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Following on from my previous post where I mentioned I had a grating noise coming from the car/wheel - tonight I got home to see a dusty brick red gunk all over the left nearside front wheel.

My husband's had the wheel off and can't see anything in particular, but for sure nothing is rubbing and nothing we can see would be responsible for the grating noise.

So, with the noise and the gunk all over my wheel, we're wondering if it could be a wheel bearing but are really not sure.

I'm resigned to the fact I'll have to take it in to Lexus (unless anyone can recommend a good independent in Bracknell or surrounding areas - am on a tight budget here :crybaby: ) but wondered if anyone can give me some pointers as to what it's likely to be and what it's likely to set me back!

Cheers peeps :)

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hm, is it on the face of the wheel.........

its possible that its a knackerd caliper,.but doubtful

its very possible a worn bearing, check the wheel centre after a drive, if its hot........

tocheck for bearing, jack the car up on that side, grab the wheel at the 9 and 3 o'clock possitions and try to rock the wheel, do it again at 12 and 6, if you get a slight knock, you have a worn bearing........if you get a slight knock at the 9-3 possition you could also have a worn steering joint

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Cheers, will try that tomorrow.

The red dust is all on the inside of the wheel and it seems to be 'weeping' through to the outside.

If it is the bearing, any ideas as to rough costs?

_____________________________________

Service history etc on the car shows it's had the calipers freed in the past, and the steering bushes have been replaced.

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I'm not an expert on how braking systems work, but if it seems to be leaking something then could it be brake fluid that's leaking and the noise potentially something to do with a noise coming from the leak when the hydraulics are activated?

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I'll check the brake fluid, but no warning lights have come on so hoping it's not that.

The grating noise isn't really noticeable on braking, but is worse when you turn the steering wheel to the left. On way home last night, grating noise was continuous.

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The red dust could be surface rust from the brake disk. Have a look for score marks / shiny metal on the disk on the edge & near the hub.

Has the metal shroud / duct at the back of the disk been knocked and is touching when the wheel is turned.

My 2p

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Thanks for all the tips. Just spoken to an independent garage near me (recommended by a friend) and they're pretty sure it's the wheel bearing that's knackered.

My husband is taking it over there for them to have a look and give a quote, then I'll go to Lexus to get the parts (and get my Goldies discount hopefully!)

Fingers crossed it's not too painful an experience!

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Would a wheel bearing really be knackered on such a newish car?

The garage I took mine to showed me the play in my front wheels and said that on the face of it, sounds like wheel bearing. However, he looked into it further and found it was worn bushes in the upper control arms that was causing the prob.

Try and get a full check on the suspension. Have you driven over lots of speed bumps?

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Hi Claire,

We met - breifly at the Toyota factory tour. They are an insrcutable lot at Burnaston.

I wish I could tell you what you want to hear. My NSF GS bearing became noisy so had both replaced. £112 each plus £15 each for the oil seals. An hour's labour each side as the hubs need to come off plus another hour for a front alignment. Total inc V.A.T. £ 574. Ouch!

Work was done by Lexus Hatfield who are pretty good. Your symptoms indicate that the bearing is beginning to break.

My GS has done 70k and given that front disks have been replaced twice, new ball joint and now the bearings, it challenges the myth that Lexi never wear out. Didn't have to replace any of these on five Hondas!

Only consolation is that it does drive much better now. Oh yes, and they lent me a new Sportcross while it was being done.

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Thanks Mike. The ball joints have already been replaced on the car (if I remember correctly, from the service history), so I thought I was pretty safe! The part came up to £120 with my Goldies discount, but I'm using a local independent that's been recommended to me. With any luck the bill for labour should only be about £50.

I'm assuming I need to get the wheels aligned afterwards?

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Lexus suspension is not indestructable. I've wrecked a rear-steer rack (2K) and a front bottom ball joint (50 or 60 quid I think). It's these crap roads in Britain. My Aristo was broken within 30,000 miles.

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Hi Claire

You have my sympathy

My GS430 Sport needed wheel bearings after only 10 months and about 14K, although the Lexus dealership tried hard to argue it was the tyres.

So far no troubles with the Audi and I have a Rover 75 diesel with 67K on the clock that saves me fuel wear on the Audi and hasn't missed a beat yet! Lexus are lovely cars and I do miss the performance of the 430, but when they go wrong they cost a fortune to fix.

Hope you get it sorted without breaking the bank! :D

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Luckily (well, could have been worse) the total bill came up to £175. Was really impressed with the local guy I used and will be going back there again. He said it was a pig to do, but only charged me £55 (incl. VAT).

Driving great again!!! ....apart from the fact I have now managed to mash the b****y alloy on my way home. Grrr.

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Hi Claire,

Perhaps I and others would be very interested to know your mechanic's contact details

As previously suggested, perhaps a thread (in gold area only of course) for reccomended non-lexus mechanics for us who's companies don't pay the bills .... could have used that a couple of weeks ago ...

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