Please keep a running spreadsheet of total costs PLUS personal labor. It will be very interesting what this costs at the end. This is a fun series. Thanks for doing this.
I can definitely relate to spending 4 hours removing 2 bolts…makes me feel better to see even a master tech like you have the same issues as a novice such as myself!
I always prefer videos where they don't skip over the messy and challenging parts. Typical broadcast TV would be "here's one prepared earlier" all the hard bits are sanitised. AMD shows both the struggles and the straight forward procedures, where straight forward for AMD would be a challenge for the typical DIY home mechanic.
Watching you do this work reminded me of my dad when he was alive. He passed two years ago and he used to always work on my car and all I had to do was make him coffee and keep him company and that was our bonding moment. I miss him very dearly and watching your videos bring back memories thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to watching more and having a little coffee by my side.
It takes a fantastic mechanic to keep the audience completely engaged in watching old grimy parts come off ( when the parts are old and stubborn ). Your thoughts and commentary working thru problems is humorous and brilliant. The restraint to resist unloading with obscenities is in itself, worthy of some type of UA-cam Academy Award. May The Lord continue to bless y’all! Much love and admiration from Texas!
Having been in similar situations many times, I figure he paused the recording, went into the office or bathroom, closed the door and blasted out enough obscenities to make a sailor blush! (It's the ones that don't cuss that you have to worry about - because when they finally snap it could be dangerous)
@@dareisnogod5711was that all was written? Would you like to roll the dice just to find out you were wrong after you die, just to spend eternity in utter darkness and the lake of fire?
"The one German engineer on the team." "Controlled anger" (or something like that) "mechanic negotiation," "the gillotine" and more. You had me laughing a lot! Ya, been there done that, and now I have new mechanic's terms and words. You are persistent for sure, a great teacher, and a joy to watch. I'm definitely not laughing at you, having been through much of what you went through myself. A big THANK YOU for this video! Looking forward to the next coming videos, and again, THANK YOU!
@9:48 I would like to defend the engineers, if I may lol. First of all, we have to listen to the financial accountants. We want it to do it one way, but they force us to come us with designs that are worse to save money. Second of all, we try to write the best instructions we can. So in your case, the book said to just take off the entire knuckle. I can see why they wrote that, it seems to me that you were mostly there by the time that black plastic thing got in your way, so it's more predictable in terms of time and effort to just take the knuckle off. If anyone agrees or disagrees with that, that's ok and I welcome comments. I think we can all agree that we are watching one of the best mechanic channels on youtube!
I live in Vietnam and I own a 2001 LS430 with 100,000 miles on it. I enjoy watching how the car can be restored. I want to keep the car for my son as a part of our family history. Thank you for your helpful series of guidelines.
I think this would be very nice. As a son, sometimes I wish i still had my old family cars as it makes me feel very proud about how far my family has come. Also I think it would be a good respect to the engineers that worked so hard to ensure that the car would last forever.
I have an 02.. I've never had a failure or issue of anykind outside of a swaybar end breaking but I do have some exhaust work coming to the surface. 240k. Oh, I did preemptively do the tierod ends and main bushings up front. Keep the trans fluid fresh with drain and fills every 15k.. you should be getting 3qrts out in each. I also proactively replaced the fuel pump around 215k and it did have a noticeable change in performance and was fun to do. Keep the throttle body clean and do that timing belt with water pump every 90k.. Last thing... The aftermarket parts are pure junk compared to the oem parts... So dont do anything preemptively that does not need to be done with the suspension...
Medical student here. I’m amazed at the similarities between mechanics and doctors in terms of the improv (and brute force if we are talking about ortho). Just got rid of my 06 Corolla (78,000 miles) for a 22 Camry and your channel is going to be a lifesaver on keeping that car alive until I can lay off my debts! Cheers from WV.
Hi there! Funny enough? My understanding of human anatomy and someone drawing the parallels between organs and car parts was how I understood cars and became a mechanic 😊
I have just gained a new appreciation for the myriad unforseen problems that a mechanic encounters in fixing an old car. I loved your "controlled violence" comment.
I know the parts cost a fortune to restore this beauty properly all original.. But believe me you are on the right track and your channel will reach a million subs with this Lexus restoration series.
So glad you are doing a series on this. I'm certain shooting the angles are somewhat a new thing but very much appreciated. Clearly our trust in your expertise has been reinforced. The Lord bless you and keep you!
@Techrecycle4u This is AMD's daily driver. He is a perfectionist. He was bothered by leaves near the trunk lifts.. A full restoration is not out of the question.
