Steering Wheel Problems - Lower Ball Joint

[Tetrov]

Hello friends,

I just logged in to write about a problem I have and a warning when I saw thit thread:Steering wheel, wont center

As I will be asking something I write this in a separate thread.

From some time I was sure something was not right with my steering. It was hard (at moments) especially at full turns (low speed maneuvering). Another thing was that it felt like it needed help to center after a turn, also the steering was pulling to the right when stopping. On a strait road the steering wheel was strait – no pulling. I checked the hydraulic fluid – all good, tire pressure – ok. Tomorrow I was going to my mechanic but… Exiting a convenient store the passenger lower ball joint just broke!!! The wheel ended up at 90 degree to the road direction, the wheel almost bended the wheel arch as the car dropped onto the wheel.

What amazes me is – how can this happen without any noticeable warning. The symptoms I described was kind of undistinguishable and I had have a brocken ball joint on other cars – the noises they make are hard to miss – not so on this one.

I was only lucky that I was driving very slowly. Half an hour ago I was making 75mph!!!

Now I have to find good quality ball joints as well as some other parts on the suspension. I don’t trust the dealers here (I`m in Bulgaria), e-bay is not very helpful either. Please can you point me to a good internet part supplier that can be trusted? Hopefully they will ship to my country.

I will be very grateful.

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IS 200, 2000,2000

[E910]

This guy can get genuine toyota/lexus parts at competitive prices & ships overseas http://www.tezzaworld.com/viewforum.php?f=40 or email him nick@nst.co.nz if you can't view the link.

Ball Joints going unnoticed is quiet common on these cars. We have a similar issues here as well. http://z4.invisionfree.com/lexusaltezzaclu...ic=9466&hl=

[Asi]

theres a few listing on eBay for a lower ball joint which are pretty cheap. and im sure if you ask the seller to ship abroad then the will at extra price.

[flyeris]

Sorry for diggning older thread - it seems i have the same problem. My steering wheel doesn't center itself. Never considered that as a problem as I thought it could be normal like this on a RWD (all my previous cars were FWD). With what should I start? Geometry or will it more likely caused by failing lower ball joints?

[Asi]

i would start off by getting a geometry done.

[hawk77]

This guy can get genuine toyota/lexus parts at competitive prices & ships overseas http://www.tezzaworld.com/viewforum.php?f=40 or email him nick@nst.co.nz if you can't view the link.

Ball Joints going unnoticed is quiet common on these cars. We have a similar issues here as well. http://z4.invisionfree.com/lexusaltezzaclu...ic=9466&hl=

Mate, thanks to you I got the ball joints from Mike from Toyota NS very chep. Really helpful guy and he knows what is talking about. Cheers.

[hawk77]

Hello friends,

I just logged in to write about a problem I have and a warning when I saw thit thread:Steering wheel, wont center

As I will be asking something I write this in a separate thread.

From some time I was sure something was not right with my steering. It was hard (at moments) especially at full turns (low speed maneuvering). Another thing was that it felt like it needed help to center after a turn, also the steering was pulling to the right when stopping. On a strait road the steering wheel was strait – no pulling. I checked the hydraulic fluid – all good, tire pressure – ok. Tomorrow I was going to my mechanic but… Exiting a convenient store the passenger lower ball joint just broke!!! The wheel ended up at 90 degree to the road direction, the wheel almost bended the wheel arch as the car dropped onto the wheel.

What amazes me is – how can this happen without any noticeable warning. The symptoms I described was kind of undistinguishable and I had have a brocken ball joint on other cars – the noises they make are hard to miss – not so on this one.

I was only lucky that I was driving very slowly. Half an hour ago I was making 75mph!!!

Now I have to find good quality ball joints as well as some other parts on the suspension. I don’t trust the dealers here (I`m in Bulgaria), e-bay is not very helpful either. Please can you point me to a good internet part supplier that can be trusted? Hopefully they will ship to my country.

I will be very grateful.

--------------

IS 200, 2000,2000

Yeah mate, that is very similar with what happened to me. I was quite lucky as I was driving out the garage so I just drove the car back into the garage and waited for the ball joints to arrive.

I had the ball joints changed (easy enough to change them your self), I had my wheels aligned ...but still does not self centre. I've had a chat with my mechanic and he said that the steering column might need some checking. I will see how it goes.

[hawk77]

The ball joint that popped out in my case was really worn out. The rubber encasing was broken and all the grease from inside vanished in time, therefore there was just metal to metal friction. As a result the ball joint bacame smaller and smaller and eventually popped out. A suspension place should be able to test the ball joints easily. When I had them cheched the guy told me that they are in a very bad condition so they will need changing. By the time I placed and order and arrived, they popped out but I was lucky enough to be 2 meters away from the garage.

[flyeris]

i would start off by getting a geometry done.

I realize that WIM settings for propriate geometry are not avalable publicly, are they? Unfortunately, I am not able to visit them myself as I live reasonably away from their workshop :S Don't know, if it is worth doing the geometry back to OEM settings, if it still will be wrong after that...

[Asi]

if you are a gold member i think you can get WIM settings and WIM settings are meant to be very good. i personally would start off by getting a geometry done and then take things from there. even it does not need it done im sure it will help the car a lot.