NickJrv

@BigDingus How are you getting on? I've been trying to tackle a similar issue with mine. Here is a big of useful info from another forum if it helps you...

On 11/2/2023 at 8:36 AM, JasonH said:

Again from experience with a BMW, there's a height calibration procedure in the diagnostics. Here you measure the heights at each side and enter them, the car does the maths and corrects itself.

I wonder if the garage has misread the instructions and done this incorrectly. You don't enter the desired correct values, you enter the actual (incorrect) values which can seem a little odd.

I've just re-read this (after a good night's sleep!) and may get this checked. Good thinking - thanks

Thanks @Spock66 I think that's where Lexus will come in... not taking any chances now 👍

@RONNIE W HODGEKINSON My problem was I couldn't drive it anywhere! 🙂

But I can now, so Lexus may well be my next step 👍

Okay, for anyone who ends up with a similar scenario... I adjusted the front sensor 'arms', which can screw in or out to shorten or lengthen the rod. This has the effect of moving the position of the sensor internals, depending whether you want more or less air in the struts. I wanted less air (in the 'N' position) so I shortened the rod gradually till the suspension dropped.

This also had the effect of "un-disconbobulating" (does that word exist?) the suspension set-up. I was then able to select H, N or L and hear the compressor doing its thing. It's not perfect, but the ride looks much more normal at the front, the rear struts went up about 5-10mm which gives it 'some' dampening in the aft... the car is at least driveable now 👍

I have tried to lengthen the rear adjuster arms a couple of mm to see if that pushes the rear struts up a bit more. Didn't seem to make much difference. I may just need to do a couple more mm, but don't really want to push it as that may not be the issue at the back - could just need a clean up of the sensor internals.

I'll update this thread with any more news 🙂

Thanks 👍 

Really appreciate it

On 10/27/2018 at 8:14 PM, Herbie said:

Not sure if this will help but it shows a 'Standard Value Table' (although it's not as easy as measuring centre of hubs to wheel arch):

@Herbie Bit of a 'bump' 5 years on... but do you have a copy of teh full file that you took this screenshot from? If not, do you know where I can get hold of it? I could do with some diagnostic help... 🙂

@JasonH Thanks... worried that might have been the case 🙂

What's really odd is there are absolutely no error codes at all 🤔

On 2/19/2020 at 8:46 PM, Easy said:

My RX300 SE-L 2004 model  seem to be higher at front than the rear, what could be the problem please someone help me out.

@Easy do you still have your RX300 SEL? If so, did you ge the issue resolved with front struts higher than rear (if you can remember)? I'm having a similar issue...

Nice! I too just got a Pass with no advisories last week 🙂 2007 350 SEL

Hi,

I've searched all over for what I'm experiencing and can't find it. Most posts relate to struts losing height and needing replacement or a left/right side imbalance. Mine is rear vs front imbalance. All 4 struts were replaced in past 3 months, so I'm sure they are fine.

So... I had the car in the garage today. After being on the ramp, my mechanic (independent garage) tried to set the heights at each corner to Lexus-recommended heights. It took the changes. The rears were even. The fronts within a cm of each other... but... when the car was restarted the fronts went high (maximum height it looks like) and the rears v low, almost the low setting.

Now, it had been on the ramp so the dampers may have needed to settle, but it's weird.

The only lights that the height button will go to is H and N. It doesn't flash when I move between the two and the height doesn't adjust at all. It won't go to L at all. The fronts strut basically seem to be stuck on H and the rears on L.

Do I just need to be patient, let the dampers settle and hope it sorts itself out in a day or two?

I tried disconnecting the Battery. No change.

I tried manipulating the height sensor arm to let the air out so all corners were on the L position. Disconnected the Battery. Waited 30 mins. Re-connected, turn on car, pump came on, raised only the front to max height and no height at rear.

N.B. all 4 struts are new (within 3 months old)

Is there a nice reset trick I can do?

Meant to say:

1. ARB bushes - greased!
2. Dodgy wheel bearing - replaced!

🙂

Okay, for anyone who has had similar noises on an RX 2nd Gen, there were 2 aspects that were fixed:

1. ARB bushes - these had been replaced a couple of months ago, but (as I suspected) were tight. The bar was rubbing loudly against the inside of the bush and making teh creaking (bed spring) noise when 'bouncing' over speed humps and imperfections in the road as it flexed. It also made a slight clunk when steering left or right at slower speeds (under 5mph) so in that scenario they were grabbing the bar, then the flex would suddenly release sideways and make the slight knock/clunk (which you'd expect maybe with dodgy drop/end-links).
2. Wheel bearing (NSF) - this was actually wobbling! (vid attached) This is what I could hear make a clunk noise when I rocked the car side to side when stationary. Assumed it was related to the other (ARB) creaking. So that has been replaced.

Job done. I drove home in total silence! 👍

Happy investigating to you all 🙂

Thanks @GMB I'll do some "unexpected place" checking. Interestingly that was the same rattle location on my RX300! I fixed it last year. But seems fine on my RX350... the search continues... 🙂

On 10/13/2023 at 10:14 PM, Vadim said:

One remaining thing to check is stabiliser bar bushes, as this is one of the parts not replaced.  Silicone spray may also help indicate issues with control arm bushes, but most other joints are sealed or difficult to access to apply spray.

 

Note that replaced parts, even if new, may cause noises as well. Especially aftermarket.

 

Some garages have suspension diagnostic stands which cause slight movement of the wheels in different directions while mechanic observes and listens from under the car. It may be worth spending sone £60 for such test.