Treemendous mechanic here. I have a camry about 300K miles on it and this video gives me a lot of hope for my car. I'm gonna watch all of this series for sure an average mechanic would have got stuck what I'm realizing is if proper suspension maintenance was not done once cars go over 100k + it takes a super mechanic to even fox them
Telling us that you hope the video was informative is an understatement. That's like the weatherman telling you you're going to feel a little moisture when the tsunami hits. Awesome video.
You are the man! I just bought a 2015 LS with 150K. This Summer I will fix the valley plate leak and replace the water pump. Watching your videos has been very helpful. Thank you for all you're doing.
I hope this is a start to a whole new series, "find the highest mileage Toyotas, fix them so they can reach 1,000,000 miles". Because with the high prices of vehicles I need my Toyota to go a million miles so I never have to buy another one. 😀
Watching a maestro such as yourself wrestle with that rear suspension is inspiration for all of us backyard wrenchers, THOSE problems even happen to the best to them! Kudos to your cool and calm approach, I'm not sure if you were cursing off camera, but keeping your cool is a good lesson.
My sister owns a auto shop that only fixes suspension, brakes exhaust, basically everything except engine and transmission work, they watch your channel on there big screen tv in the shop that’s where I found you, you’re a top notch mechanic and the mechanics at her shop say they don’t make them like you anymore, God Bless
Once you fix the leaks, get a professional detailer to go through the inside and out, clean all the nastiness and shine up the paint! It will be worth it!
Loved this episode! As a non-professional, but experienced DIY mechanic it is refreshing to see that things don't always go according to plan. Your ability to problem solve is awesome!
My GF has exact same car, she bought it last year, 250k miles. I've become VERY familiar with working on the LS430 for the past year!😅 Thanks for the videos.
I own an ‘06 Lexus GS. The car is gorgeous. I have had good luck with some parts from Rock Auto. They had hood and trunk struts on sale for $5 apiece! This was about 5 years ago. I installed them and they still work perfectly today. For important mechanical parts I always go with OEM. These cars are amazing. I bought it used, in excellent condition, 12 years ago. I just rented a 2021 Toyota Corolla LE and my old Lexus is more desirable in almost every way.
My Lexus dealer charged me $190, including a half hour labor to replace one side of my RX 350 automatic hatch strut. Seems that it takes about a minute to do. I did the other side myself for $22 part and 5 minutes or so of installation. I’m impressed with AMD’s patience as he worked through the sticky bolts! A good lesson for us all,
"Accessive use of hammers. That's just how the real world works" That is so true. I replaced the outer tie rods on my Sequoia here in rusty land Boston, MA. Pounding in it and wouldn't release from the knuckle. Used a tie rod end puller and when it released was the scary how hard it popped out and I fell backwards (working on Jack stands on floor of my garage). My first time DIY on 'suspension-like' component.
Great Video, can't wait til next episode. I brought a 2006 LS430 last year pearl white with 95k, as a daily, drove quite few cars in my time, I can honestly say nothing can compare to LS430, it put a smile on my face every time I get in the car, buttery smooth V8! I think this will be the last car I purchased.
Wow, so happy to see a real pro being honest and truthful about the real issues out there, not all of these 5 mins videos, on how easy eveything is. Respect to you for showing us amateurs that even Pros struggle with chewed bolts, access etc, thanks for the honesty
I'm so glad you decided to do a project like this. Can't wait for the next video. I bought an older 1999 Nissan Pathfinder with 197K two years ago in pretty good condition but, needed some work. I inquired if the timing belt had ever been replaced and the shady owner said it was but, could provide no paperwork nor was there a usual belt replacement sticker in the engine bay. I replaced the belt by myself thanks to a really good video online and was meticulous with the OEM replacement parts and installation process. When finished I had no extra parts or broken connectors lying around and I was quite proud of the work I had done. Although I'm not sure, I think the belt I took off was the original. Should have been replaced at 100K so perhaps I am lucky it lasted that long. The engine runs great, and I want to see how long I can keep it going as well. Not Lexus caliber but, we'll see. Keep up the great work!
I'm a mechanical engineer and also a life-long car nut. I understand and sympathize with both sides. In recent years I've seen a push for DFMA (design for manufacturing and assembly) and DFM (design for maintenance). Companies are well aware this is an issue.
Had to pull the entire motor, to replace a belt on my Hyundai, because there was no room to get a wrench on a bolt. That is definitely not user friendly.
@Super Vitz I've seen some documentaries of manufactured homes built in factories under controlled conditions and using advanced tech like CNCs and robots. Fascinating.
I commend you for sticking with it. I tried to do that same hub bearing on my IS 350 today and had to put it off for now, hard to do on the floor with jackstands; wish I had a lift. Will tackle it when I have an extended weekend.
