Am I A Lucky Boy Or What!

[steve2006]

With all the other projects I have on at the moment I almost forgot the MOT is due on my original Celsior (Celsior B?) so booked it in to my usual garage for Thursday morning.

With doing only 2-3K a year I generally service the car every 6 months and as the time coincides with the MOT decided to do just that.... am I glad I did!

I had noticed for a few weeks there was a knocking around the front nearside suspension area and thought it was the usual dry slider pins on the calipers. What I did find was the upper control arm balljoint was completely shot,you can see the play by just wobbling the disc and hear the metal on metal contact!

Ok just for a laugh I rang Lexus Derby with the part number and sure enough they want £521.00 inc VAT for the part for a 20 year old car.. no deal there then.

So it's the usual eBay route with plenty of after market arms for the later models but none for mine until I saw a "GENUINE LEXUS LS400 UPPER SUSPENSION ARM FRONT L/H 48630-50020 12/1989 - 10/1994" in the listings Buy it Now £120.00 recommended dealer £521.00 from Japparts.

Snapped it up ( apologies to the 2 Watchers you just don't watch that item at that price you buy it and save it for when you will need it) and it will be delivered tomorrow.

I then realised the other side may be in the same condition but after phoning Japparts they only had the one I had already purchased and no RH ones.

Fortunately that one is perfectly OK with no play so I think I have got away with it.

Talk about a bit of good luck and I was born on Friday the 13th!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-LEXUS-LS400-UPPER-SUSPENSION-ARM-FRONT-L-H-48630-50020-12-1989-10-1994-/251244353756?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ALexus&hash=item3a7f5498dc

[IHgs300]

Another bargain you got there, I bet if you tripped over a brick there would be gold under it.. :)

[steve2006]

Yes I was very liucky it was the right side and year with the part.

Well according to the tracking information from the seller it should arrive today so in preperation I have removed the old arm.

The tutorial on Lexls tells you to remove the spring/damper first but I discovered that with a jack under the hub as shown in the picture you can remove the top mounting bolts without doing this.

Simply raise or lower the jack to move the coil spring clear of the bolts during removal.

The balljoint was well shot as can be seen below.

However the top mount bushes were like new with no play.

Now where's that courier!!!

[steve2006]

Courier has delivered,was getting a bit worried as the car is in for the MOT in the morning.

20 minutes sat under a unbrella on a camera tripod and it's all back together again.

The arm is slightly different from the original but as it came in the original Toyota bag with part number sticker it seem genuine, for that money I'm more than happy.

[IHgs300]

Good luck with MOT, sure she'll pass.

[steve2006]

MOT passed again with no advisories :)

[PEPE]

Many congratulations on the MOT, Steve, although entirely to be expected from an LS 400 wizard like you.

[steve2006]

Cheers Jose, it did apparently have a LED number plate bulb out but when the tester tapped it on it came so got a tick in the box.

Checked it last night and it was off again and tapping didn't help.

Ordered a pair on fleabay for a couple of quid and about 20 minutes to fit.

[IHgs300]

Great result that Steve, by the way lock didn't work, different motor inside.

Picking one up from puremoto tomorrow £35. Hope it cures it.

[Bluesbreaker]

Glad to hear your car passed its MOT Steve, what's with the finish of the calliper in the Photo? Looks like the metal is 'burnished'?

[steve2006]

Glad to hear your car passed its MOT Steve, what's with the finish of the calliper in the Photo? Looks like the metal is 'burnished'?

Cheers Iain,

The caliper is painted with hammerite, was initially red but then repainted black so have 4 coats on them now

[Bluesbreaker]

Very nice it looks too.