skyway

Thank you John Your a star

Hi Guys Today while renewing my breakdown cover with Greenflag I was told yes I can have Europlus cover (as we like to drive to Europe from time to time) but I would not be covered in Europe as my car was too old and the chance of breakdown was 90% I was then told that I could buy another newer car which wouldn't breakdown to drive when traveling across the channel. In dismay I thanked the lady for her companies Ignorance and left to search for some cover of my wretched car that I am now scared to take out for a drive to the supermarket as..... I may breakdown at any moment. Does anyone have any advice on a company that might cover a finely aged Toyota?

I was thinking about making a leather tool roll for the essentials If I could slim the essentials down to actual essentials that is.

I am with you Stuart I also carry a tyre inflator and a tubeless repair kit (which I swear by). I used to carry spare Washer fluid (Rainx) also..... but thanks to the new car with 2 tanks I don't have to anymore.

I had a coil pack go while driving back from Portugal (I did drive 1200 miles with 7 cylinders), I think maybe that those of us who have had unreliable cars in the past still can not let go of lessons painfully learnt. And I have to agree with Stuart on the point that a Car even a Lexus is not infallible and as my car is my daily driver added to that my tendency towards high mileage driving holidays or just 200+ miles days out....“Fortune favours the prepared mind.” .... or being prepared calms the demons in my head.

I am a member of green flag... but you don't always get the smartest tool turning up when abroad.

Hi guys, I am currently (nothing else to do) reviewing what I carry in my car as my tool bag is getting heavier and I am just wondering what everyone carries as tool in their lexus's. If I am honest with myself I have never used the tools to work on my car although I did use them to open some food containers! I have on the list a 24inch breaker bar with the old 21mm socket attached for the wheels a full complement of sockets, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, hex wrenches(allan keys), mallet, scan tool, multi meter, and various spares bulbs, fuses, coil packs etc.

Just a thought... if you want a softer ride....try 17's. I did and noticed the difference straight away. (or maybe i felt what I wanted to feel)

It had factory shocks Steve, I have had air on other 430's

I had an mot which called into question my front nearside shock which was misting. So I bought a pair from rock autos. 3 days later..... I had to fit them (thought I had more time to be lazy and put the job off). They fitted perfectly, although it was a bugger to get that bottom bolt off. If I am honest I thought they would be rubbish and I had steeled myself against such an outcome having a different brand in rock autos basket just in case. Took them out for a test drive and BOOM I was proved dead wrong, they really improved the handling (mine shock was ,.... shot of course). No rattles, bumps or grinds just smooth smooth gliding. Now the long term test.

Yeah I am sure.... I guess all rads are not built the same.. which is a bit disconcerting. I don't like worrying about things that might go wrong while I am driving (which I do) so before I fitted the kit from Paul Frost.... it was not up to scratch at all, lowest quality everything. So after it went horribly wrong I decided to just change the rad and be done with it but I can not just drive and bury my head in the sand and thats why I took it apart to see what size cooling kit i could get away with. Just a side note I have used Paul Frost for loads of things which have been great he has really come through for me in the past and I hope in the future But those kits are a pile of crap. I am thinking of fitting one of these as there would be no internal restrictions (as the pipe blew off mine emptying all my atf on the road ... sorry who ever had to clean that up) https://www.mishimoto.co.uk/mishimoto-universal-transmission-cooler-kit.html of course I will upgrade the hose clips

There are no caps its a tube in a tube,,, i think brazed in. The coolant then flows through the tube maximising the contact surface area, its a very thin space for the ATF to flow through I thought it would be a solid pipe If im honest

I had an old radiator from a ls430 kicking around so I thought I would take it apart to see what the hoo ha is with the ATF pipe inside and .. well here are the photos make of it what you will 🙂

Just got good skin 🙂

I think a lot of coils are made for the younger market where they want to slam the cars and ruin the cars camber,,,, I guess it attracts the ladies but what do I know I am old

Well done Phil and welcome to coil club 😁

I did my front bearings hardest part was getting the abs connector off mine was stuck like someone had used Weetabix as glue (TBH I think it was more to do with my eye sight and not seeing which way the clip was meant to be pushed.) I took off the 4 bolts from behind and one side just fell out.... the other I lovingly caressed with a hammer not hard just a couple of taps... and it fell out. You might find this helpful. I would not have any hesitation in doing a front wheel bearing again.... rears though might send me to the corner of ta dark room rocking.

I am surprised that the bushings came with the wishbone.... its a nice touch. Did you find anything about the job difficult?

I was worrying as you do about the lower control arm bushings going a clunk in the night. In the garage I already had a set to be pressed in however I did NOT want the car off the road if I messed it up so I bought some already pressed in. So now I can press mine in at my own convenience and just bolt mine in as if by magic. In case anyone is interested https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FRONT-LOWER-CONTROL-ARM-BUSHING-WITH-BRACKET-FOR-LEXUS-LS430-2001-2006-PAIR/222550691853?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I recently Changed my rear hub on my 2005 celsior. I had purchased a puller for the job,,,, so thought it would be no problem. After trying the puller... which did not work at all in fact it split the bearing in half (some ranting and swearing at this point), so I bought a 12 ton workshop press and waited 2 days with my car on axle stands for the thing to arrive, in the meantime I took the hub carrier thingy off. The Press arrived after rummaging around I used a socket to try and press the bearing out..... it did not move not even a little bit. So at this point I used a 2 pound hammer and invoked the gods and it just fell out, I then cleaned it and pressed the new one in which went in very easy.

I must admit I had my lower control arm bushes for ages (on my 1st LS) that knocked but kept passing mot's I also think that they were a cause of a wobble now I think back. Just bought a set of bushes already Pressed in, just waiting for them to arrive and a sunny day to fit them. I was looking at these's for the future https://www.shopfigs.com/v3/by-vehicle/cat-lexus-ls/cat-G3-LS-CAT/G2ISHP-FRLCA-SP3491K-IN-BRKT

Maybe try fitting your old set of wheels on Phil if you still got them

I found this an interesting video hope you guys do to.

if you get it up on a ramp and run the car until the temp of the trans hits 100 (I think) using an infrared temp sensor you can check via the level hole. This is quite a good guide.

I thought about Poly bushes for a while... but I heard they squeak lol I am not sure it's a secret that Lexus overcharge for ... well everything so going else where for most parts make sense. Just found this...