I’m just going to say it. It’s nice to find a UA-camr that is pleasant to listen to. He’s not naggy or whiney, he’s not condescending, he’s not trying to use humor like saying “safety squints hurdeedur”, and he’s not droning with a bunch of “uuuummm, yeah so um, yeah” and he’s not rapid fire vomiting words as if he’s afraid of dead air losing viewers. Of the three UA-cam channels I tolerated, this is one.
Former ASE Certified Master Mechanic. I don't know why? But I enjoy watching your videos in it's entirety. 🤣 One recommendation watching this video. Instead of holding a flashlight use a headlight. Me and my entire crew had headlights, once you get used to them can't live without them. 😜
This is a fantastic idea for a series, both entertaining and informative for the DIY crowd like myself. Definitely looking forward to the next episode, you are giving this car the proper attention to detail that it deserves.
As a Lexus fanboy, my son and I talked his girlfriend into purchasing an LS430 for her 1st car. Tein coilovers installed was all it needed. Now I get to watch my favorite caring mechanic rebuild one back to glory knowing whatever he tackles will be in our future. Thanks for this channel. We love watching a man with passion turn wrenches.
Yours is one of only two YT auto maintenance channels that I watch, and I haven't owned a Toyota or Lexus for a year! 🙂 Good luck with this project, I know it's not an issue of before and after value -- this is a labor of love, as it were. It would be interesting, at the end to see how the market value versus spend works out, though.
I have a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder with 390k miles, drove it this morning on the freeway, still goes well. Usually I use my 4runner which is like an 18 wheeler in comparison. Unfortunately The Car Care Nut does only Toyota work and he is a bit far from CA. I really like the way he does his work, no corners cut. While I have very little rust, the paint is completely burned off from the sun.
Great, So glad you are showing us how to replace the rear wheel bearing. Can’t wait for the front wheel bearings too. Keep up the good work. I have a 03 LS430 needing work, doing myself.
There you go, it's getting started, not much progress yet but I'm still pretty amazed, I don't know why but I find it cool when there's something done in fixing the car 😊, can't wait for the next episode ❤
Well I'm not alone when it comes to difficulties. As a DIY mechanic who majors in construction, I'm encouraged, even the best struggle with car jobs. Thanks Car Care Nut, really enjoyed this a lot. You are a calming soul compared to me.
I just bought an SC 430 with 70,000 miles. Took it in and had everything checked out. It had one slight oil leak and I had that fixed.Just returned from a 3000 mile trip and i love this car. I live in Oregon there is no rust, the paint is like new. I wish I could bring her to you because I intend to keep it forever. By the way I am an 81 year old lady😁😁😁 I am on the second show and will not close out the evening until I have seen all your Work Cheers, Jodi
You, my Sir, are genuine & I commend your skills, gifts & talents. Even if I never drove or owned a car, I would wish you were "my neighbor". God bless you & your family. 🙏👍
@@daviddefortier5970 Most jobs have "book time" so regardless of how long it really takes, that's what is charged. Regardless, I'd still love to see his numbers and it would be more compelling as he goes. All respect to Lucas T, but I don't know all that needs to be done and it's not my car. Not my job to add it up and do the math. Plus, things will come up as things get done to refine the car further and further. I did follow the Matt Farah Million Mile Lexus (now owned by Freddy Tavarish Hernandez who says he planned to restore it - no word on that in years), but I saw how badly it was leaking when LegitStreetCars reviewed its condition at the time. LOTS of oil leaks, so I'm very curious as to how this LS430 will end up.
Great video. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Re: hammers if you put a second hammer on the other side of the joint they pop off even easier. If you have enough room, you can swing both at once, but just holding a large one on the other side works. I have pullers but never used them for ball joints.
A tip for the AGM battery you installed, I also did that with my Lexus. There's three different schools of thought: 1. Don't do it, the charging system in that car will never adequately charge and hold the battery to overall saturation with the way the factory voltage profile is set up. 2. Do the AGM, and just roll the dice and see how it works out. 3. Do the AGM, and with some relatively inexpensive electrical modifications and a little TLC, you can get the alternator to charge the AGM at a slightly higher overall voltage which will work well for the AGM compared to the original FLA profile. Personally I recommend option #3. I've been doing that for years now and so far the benefits of running AGM in a Toyota/Lexus have given me zero problems, and much faster cold starts in the winter.
Great content, The only vehicle repair I do any more besides Oil changes is Brake jobs, Spark plugs and wires, O2 sensors, battery replacement, etc, (choose to assign major repairs to someone other than myself, lol) these modern cars of the last 25 years or so can be an absolute nightmare to work on!
I like how your fixing it like a mechanic would and not like a UA-camr. Just fixing what's broken and not replacing every last nut and bolt or "upgrading" everything you touch.
Today is indeed a good day! CCN posting an LS repair video, and me finally getting a new OEM struts on my car. (: Anyways… awesome video! Finally something to binge watch every time CCN post a video. And also tryna watch his journey on fixing his LS, cause I am close to fixing my IS after owning it for 9 months. Thanks for the headaches previous owners. (:
Don't worry about the use of the hammer.I to am a old school mechanic on heavy transport trucks and trailers.But i started on cars and as the size of the machine grows so does the size of the hammer.Keep it up fun to watch.
Looking forward to more of the series. A bit bittersweet since I just sold my 2002 LS430 which I loved but now I'm considering adding yet another one to my fleet. I fixed my leaky trunk with brand new taillights.
One thing my mechanic father taught me as an adolescent when I started working on car suspensions is, “never force it; get a bigger hammer.” At least that’s what I thought he said . But hey, it’s been over 50 years, so……
You make me happy I own an LS430. Outside of the issues due to wear and tear it is a joy to drive. From the moment you get in, the smell of the natural materials is nice and the smoothness of the engine and tranny is sweet. Quietness, the comfy seats and headrests beat out the new cars.
Replacing that wheel bearing was a major pain. You’re the best mechanic I’ve seen and it just goes to show sometimes the car wins and can humble even the best. I hope I never have to replace them on my LS. They were a breeze to replace on our Highlander.
GREAT VIDEO MY FRIEND!!! As a business car dealer, I see myself doing a lot of "light mechanic" and sometimes you expect to finish soon, and a bolt challenge comes up, God Bless you, Brother!!!
Auto techs are just built different! They're backs, shoulders, arms, everything 😅. I can't bend over looking under the hood for 5 mins without my disc's bulging in my back. I Salute you My friend!
Another great video ❤ Wow, that was not an easy job, even without the mushroomed bolts. I don't think I would trust just any mechanic to work on those cars.
Please keep a running spreadsheet of total costs PLUS personal labor. It will be very interesting what this costs at the end. This is a fun series. Thanks for doing this.
I can definitely relate to spending 4 hours removing 2 bolts…makes me feel better to see even a master tech like you have the same issues as a novice such as myself!
I'm impressed he had the honesty to tell the truth about how hard
that was. Most people would never tell us they had trouble removing
some bolts.
Me too lol.
It gets so maddening 😂
I always prefer videos where they don't skip over the messy and challenging parts. Typical broadcast TV would be "here's one prepared earlier" all the hard bits are sanitised. AMD shows both the struggles and the straight forward procedures, where straight forward for AMD would be a challenge for the typical DIY home mechanic.
This is my life. Things that take most guys 30 seconds take me an hour. I have two left thumbs.
Watching you do this work reminded me of my dad when he was alive. He passed two years ago and he used to always work on my car and all I had to do was make him coffee and keep him company and that was our bonding moment. I miss him very dearly and watching your videos bring back memories thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to watching more and having a little coffee by my side.
It takes a fantastic mechanic to keep the audience completely engaged in watching old grimy parts come off ( when the parts are old and stubborn ). Your thoughts and commentary working thru problems is humorous and brilliant. The restraint to resist unloading with obscenities is in itself, worthy of some type of UA-cam Academy Award. May The Lord continue to bless y’all! Much love and admiration from Texas!
Having been in similar situations many times, I figure he paused the recording, went into the office or bathroom, closed the door and blasted out enough obscenities to make a sailor blush! (It's the ones that don't cuss that you have to worry about - because when they finally snap it could be dangerous)
my thoughts exactly
There is no god.
@@dareisnogod5711was that all was written? Would you like to roll the dice just to find out you were wrong after you die, just to spend eternity in utter darkness and the lake of fire?
Was waiting for this episode. Uploaded sooner than I expected 😊
Dibs! I want to buy it when you're done! Lol
Me too, i came sooner than expected. 💀
Same. Been on the lookout. Would be amazing to catch him on a live doing the repairs
Don’t think he’s gonna sell it any time soon… It’s the gift that keeps on giving….gonna be making a lot of vids with this one before it’s ‘finished’
Yes great....
"The one German engineer on the team." "Controlled anger" (or something like that) "mechanic negotiation," "the gillotine" and more.
You had me laughing a lot! Ya, been there done that, and now I have new mechanic's terms and words.
You are persistent for sure, a great teacher, and a joy to watch.