By 'stabiliser bar' do you mean the ARB? (anti-roll bar) I've done those bushes, but if you mean somewhere else I've missed then I'll definitely give it a go! 🙂

I'm now Googling garages with suspension diagnistic stands/kit 👍

On 10/13/2023 at 4:25 PM, hockeyedwards said:

Might drive you mad (pun intended), but maybe spray lube something you may think is causing the sound. Go for drive round the block, try recreate the noise. Rinse and repeat until you have eureka moment!

My LS had a squeak that turned out to be the drop link, took a lot of patience to find, as everything looked fine and technically was. Even when I took it off, didn't look particularly dry or damaged...

Happy lubing 😆

I've been going wild with the silcone spray, but to no avail, so guessing I've either not hit the guilty party or the problem is swatting teh spray away like flies!

23 minutes ago, katabrontes said:

I used to get this on a tight lock on my old Toyota Surf (Japanese import of FourRunner).  It was traced to the point where the coil springs were fitted into the supporting cup.  I assume from the OP that your 300 has air suspension so this isn't likely to be your problem.  You do seem to have renewed all the potentially suspect parts.

Thanks... it's a real head-scratcher! 🙂

Hi all,

Calling on help from all the Lexus detectives out there... 🙂

I have a mystery creaking noise coming from the front (left?) of my 2007 RX350 which I'm struggling to locate in order to either fix or lubricate, depending on what it turns out to be.

It has been there since I purchased the car back in June. Since purchase I have (for unconnected reasons) replaced the following, not necessarily in order:

• All 4 air struts (I had leaks on 2 and now it is absolutely brilliant and rarely hear the compressor!)
• Front lower control arm - both were complete arm with integrated bush replacements
• Front lower ball joints, to go on the new control arms
• Rear suspension arms - both (one had a seized pin/bush, so replaced both along with cam adjusters!)
• 4 brand new Goodyear tyres with wheel balancing (had tracking done same time)
• New ARBs front and rear
• New drop links front and rear

Now, I assumed that the creaking noise (apparent over speed humps, bumps and any pot-hole/undulation in the road that would cause an up/down motion to the car) would possibly be down to one of those things (ball joints are often the culprit...). However, it is still there and very clearly so. It is hard to say if it is metallic or rubbery as the sound could be either. It's kind of like a very loud door hinge or bed spring that needs oiling, so maybe it's metallic. I did wonder if it was the ARBs being super tight and rubbing if the bar twists in them, but I'm not sure that the sound would be so persistent.

My garage chap has had it up on his ramp, had a good look and been unable to find anything untoward. He has assured me everythign is safe and stable, so this just adds to my confusion!!!

I guess now the various other suspension knocks, bumps and imperfections have gradually been sorted out, this noise is very apparent to me and anyone else in the car (or outside for that matter!) so it is top of my list of things to sort out next.

Does anyone have any thoughts or have any experience of a similar situation? I'm hoping someone may be able to help 🙂

Many thanks!

Update... all struts still performing well 👍

I'll be honest if they do start playing up, as don't want other owners to make a mistike, but so far so good (bit early to tell)

In case anyone is interested... I replaced the other 3 struts with the new 'cheap' Chinese manufactured options... oh my goodness... night and day!

Now, it's always possible they may die in 2 weeks, but I wil try to keep this post updated from time to time to a 'real world' road test / experience 🙂

Hopefully it'll help someone else.

The other thing was it was pretty quick to swap them in and out, so if you're handy with DIY car mechanics... it's a job you can do yourself. My only concern was dealing with the air tubes/connection. I didn't want to balls that up. My mechanic knows what he's doing and did a great job keeping all the original connections in tact so they fitted back snugly to the new ones.

I've heard talk that it costs minimum (approx) £1,000 to convert air struts back to springs (I doubt that after my own investigations, particularly if you factor in labour costs), but this cost me about £1,450 (incl. labour) to all in to keep it air strutted 🙂

An eBay search for "lexus rx air strut" should flush them out (then I select 'New' and 'UK Only')

Fronts seem to be cheaper than rears at the moment (though my rear one was same price as fronts when I bought it a couple of weeks ago) but it may be to do with stock/availability.

Here's an example of a front one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174909384210

In case anyone is interested in the future, I replaced the rear right strut with a new OE (Chinese made) option for £277. Works a treat! responds as well as the other struts which are yet to wear out and start leaking. Hopefully I won't have to replace it for the time I own the car 🙂

Very helpful info. Thank you

Thanks Tomtit

Hi,

I can't seem to find any forum posts about the various options to replace/refurb air suspension struts on Gen2 RXs...

I have just bought a 2007 RX350 SE-L (UK car) with air suspension. What I'm not asking is whether to replace it with 'springs'... (I have an RX300 and want the difference between the 2 cars). The Rear right airbag has a clear and obvious leak of air and it collapses within about 2 mins of parking (though it seems to be able to inflate fine on start-up).

To keep the air suspension, there seems to be several options:

1) Refurbish - somehow I need to take it off, send to Poland or Bulgaria, wait for the refurb and return. This'll cost £400-500 (GBP) for a strut

2) New Strut - Lexus original part - I can get one for about £800-900 (GBP)

3) New Strut - 'OE' Copy (supliers in UK, but parts originate from China) - I can get one for about £250-350 (GBP) depending on who I go to

4) Used Strut - Lexus part - can cost anywhere between £250-400 (GBP) for an item described as 'working' but obviously there's no guarantee that would be the case...

So, does anyone have any experience of any of these options? Are the Chinese replicas as good as original Lexus parts. If so, I could buy 2 rear ones to ensure the corners balance each other. Should you always go 'Lexus' for this sort of thing? Are there any UK-based refurbishers of struts that people have used? Are 'used' struts as risky as I am assuming? Perhaps I'm wrong to think that...!

Also, is it idiotic to only replace one strut (I certainly wouldn't do that with tyres..) or is it always best to replace front or rear struts in pairs?

Any thoughts and experience would be most welcome - thank you.