Vibration From Rear Of Car.......

[andyhart21]

Since I had my car lowered on TTE coilovers last Friday, I have been getting a rumbling/vibration from the rear of the car, and it feels like it is coming from the differential or therabouts. It only happens when I floor it and seems to be exagerated when I am going up or down hills.

The TTE website says that the coilover kit is for lowering 0-50mm, but I am sure mine is nearer 80mm lower on the rear. Could this be the cause of it???

Do you think I should take it in to my Lexus dealer for a check up?? The only reason I am saying this is that it did happen every so often before I had the car lowered, in exactly the same circumstances (flooring it, uphill) but nowhere near as often. Will Lexus still honour the warranty regarding the suspension, as I have fitted a Toyota approved (TTE) kit???

Has anyone got any ideas as to a possible cause??? Opinions please guys/gals :) :) :) :(

[Steve]

might be a shot in the dark mate but when my handbrake is on a tad and i drive down the road i get a rumble.

Thats one possible cause... are you sure its not your rear brakes?

Also hmm rear compensator.... ok i'll get my coat again.

[andyhart21]

No, its definately not the rear brakes Steve.

Feels like the driveshaft/differential area, and the vibration varies with load. The harder I floor it, the worse it is :( :( :(

[peter-flint]

Andy, let her out of the boot man !!!!

[Zee007]

Andy, let her out of the boot man !!!!

Is this that vibration on the M1 Andy? Has it got worse since then.........?

[GRiM]

Could be wheels rubbing on something? :(

[andyhart21]

No its not the wheels catching, as it happened occasionaly before it was lowered

I really am starting to think it is the LSD.......... :D

(Limited Slip Diff, not the drug :D )

[andyhart21]

Andy, let her out of the boot man !!!!

Is this that vibration on the M1 Andy? Has it got worse since then.........?

Yes its that vibration mate, its not got any worse but it is bugging the h e l l out of me

[tdiplc]

Hmmmmmmmmmm....I doubt if it is the lsd becuase that would not get worse by lowering the car.

I would like to hear it to be sure. Maybe worn bushes or damaged tyres? Try changing the tyres front to rear.

Mark :)

[Nick]

It could be the exhaust catching the bodywork, which can cause an unpleasant resonance and or clunk. Just a thought

[andyhart21]

Hmmmmmmmmmm....I doubt if it is the lsd becuase that would not get worse by lowering the car.

I would like to hear it to be sure. Maybe worn bushes or damaged tyres? Try changing the tyres front to rear.

Mark :)

The tyres are all less than 2 months old Mark, so I would be suprised if it is that BUT I still have not had my wheels alligned after lowering the car so I am wondering if it could possibly be that???

Do you think the bushes could be worn after 16k???

[andyhart21]

It could be the exhaust catching the bodywork, which can cause an unpleasant resonance and or clunk. Just a thought

How do I stand warranty-wise Nick if it is some worn bushes?? Can I bring the car in to you to have this vibration checked out?? As i said before, the vibration did happen occasionally before but it has got worse since the car was lowered

Cheers

[Nick]

We will have a look for you Andy. I hope we can actually get it in the workshop as we have a fairly steep ramp

[andyhart21]

We will have a look for you Andy. Don't worry

Cheers matey, spot on!!! :) :) :)

I will give you a ring tomorrow an book her in :)

[Nick]

I am at a meeting tomorrow so can you call Martin Moore my Service Manager, and I will tell him to expect your call (0116 2626200)

[andyhart21]

We will have a look for you Andy. I hope we can actually get it in the workshop as we have a fairly steep ramp

If we cant get it on the ramps Nick, I will adjust the coilovers up a bit. Either that or put some blocks in front of the ramps

[Nick]

We'll sort it somehow ;)

[JOHNNY-BOY]

Best send Andy some directions Nick, Andy tends to get a little lost around Leicester :P

I went to Brooklands with Andy last Saturday and the vibration is a strange one, low distant rumble. As Andy said can be heard/felt when going up slight inclines or accelerateing hard.

[Zee007]

Did you find out what this was Harty....?

[andyhart21]

Well I took my car into Lexus Leicester last night so they could look at it today, and guess what? It wouldn't bl**dy make the rumbling noise when I took one of the mechanics out

Anyways, I rang them up at dinnertime today and they had taken the car out twice more and still never felt a thing :( :(

Finally got an answerphone message later in the afternoon saying that a mechanic and Nick (Hilton?) had been out and got it to make the rumbling sound :) :)

The diagnosis is possibly pointing to it being so low :( :( so I might have to raise it a bit I would be suprised if it is this though because although Lexus UK do not approve the TTE coilover kit, it is designed by Toyota Motorsport specifically for the IS200.

I would like to thank Lexus Leicester for persevering with the problem and continuing to test the car even when they found no problem. I can certainly think of other dealerships that would have given up sooner.

[Nick]

Andy,

It was me who went out with a technician and I managed to get the noise to occur. After inspecting the car closely underneath there is nothing damaged or worn that is apparent. We are going to systematically have to change items to get rid of it until we find the cause, as it is a strange one. Perhaps you could answer a couple of questions which might speed up the process. 1/ You said it happened occasionally before you lowered it, but did it happen before you fitted the exhaust (it doesn't seem to catch anywhere - but rather difficult to tell at 65mph uphill in fourth gear) 2/ Does it ever happen in any other situations or is it only under hard acceleration uphill in fourth gear at 65ish. 3/ Also has it worsened since you had new tyres, as we are going to swap the wheels to see if there is a tyre/wheel or balancing problem.

It isn't something we have come across on a standard car, but I guess that lots of people have a big exhaust and lowered cars with no problems so we can't rule anything out yet.

[andyhart21]

Hi Nick, thanks for the reply

Right here goes. It did do it before I had the exhaust done as well, but only perhaps once or twice a month (that is why I never bought it in before) but it was not as severe as it is now since the lowering. Again, it only happened at about 70ish on the motorway and when going up hills. I put it down to different road surfaces to be honest When I had the tyres changed in January/February, it made no difference at all, but this was before it was lowered. Do you think the camber angle on the rear wheels could have anything to do with it? If you look there is quite a degree of negative camber on the rear wheels which appeared when the car was lowered....

[Nick]

Can we raise it a little to see if this makes a difference?

[andyhart21]

Of course you can Nick, do what ever you think.

This is my other thought. On the TTE website, it says "TTE height adjustable Suspension Kit Height reduction to approx. 50 mm" and I am pretty sure my car is dropped more than 50mm. I reckon it is nearer 80mm lower than the IS200 sport which itself as you know is 15mm lower than standard.

I now have a horrible feeling that it is going to be something as simple as that which I could have tried at home

[Nick]

I wonder if then that means 35 mm lower than a SPORT or 50mm lower than a SPORT