I'm definitely not laughing at you, having been through much of what you went through myself.
A big THANK YOU for this video!
Looking forward to the next coming videos, and again, THANK YOU!
I agree! 👍 I feel like I'm routing from the sidelines.
I also was in fits admiring his patience but obvious frustration in his commentary 😂 😂
Beautiful nightmare...😅
Separation anxiety 😅...
Thanks for the info!
@9:48 I would like to defend the engineers, if I may lol. First of all, we have to listen to the financial accountants. We want it to do it one way, but they force us to come us with designs that are worse to save money.
Second of all, we try to write the best instructions we can. So in your case, the book said to just take off the entire knuckle. I can see why they wrote that, it seems to me that you were mostly there by the time that black plastic thing got in your way, so it's more predictable in terms of time and effort to just take the knuckle off.
If anyone agrees or disagrees with that, that's ok and I welcome comments. I think we can all agree that we are watching one of the best mechanic channels on youtube!
I live in Vietnam and I own a 2001 LS430 with 100,000 miles on it. I enjoy watching how the car can be restored. I want to keep the car for my son as a part of our family history. Thank you for your helpful series of guidelines.
What, no VinFast on order?
I think this would be very nice. As a son, sometimes I wish i still had my old family cars as it makes me feel very proud about how far my family has come. Also I think it would be a good respect to the engineers that worked so hard to ensure that the car would last forever.
I’m going to do the same with my ls430 I want to pass it down
make sure it never ends up with hack-mechanics 😂
I have an 02.. I've never had a failure or issue of anykind outside of a swaybar end breaking but I do have some exhaust work coming to the surface. 240k. Oh, I did preemptively do the tierod ends and main bushings up front.
Keep the trans fluid fresh with drain and fills every 15k.. you should be getting 3qrts out in each.
I also proactively replaced the fuel pump around 215k and it did have a noticeable change in performance and was fun to do. Keep the throttle body clean and do that timing belt with water pump every 90k..
Last thing... The aftermarket parts are pure junk compared to the oem parts... So dont do anything preemptively that does not need to be done with the suspension...
This episode came quicker than I expected! Love to see the progress underway!
Medical student here. I’m amazed at the similarities between mechanics and doctors in terms of the improv (and brute force if we are talking about ortho).
Just got rid of my 06 Corolla (78,000 miles) for a 22 Camry and your channel is going to be a lifesaver on keeping that car alive until I can lay off my debts! Cheers from WV.
Hi there! Funny enough? My understanding of human anatomy and someone drawing the parallels between organs and car parts was how I understood cars and became a mechanic 😊
I have just gained a new appreciation for the myriad unforseen problems that a mechanic encounters in fixing an old car. I loved your "controlled violence" comment.
I know the parts cost a fortune to restore this beauty properly all original.. But believe me you are on the right track and your channel will reach a million subs with this Lexus restoration series.
AMD, you are a top notch mechanic. You always do the right thing and fix it correctly the FIRST TIME. You are awesome 👌.
So glad you are doing a series on this. I'm certain shooting the angles are somewhat a new thing but very much appreciated. Clearly our trust in your expertise has been reinforced. The Lord bless you and keep you!
Im exited to see this LS 430 fully restored. This series is going to be epic! Keep up the good work. 👍
@Techrecycle4u This is AMD's daily driver. He is a perfectionist. He was bothered by leaves near the trunk lifts.. A full restoration is not out of the question.
Treemendous mechanic here. I have a camry about 300K miles on it and this video gives me a lot of hope for my car. I'm gonna watch all of this series for sure
an average mechanic would have got stuck what I'm realizing is if proper suspension maintenance was not done once cars go over 100k + it takes a super mechanic to even fox them
Loving how this has been going thus far! I love car restoration and repair stuff especially for these Lexus vehicles.
Oh that black SC in the background looks fantastic!
Telling us that you hope the video was informative is an understatement. That's like the weatherman telling you you're going to feel a little moisture when the tsunami hits. Awesome video.
Hands down the best Toyota/Lexus channel on YT. I would love more Gx460 vids
You are the man! I just bought a 2015 LS with 150K. This Summer I will fix the valley plate leak and replace the water pump. Watching your videos has been very helpful. Thank you for all you're doing.
The video / viewer experience is on a different level! Awesome!
This is a UA-cam video made in heaven. Thank you, loved watching an elite Toyota Master Mechanic “Un-Screw” a thoroughly neglected Lexus! Speechless.
Alot of work, that's why I became an electrician 😆. I only work on my own vehicles. Excellent video. Pursuit to perfection.
I hope this is a start to a whole new series, "find the highest mileage Toyotas, fix them so they can reach 1,000,000 miles".
