Steviewevie

25mm across horizontally, 19mm across vertically.

Yeah, even with the walkthrough I struggled but pulling the dash out even more than I had been doing was the solution for me, then it came out.

The government is only paying half of that £2K scrappage allowance, the car manufacturer has to finance the other half. So it's a bit of a nonsense really.

It's ok mate, that was deliberate :winky: It seems that on early (pre-2001) cars with the different design of ABS actuator, if you install the struts the "right" way round, there is interference between the strut and ABS actuator. So I installed them the other way up. The instructions suggest installing the struts the way that you mention to avoid aftermarket cabling etc, but imply that there isn't really any difference, they can go either way up. I have emailed this feedback to Mike Figaro (i.e. FIGS), the designer of the strut kits. So it's ok, I'm still very happy ! :D

Thanks guys. Yep Keith, I actually didn't even bother to attach the struts the "right way" up, I installed them "upside-down" (though to be fair the instructions to say it doesn't really make any difference) and I had no problem. Tonight I had an email from another member of the Group Buy who has also found an interference problem, and just like I guessed, he also has an early (pre-2001) car with the different design of ABS actuator. I have passed on his photos to Mike Figaro (i.e. FIGS, the designer of the strut kits) for his info. My struts are working very nicely and I am very happy with them !

You got the OEM satnav ? If your model didn't have satnav to start with, then you'll be missing all the wiring. What did you get, did you get the screen plus the CD/DVD part of the unit as well ? Sounds like it would be a pretty big job to me to wire all that up. I suspect you'd have been better off spending that money on a TomTom which would just plug in and work

The key reprogramming instructions are here. You should be able to do it yourself, provided you have a master key. You can tell a master key by the fact that the Security dash light immediately goes off when you insert the key, for a sub key the Security light stays on for a second before going off. Usually the master key is a three-button one, but this isn't an infallible guide. So you just need to do the bit in the instructions about programming the key to the remote locking.

Thanks. I got my tapping set from Machine Mart, they have quite a few different ones, don't know if there might be one near you (I went to the Twickenham branch). For the brackets that install into the wheel well, there is first a locking washer (i.e. with a split in it) next to the bolt, then an ordinary washer, then the bracket.

Yay, I did it ! All sorted ! :D I found out why it was so difficult, as I posted in Parthiban's thread on the IS200 forum, my drill bits were rubbish (even though they were supposedly HSS ones) ! That explains why I was finding it so difficult to drill out the bolt. Used some different (Kamasa) drill bits and it was like the difference between night and day, got up to a 5mm bit and the rest of the old bolt just dropped out of the hole. Re-tapped it with a 6mm tap, no problem, and installed the bracket with a new bolt. Bonnet struts now finally installed ! Thanks very very much to everyone for their suggestions and help :D

Yay, re-tapping the hole worked too, I'm so pleased with myself ! Bonnet struts now installed : If I can do it, then I'm sure you can do Parthiban ! Let me know if you still need a bolt.

989,676

Have you got more than one key for the car ? Is this a master key, do you know, or do you have a master ? It sounds like the key has been forgotten by the car regarding the locking, and needs programming in again. The programming of the transponder (for the immobiliser) is separate, and I presume that's still working (i.e. it starts the car). My car did the same.

Don't know if the B&D bits are any good or not, but before it snaps if you can see if it's blunting the bit by using it then that will give you a pretty good guide ! Yes it's drilled out completely now - actually the last remaining bit fell out (fell downwards towards the wheel). So I just need to try re-tapping it now, and fingers crossed that I can use a 6mm tap ok and haven't made the hole too big now. It was sooooooo much easier with the new bits that I was using. They weren't anything expensive, just a relatively cheap mixed set of wood/masonry/HSS bits by Kamasa from Robert Dyas. Try and keep the drill bit lubricated too (e.g. with spit if you've got nothing better), it gets very hot drilling metal !

What engine is it exactly that is in your RX300. Is it the 1MZ-FE 3.0L ?

Yes ! I finally got the remains of the snapped bolt out. I figured out why it was so difficult, and it seems like you could be having the same problem. The existing drill bits I was using were absolutely rubbish, they might as well have been made of chocolate for all the impact they were having. I started using some different drill bits and hey presto, it went through like magic ! What you need to do is start with a relatively small bit, e.g. something like 3.5 mm, and don't put too much pressure on it. Then go up to 4mm, then 4.5mm and so on, up to about 5mm or 5.5mm (mine went at 5mm). You need some decent HSS drill bits designed for metal. My original bits were Rolson HSS ones from Maplin, but as soon as I started using them they went blunt, and I broke several. Compare one after you've been using it with a new unused one, is the end still pointed ? I bought some Kamasa ones from Robert Dyas and they're a huge improvement, the difference is like night and day.

Ah ok. What about the brackets, have you got all those with the struts ? Just missing the bolts ? If that's the case then you'll need some washers too. If you haven't already done so, have a look at the instructions on the FIGS site here and see what else you might need (e.g. split washers). On my car the bolt that holds down the passenger side fuse box (in the engine bay), towards the windscreen side, is the same size as what goes in that hole for the driver's side strut. In fact they're the same holes, just on different sides of the car. So if the bolt goes in fine on the passenger side it should also do so on the driver's side. Mine was rusted up too. With the benefit of hindsight and various advice given in the thread on my own troubles on this, the best thing to do IMHO is to run a 6mm tap through it to clean up the thread, then hopefully it should be fine.

Actually I've just re-read your posting and noticed it was the bolt from the fuse box that you snapped. If you use the bonnet struts then you won't need that bolt, will you ? The bracket for the strut on the passenger's side fits in place of it, using the bolts from the kit ? It's M6x16 bolts like the ones from the kit that I have spare. Maybe the bolt you've snapped is from a different place and you really do need a replacement ?

I'd be interested in Mat's view (or anyone else who knows) whether there is in fact some sort of mark on the outside of LSDs so that you can tell ?

I don't know, I haven't tried holding it up with one strut, I've left it until I can sort out my stuck bolt. Mine is completely solid so I didn't go down the Easy-out route. Have been kind of putting it off since I've been finding it pretty tricky. I am trying to have another go at it today though ! I got some replacement bolts from eBay. PM me your postal address and I'll send you one, I've got loads spare.

Well Frimley Lodge Park is only about 10 mins away from me, so I don't think I'd have too much trouble making it !

That's the thing, I don't know if it's possible to tell for sure that it's an LSD unless you open it up ? Or of course unless you can see it in-situ in the donor car and check the manufacturer's plate in the engine bay.

I don't think that Lexus will give you a written guarantee that the belt will definitely be ok until the next service. They will look at it and tell you what sort of condition they think it's in, but I don't think they'll let themselves be pinned down on that.

ok, well I *think* that if you have electro-chromic mirrors then there's an LED on the rear-view mirror. But I don't know for sure so it would be useful to get input from anyone who does have the EC mirrors. The online workshop manual says they came in during 2001, but maybe they didn't in the UK ?

Ooh that's horrible to see I could be wrong but I think the photochromic mirrors came in during 2001. Does your rear-view mirror have an LED in the bottom of it ?

I'm sure they'd look much better on your Lex than your current wheels Chris. Oh, and then you can sell your Chicanes to me ! :winky: