and worked out to less than 50% of the Lexus UK supplied part many moons ago now ............. after carriage and vat and import duties too .......... my parts supplied from Amayama had Toyota stamped on them ( from the factory )                 one of my earlier n/s front UCA I had to replace at about 173k miles ( from original ) and I did so with BluePrint but that only lasted 40k miles before needing replacing with a good and sensible genuine Toyota part from, as I say, Amayama .... delivery times probably now about 2 weeks  but should be checked of course

BUT as above, I would have a fresh independent MOT done to see what Advisories show up and if the UCAs are ok then I would leave well alone ........

I only knew about my initial UCA needing doing was when I heard a clunk driving up the Italian Dolomites ..  I stopped, didn't see anything awry and the car drove perfectly fine ....  some months later at MOT time the UCA needed changing .............  and long before I had heard of Amayama etc .  coz even then Lexus Main Dealer parts were double BluePrint prices  ......

I would always go for OEM ......  but from Amayama tbh ....   the Rockauto offering at £85 sounds like a further replacement wanting to happen not too long down the line 

 

Malc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Malc]

3 hours ago, Benaywood said:

my wife is badgering me to get rid of my car

shoooooot the wife  

Malc

[Malc]

Ben  ..  Razor61 on here has achieved much of what you're seeking on here

see this Post    New LS400 purchased - let the fettling begin!

Malc

 

[Benaywood]

2 hours ago, Malc said:

Ben  ..  Razor61 on here has achieved much of what you're seeking on here

see this Post    New LS400 purchased - let the fettling begin!

Malc

 

Much appreciated Malc, and thanks for your earlier post re Amayama and er.. my wife!! It's an ongoing discussion and I've bought the car, (and her?) a year's grace if I get this fixed without her finding out how much I'm spending..

[Benaywood]

Interesting idea Illogan and thanks for getting back re Rock Auto Alan - nice car choices btw!  I think I have a plan going forward though..

• I've ordered two bearings form Amayama as there was play picked up in both wheels for the last couple of MOT's - they should be here in a couple of weeks and I'll get them fitted when I get the front brakes done with whatever my mechanic suggests but may treat them to the Lexus UK ones as currently 30% off.  (2 Bearings are £115 delivered for the pair (original Toyota) using the same serial no as the Lexus UK ones at £155 each).
•  
• The UCA's, I think I'll wait a couple of months and do either the one that's on it's way out or the pair, as it seems to be the general advice to get them done together (I guess they've both been on for nearly 25 years now!) - Amayama Toyota originals I can get for £372 delivered for the pair vs £550 each from Lexus.  I'll get those fitted by my mechanic who should be able to fit for a decent rate.
•  
• I'll get the bushes done probably at the same time as UCA's and get the geometry finally sorted at Blackboots.  It's had something up for a while and inner tyre wear put paid to the last tyres in about 9000 miles so I'm keen to get it done as I'll be using the car for more frequent long journeys.
•  
• I will report the above as costing between £2-300 so the wife will not question whether we need to swop out of my old barge that has brought me so much joy over the last few years.

Many thanks for your suggestions, it was useful to think it through...

[Malc]

17 hours ago, Benaywood said:

Amayama Toyota originals I can get for £372 delivered for the pair

that's a brilliant UCA result .  is that an all-up Amayama cost including carriage, vat and import duty AND that Post Office fee for telling you they're on their way I wonder ?

Mine arrived in sealed plastic bags marked  L  and  R on the bags even tho' they seemed identical ..  and of course Toyota stamped on the units bars themselves 

Fitting time is relatively small I was told and when you see the new UCAs you'll wonder why on earth bits of rubber and metal bars can possibly cost so much 

 

Btw    what mileage have the originals covered ?

Malc

[Razor61]

On 8/20/2022 at 12:21 PM, Benaywood said:

Oh and I need brake pads and discs front and rear (front urgent, rear can wait a little) - does anyone have a good link to a good alternative to OEM (that appear to be ok value at the moment, discounted 30% to about £200 for rears and about £180 front).

I buy mine from Lexus, Lexus Parts Direct have the fronts discs/pads at £180 and the rear discs/pads for £210. Not worth fitting alternative non-OEM stuff in my opinion.

If you have a word with your local Lexus dealer and quote the Lexus Parts Direct prices they may match the price. They did for me.
OEM Pad anti squeal shim kits are not cheap in the UK and neither are the fitting kits. Adds around £90 for each axle at UK prices iirc. You may need them, depends on whether they are present on your car and in decent condition. The anti squeal shim kits include the wear sensor retaining clip, £13 each in the UK😬
I ordered all of them from Amayama at the same time as ordering other bits. Makes the postage etc more cost effective.

[Tomtit]

Last year I converted my LS from air suspension to coil springs and dampers. I obtained some parts from Amayama and have not had a problem with them.