Because with the high prices of vehicles I need my Toyota to go a million miles so I never have to buy another one. 😀
Watching a maestro such as yourself wrestle with that rear suspension is inspiration for all of us backyard wrenchers, THOSE problems even happen to the best to them! Kudos to your cool and calm approach, I'm not sure if you were cursing off camera, but keeping your cool is a good lesson.
I wish I could edit my immediate reactions once in a while.😉
My sister owns a auto shop that only fixes suspension, brakes exhaust, basically everything except engine and transmission work, they watch your channel on there big screen tv in the shop that’s where I found you, you’re a top notch mechanic and the mechanics at her shop say they don’t make them like you anymore, God Bless
Once you fix the leaks, get a professional detailer to go through the inside and out, clean all the nastiness and shine up the paint! It will be worth it!
Agreed. There’s probably UA-camrs in his area that would do a collaboration too instead of paying someone.
Yes, AMMO NYC.
@@VILSONDUSEVIC Too far away from chicago, Ammo’s near New York.
I agree. Ammo nyc………..he will come to Chicago …….he does house calls ! 👍
@@VILSONDUSEVIC 😂Ammo would stick his nose up at this car!
I like your long episodes. it's educational but also relaxing to hear you working the background.
This build series is going to be epic, the road to perfection
I'll watch these videos all day long.
Loved this episode! As a non-professional, but experienced DIY mechanic it is refreshing to see that things don't always go according to plan. Your ability to problem solve is awesome!
My GF has exact same car, she bought it last year, 250k miles. I've become VERY familiar with working on the LS430 for the past year!😅 Thanks for the videos.
Thank you for allowing us in your repair and restoration project. I’m learning so much.
I own an ‘06 Lexus GS. The car is gorgeous. I have had good luck with some parts from Rock Auto. They had hood and trunk struts on sale for $5 apiece! This was about 5 years ago. I installed them and they still work perfectly today. For important mechanical parts I always go with OEM. These cars are amazing. I bought it used, in excellent condition, 12 years ago. I just rented a 2021 Toyota Corolla LE and my old Lexus is more desirable in almost every way.
My Lexus dealer charged me $190, including a half hour labor to replace one side of my RX 350 automatic hatch strut. Seems that it takes about a minute to do. I did the other side myself for $22 part and 5 minutes or so of installation. I’m impressed with AMD’s patience as he worked through the sticky bolts! A good lesson for us all,
"Accessive use of hammers. That's just how the real world works"
That is so true. I replaced the outer tie rods on my Sequoia here in rusty land Boston, MA. Pounding in it and wouldn't release from the knuckle. Used a tie rod end puller and when it released was the scary how hard it popped out and I fell backwards (working on Jack stands on floor of my garage). My first time DIY on 'suspension-like' component.
*"...Lexus had this one German engineer on the design team..." Ha, ha! Love that!*
Great Video, can't wait til next episode. I brought a 2006 LS430 last year pearl white with 95k, as a daily, drove quite few cars in my time, I can honestly say nothing can compare to LS430, it put a smile on my face every time I get in the car, buttery smooth V8! I think this will be the last car I purchased.
Wow, so happy to see a real pro being honest and truthful about the real issues out there, not all of these 5 mins videos, on how easy eveything is. Respect to you for showing us amateurs that even Pros struggle with chewed bolts, access etc, thanks for the honesty
I'm so glad you decided to do a project like this. Can't wait for the next video. I bought an older 1999 Nissan Pathfinder with 197K two years ago in pretty good condition but, needed some work. I inquired if the timing belt had ever been replaced and the shady owner said it was but, could provide no paperwork nor was there a usual belt replacement sticker in the engine bay. I replaced the belt by myself thanks to a really good video online and was meticulous with the OEM replacement parts and installation process. When finished I had no extra parts or broken connectors lying around and I was quite proud of the work I had done. Although I'm not sure, I think the belt I took off was the original. Should have been replaced at 100K so perhaps I am lucky it lasted that long. The engine runs great, and I want to see how long I can keep it going as well. Not Lexus caliber but, we'll see. Keep up the great work!
Love series like these where you go through an older car and fix all the issues. thumbs up from me
I have full confidence that you will make this a real bundle of joy 😊
I'm a mechanical engineer and also a life-long car nut. I understand and sympathize with both sides. In recent years I've seen a push for DFMA (design for manufacturing and assembly) and DFM (design for maintenance). Companies are well aware this is an issue.
I have to remove the glovebox and part of the dash to change the air cabin filter in my 99 CRV. Come on. That’s not user-friendly 😂😂😂
Had to pull the entire motor, to replace a belt on my Hyundai, because there was no room to get a wrench on a bolt. That is definitely not user friendly.
