Droning & Vibration investigation (1 Viewer)

[ccasteel]

My '99 LX470 has recently started droning like it's on a grooved highway. It's a low drone when headed straight, but a slight turn to the right and it gets noticeably louder. (left turns yield not much change from straight) The vibration is felt mostly in my feet and seat. Not so much in the steering wheel.

When I bought it, the po thought it needed a new steering rack. Although I've seen a little grease around the drivers side boot, it's not very much. I pulled the front and rear drive shafts independently and drove without any change in the sound or vibration. I was rotating the tires this weekend to see if it was related to the tires. That had no effect, but I noticed what seemed excessive play to me on both sides.

I need help knowing if it is definitely the steering rack, or possibly what other contributing factors there are. If I'm going to be in there already changing out the steering rack, what else should I be doing?

Please check out the videos. Is that too much play?

 

[ITRJ]

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me.

 

[nnnnnate]

Stock exhaust? Check for holes, not sure that it would be different when turning but if its droning I'd start there.

 

[RND1]

I second that the droning sounds like wheel bearings. The vibration may be tie rod ends.

 

[AMGAndrew]

Time for a new wheel bearing. When you turn, the bearing loads up and sounds/feels worse and that one is pretty bad. PO might have packed the bearing full of grease just before they sold in attempt to hide how bad it was. Dunno. Definatly bad.