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My LS600 suffered bizarre tyre wear in the hands of the previous owner, possibly why he traded it in! The inside edges of the fronts were scrubbed through to the cords, ouch! I've shelled out for new tyres and took her in to Lexus Plymouth for a 4-wheel alignment, asking them to correct a slight pull to the left. On getting the car back and studying the computer geometry printout I was unhappy with their settings as they had adjusted the RH front by increasing its negative camber to over 1.5 deg. I decided to try and reduce the negative camber on both sides, but found the lower arm adjusting bolts seized solid in the bushes. Before dropping the whole front crossmember to get proper access I thought I'd ask if anyone else has encountered this problem and found a solution, I'm thinking of something like an oversize ball-joint splitter. Funnily enough I had no trouble with the equivalent bolts on my previous LS430 which was much rustier around the suspension.

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My LS600 suffered bizarre tyre wear in the hands of the previous owner, possibly why he traded it in! The inside edges of the fronts were scrubbed through to the cords, ouch! I've shelled out for new tyres and took her in to Lexus Plymouth for a 4-wheel alignment, asking them to correct a slight pull to the left. On getting the car back and studying the computer geometry printout I was unhappy with their settings as they had adjusted the RH front by increasing its negative camber to over 1.5 deg. I decided to try and reduce the negative camber on both sides, but found the lower arm adjusting bolts seized solid in the bushes. Before dropping the whole front crossmember to get proper access I thought I'd ask if anyone else has encountered this problem and found a solution, I'm thinking of something like an oversize ball-joint splitter. Funnily enough I had no trouble with the equivalent bolts on my previous LS430 which was much rustier around the suspension.

Pete, I had all the geometry done by a Toyota garage a couple of years ago. They couldnt or wouldnt crack the siezed bolts so it went to another garage to crack the bolts before returning to Toyota to do the geomerty.

Its was spot on after that.

If it were my car id take it back to Lexus and tell them to do it again, and do it properly this time.

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Hi guys, I don't know how complex or special this all is BUT I took mine to a very specialist place near to me in Canterbury Kent.

Treadmark Tyres 01227 455548 ..... they said they had rare specialist equipment ! Cost them a fortune to install and to train the technician.

They did the most amazing Computer Wheel Alignment ( all 4 wheels on the car and high up in the air ) and gave me a computer coloured diagrammatic profile both before and after.

Caster, Camber and Toe.

All needed adjustment and at £49.90 incl VAT.

Car runs a dream.

Malc

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My LS600 suffered bizarre tyre wear in the hands of the previous owner, possibly why he traded it in! The inside edges of the fronts were scrubbed through to the cords, ouch! I've shelled out for new tyres and took her in to Lexus Plymouth for a 4-wheel alignment, asking them to correct a slight pull to the left. On getting the car back and studying the computer geometry printout I was unhappy with their settings as they had adjusted the RH front by increasing its negative camber to over 1.5 deg. I decided to try and reduce the negative camber on both sides, but found the lower arm adjusting bolts seized solid in the bushes. Before dropping the whole front crossmember to get proper access I thought I'd ask if anyone else has encountered this problem and found a solution, I'm thinking of something like an oversize ball-joint splitter. Funnily enough I had no trouble with the equivalent bolts on my previous LS430 which was much rustier around the suspension.

Hi Pete

I break the LS400 s and its very rare for the front Lower Strut arms and rear rear alignment bars not to be seized.

I normally use an impact gun to release the nut - which sometimes shocks the bolt from the bushes shaft , it also helps once the nut is off to remove the alignment washer , then its good old fashioned penetrating oil sprayed into the bush shaft , once left to do its work try working the bolt from side to side to release and tap the bolt out with a copper mallet.

If this doesn't work then you will have to change the bush and refit with a new bolt.

Good Luck

Maurice

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Thanks Guys! Your input is much appreciated. I'll try the penetrating oil first as it's non-destructive (hopefully!) then maybe my sds drill set to 'hammer' on the exposed end of the bolts. If I get them unseized then back to Lexus to do the job again. If they refuse to budge then it's a dropped crossmember to access the little swines.

Many thanks All!!!!!!! :P

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Thanks Guys! Your input is much appreciated. I'll try the penetrating oil first as it's non-destructive (hopefully!) then maybe my sds drill set to 'hammer' on the exposed end of the bolts. If I get them unseized then back to Lexus to do the job again. If they refuse to budge then it's a dropped crossmember to access the little swines.

Many thanks All!!!!!!! :P

That's the Spirit

I have been restoring a Mk4 Ls400 most of this year

and have changed front and rear sub frames and all suspension bars and control arms

and have use Copper Ease on all the bolt shafts to prevent seizing in the future

Maurice

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Thanks Guys! Your input is much appreciated. I'll try the penetrating oil first as it's non-destructive (hopefully!) then maybe my sds drill set to 'hammer' on the exposed end of the bolts. If I get them unseized then back to Lexus to do the job again. If they refuse to budge then it's a dropped crossmember to access the little swines.

Many thanks All!!!!!!! :P

That's the Spirit

I have been restoring a Mk4 Ls400 most of this year

and have changed front and rear sub frames and all suspension bars and control arms

and have use Copper Ease on all the bolt shafts to prevent seizing in the future

Maurice

Just a couple of things that we found on renewing the bushes on the mark 1 ls400.

The nuts on the bolts through the bushes have serrated edges which means they are gripping the metal The trick is to unfasten the bolt which I know is opposite to what we normally do .I also found that if the bolts would not move put direct heat onto the nut end but only use oxy/act as the heat as to be precise to the nut and this is the only heat method that creates such targeted heat ,ordinary gas will just heat everything up .

We did'nt renew the camber side of the arm bushes so we did'nt have to undo them so they maybe are slightly different in their removal as I imagine the nut end as to be removed first being as the bolt is concentric , the heat method should work as on the straight bush bolt.

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Hopefully, to add a finer point to Ambermarine's suggestion, use an Oxy/Acetylene welding torch with a number 2 nozzle which is very small but will concentrate the heat precisely where its needed. On Maurice's point, this is a real contentious issue with me, as every car maker assembles their cars 'dry' so making maintainence on older cars so much more difficult as every thing seizes solid. Wire brush and emery the shanks and run the nuts down the thread in a vice and plenty grease on assembly. Rant Over!!

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Pity you're not near outer London (nor am I)

Tony Bones at Wheels in Motion will do a sterling job balancing the car. A true perfectionist.And LOC member.

If you're reading later, Tony, that's 5% off next visit, O.K.? (-:

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