User friendly is becoming absolete. No bueno
I work in construction research and we take inspiration from the automotive industry, trying to make buildings more modular and DFMA approach.
@Super Vitz I've seen some documentaries of manufactured homes built in factories under controlled conditions and using advanced tech like CNCs and robots. Fascinating.
WOW !! ... Simply a Professional !! ... no other words ... and much appreciated as the owner of an '06 LS 430 @ 144,000 ... Thank You !
I commend you for sticking with it. I tried to do that same hub bearing on my IS 350 today and had to put it off for now, hard to do on the floor with jackstands; wish I had a lift. Will tackle it when I have an extended weekend.
I’m just going to say it. It’s nice to find a UA-camr that is pleasant to listen to.
He’s not naggy or whiney, he’s not condescending, he’s not trying to use humor like saying “safety squints hurdeedur”, and he’s not droning with a bunch of “uuuummm, yeah so um, yeah” and he’s not rapid fire vomiting words as if he’s afraid of dead air losing viewers.
Of the three UA-cam channels I tolerated, this is one.
That is a very lucky car to have fallen to a Toyota-Lexus expert like you. This car deserves to have a second life. Cant wait for more.
Former ASE Certified Master Mechanic. I don't know why? But I enjoy watching your videos in it's entirety. 🤣 One recommendation watching this video. Instead of holding a flashlight use a headlight. Me and my entire crew had headlights, once you get used to them can't live without them. 😜
This is a fantastic idea for a series, both entertaining and informative for the DIY crowd like myself. Definitely looking forward to the next episode, you are giving this car the proper attention to detail that it deserves.
As a Lexus fanboy, my son and I talked his girlfriend into purchasing an LS430 for her 1st car. Tein coilovers installed was all it needed. Now I get to watch my favorite caring mechanic rebuild one back to glory knowing whatever he tackles will be in our future. Thanks for this channel. We love watching a man with passion turn wrenches.
Yours is one of only two YT auto maintenance channels that I watch, and I haven't owned a Toyota or Lexus for a year! 🙂 Good luck with this project, I know it's not an issue of before and after value -- this is a labor of love, as it were. It would be interesting, at the end to see how the market value versus spend works out, though.
Who is the other one?
@@Vyantri Rainman Ray
I have a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder with 390k miles, drove it this morning on the freeway, still goes well. Usually I use my 4runner which is like an 18 wheeler in comparison. Unfortunately The Car Care Nut does only Toyota work and he is a bit far from CA. I really like the way he does his work, no corners cut. While I have very little rust, the paint is completely burned off from the sun.
Great, So glad you are showing us how to replace the rear wheel bearing. Can’t wait for the front wheel bearings too. Keep up the good work. I have a 03 LS430 needing work, doing myself.
Undoubtedly one of the best cars ever Manufactured what a great testament to Toyota.
This is amazing! The car absolutely deserves to be revived and loved.
Dude you car looks great. On the video it looks very stylish and classy.
I wish a car with this kind of front face is available in the current market.
There you go, it's getting started, not much progress yet but I'm still pretty amazed, I don't know why but I find it cool when there's something done in fixing the car 😊, can't wait for the next episode ❤
I will be watching this series because I love high mileage cars
This was a hoot to watch!! You are amazing with your patience....
This video just verified why I could never be a mechanic lol. The patience needed is next level.
Thanks for what you do. Your techniques and tips do help out the DIY mechanic to become better.
Well I'm not alone when it comes to difficulties. As a DIY mechanic who majors in construction, I'm encouraged, even the best struggle with car jobs. Thanks Car Care Nut, really enjoyed this a lot. You are a calming soul compared to me.
Man, when he's done, this is going to be a car worth buying! How awesome would it be to own a 600k lexus! I'd rock this in a hearbeat
I just bought an SC 430 with 70,000 miles. Took it in and had everything checked out. It had one slight oil leak and I had that fixed.Just returned from a 3000 mile trip and i love this car.
I live in Oregon there is no rust, the paint is like new.
I wish I could bring her to you because I intend to keep it forever.
By the way I am an 81 year old lady😁😁😁
I am on the second show and will not close out the evening until I have seen all your Work
Cheers, Jodi
I was strangley satisfied to see you battling with that wheel bearing the same as I seem to battle with just about everything I do.
You, my Sir, are genuine & I commend your skills, gifts & talents. Even if I never drove or owned a car, I would wish you were "my neighbor". God bless you & your family. 🙏👍
You have incredible patience. Great job and great video
a legend in the making
I hope that as you go, you'll add up the costs of parts and what you would've charged as a mechanic to completely sort out and 'restore' this car!
