LX470 w/ Issues that need Urgent Diagnosing

[fumetsu]

Hey guys, so I have a 2002 LX470 and since about a month ago, I've been hearing wur-wur-wur-wur sounds as I drive the vehicle. At low-speeds, the noise is hyper-audible because of low-wind speeds and whatnot, but at high-speeds, it's hard to hear with the wind drowning out everything. Anyways, this noise is also palpable through my feet on the carpet while inside driving; the noise correlates with the wur-wur-wur sounds being made outside. The noise does seem to originate from the front passenger's side.

Today, I jacked the front of the vehicle up and found that there was excessive play (?) while rocking the front passenger's side wheel from the 3-6 position (side-to-side). Not sure if this is normal or not, because the entire assembly was rocking together. In stark contrast, there was a sharper play from the 12-6 position (up-and-down) -- this may be what is causing the issue? Would this be a bad wheel bearing?

Moving on to the front driver's side wheel, there was also some play from the 3-6 position, but not nearly as excessive as the passenger's side. There was absolutely no play while rocking the wheel from the 12-6 position.

Here is a video to demonstrate the severity of the issue in the front passenger's side:

http://youtu.be/1ENskTbOyDY?t=2s

Can you guys please help me diagnose this problem?



Now, I also tried wiggling the CV half-shaft while under there and there was very slight horizontal play in the shaft. Considering the amount of grease exposed around the inboard boots, I'm not sure where a rebooting would be sufficient. Please advise. The picture I've attached is of the front passenger's side, but the same predicament is mirrored on the front driver's side.

Lastly, the vehicle is slightly tilted to the right from the rear, as can be seen in the pictures above. The rear right is about 1.5"-2" higher than its rear left counterpart on level ground. Any fixes to this?

Oh by the way, the rust is because I live in Michigan, unfortunately enough.

Thanks!

 

[fumetsu]

Just adding: Could it be a bad hub AND a bad bearing? When I was getting tires replaced at DT they told me that the wheel would not sit flush with the hub on the front passenger's side.

 

[AimCOtaco]

I would re-boot the CV's right away and see if it helps.
The 3-9 play you describe is probably the rack mount bushings, changing just the D-shape on the passenger side is cheap and easy.

Little to no play at 12-6 indicates your bearings are likely OK but when was the last time the front bearings were re-packed and adjusted?

If DT could not get the wheel flush with the hub I would not drive it until that is corrected as it means the lugs can not be correctly tightened and you could damage the hub and the wheel. The wheel could now be flopping around causing some or all of the sound you describe (hard to tell without hearing it first hand).

The lean to the left could be an AHC problem if so equiped could also just need a crank on the torsion bar on the left if the issue is worse at the front than at the rear.

Seems you may have a few issues to address. I recommend a lot of searching and reading on theses issues on the forum and you will learn a lot and my hit on some cheap fixes. That said there are a lot of different problems discussed, don't get the idea you need to replace everything under there, just be systematic about it.

Best of luck

 

[petrotk40]

two unrelated issues I think. the lean is from your AHC, probably a faulty accumulator. The wheel wiggle is from bad steering rack and/or bushings. The grease on your cv could be from a leaky CV or dripping from your steering rack possibly.

 

[fumetsu]

How can I tell if the CV joints are junk and I need to replace the half-axle altogether, or if rebooting will be sufficient. I'm not sure if the bearings have ever been repacked, since taking over the vehicle at 120k. It's at 160k now.

 

[AimCOtaco]

I would pull the CV's and clean and inspect. None of the aftermarket half shafts hold up so it's Toyota or bust, literally. For 30-60 bucks it's worth a re-boot as OEM CV's are $$$, when you re-boot it will be simple to evaluate and see if they are ok, they will move on axis as described because they change length slightly with suspension travel. While you have the CV's out is a good time to go over the wheel bearings and the needle bearings inside the spindle. You can also evaluate the fit of the wheel to the hub, the wheel must sit flush against a clean hub. As long as the front is up and apart, do the passenger side rack mount, the feel of the steering will improve a lot.

 

[uHu]

Just to straighten up some AHC myths...

...The lean to the left could be an AHC problem if so equiped could also just need a crank on the torsion bar on the left if the issue is worse at the front than at the rear....

.... the lean is from your AHC, probably a faulty accumulator....

Lean is never from the AHC. Always from Torsion Bars - They need to be balanced out, tighten up on the low side. The AHC is open between left and right when the wheels point straight, it doesn't do any balancing left/right other than closing up left/right flow in curves.
And a faulty accumulator never causes a lean.

The car is heavier on the left than on the right, and that makes the left springs wear faster. It's common to require a TB adjustment every few years.

There are some good advice on the bearings and CVs above here - just don't forget the spindle bearing, as mentioned. It's often forgotten.

 

[petrotk40]

that's a lot of lean to be just from the torsion bars

 

[uHu]

that's a lot of lean to be just from the torsion bars

OC the rear coil might be broken or something, but whatever the ahc does or doesn't do, the only way to balance it out is to adjust the TBs.

It might still be that both coils springs should have been changed long time ago - They never last more than 5-6 years before the ahc pressure goes up to too high levels (and the left spring weakened more than the right...).

 

[AimCOtaco]

I'm happily ignorant of AHC issues but it does look like a lot of lean. I just assumed that with a punctured accumulator diaphragm on one side and not the other you might have a lean but I don't know.

I say rip that crap out at 160k already and go stock LC or uprgrade suspension but i think OP already has a few other issues to address.