@Lucas, he does plenty work off camera.
@@daviddefortier5970 Most jobs have "book time" so regardless of how long it really takes, that's what is charged. Regardless, I'd still love to see his numbers and it would be more compelling as he goes. All respect to Lucas T, but I don't know all that needs to be done and it's not my car. Not my job to add it up and do the math. Plus, things will come up as things get done to refine the car further and further.
I did follow the Matt Farah Million Mile Lexus (now owned by Freddy Tavarish Hernandez who says he planned to restore it - no word on that in years), but I saw how badly it was leaking when LegitStreetCars reviewed its condition at the time. LOTS of oil leaks, so I'm very curious as to how this LS430 will end up.
I'm very interested in the cost to restore this beautiful vehicle as well. How does the costs compare to just buying a new vehicle?
@@user-3tf67bk46u I'm sure his main goal is to restore the car as a hobby instead of merely a daily driver
If you think that it would be cost effective to buy a car like this and pay a shop to do all this work think again.
As someone who doesn't have the skill, patience or persistence to be a competent mechanic, I greatly admire your skill, patience and persistence!
Great video. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Re: hammers if you put a second hammer on the other side of the joint they pop off even easier. If you have enough room, you can swing both at once, but just holding a large one on the other side works. I have pullers but never used them for ball joints.
*Voice of experience here. Cheers!*
A tip for the AGM battery you installed, I also did that with my Lexus. There's three different schools of thought:
1. Don't do it, the charging system in that car will never adequately charge and hold the battery to overall saturation with the way the factory voltage profile is set up.
2. Do the AGM, and just roll the dice and see how it works out.
3. Do the AGM, and with some relatively inexpensive electrical modifications and a little TLC, you can get the alternator to charge the AGM at a slightly higher overall voltage which will work well for the AGM compared to the original FLA profile.
Personally I recommend option #3. I've been doing that for years now and so far the benefits of running AGM in a Toyota/Lexus have given me zero problems, and much faster cold starts in the winter.
How did you compensate for the extra charge level needed?
What easily bought gizmo allowed this?
Or was it able to be programmed into the ECM?
So enjoyable to watch a master at work! This is like watching Bob Ross painting a great picture, especially with the calm commentary! Great video!
Your statement of a “600 mile bundle of joy” was precious! Carry on my mechanic brother, I’m truly enjoying your new project
Great content, The only vehicle repair I do any more besides Oil changes is Brake jobs, Spark plugs and wires, O2 sensors, battery replacement, etc, (choose to assign major repairs to someone other than myself, lol) these modern cars of the last 25 years or so can be an absolute nightmare to work on!
I like how your fixing it like a mechanic would and not like a UA-camr. Just fixing what's broken and not replacing every last nut and bolt or "upgrading" everything you touch.
Today is indeed a good day!
CCN posting an LS repair video, and me finally getting a new OEM struts on my car. (:
Anyways… awesome video! Finally something to binge watch every time CCN post a video. And also tryna watch his journey on fixing his LS, cause I am close to fixing my IS after owning it for 9 months.
Thanks for the headaches previous owners. (:
Yes, if you're going to be doing suspension work, in addition to hammers you need a strong collection of pry bars.
Don't worry about the use of the hammer.I to am a old school mechanic on heavy transport trucks and trailers.But i started on cars and as the size of the machine grows so does the size
of the hammer.Keep it up fun to watch.
Looking forward to more of the series. A bit bittersweet since I just sold my 2002 LS430 which I loved but now I'm considering adding yet another one to my fleet.
I fixed my leaky trunk with brand new taillights.
Great video, going thru the same with an 01 Avalon with 225000 miles in Wisconsin, can't wait for the next video!
One thing my mechanic father taught me as an adolescent when I started working on car suspensions is, “never force it; get a bigger hammer.” At least that’s what I thought he said . But hey, it’s been over 50 years, so……
My Uncle called it "The Persuader".
You make me happy I own an LS430. Outside of the issues due to wear and tear it is a joy to drive. From the moment you get in, the smell of the natural materials is nice and the smoothness of the engine and tranny is sweet. Quietness, the comfy seats and headrests beat out the new cars.
You sir are a master Mechanic superstar.
I totally agree with you. I wish AMD lived in Arizona. He would have a new customer with me.
This is a true to the trade video, Like i told my son many years ago, schools can teach you the basics this is on the job training.Great video
This series is the best! I will never attempt a wheel bearing myself, especially with jack stands!
Bearing not bad sometimes u could buy the whole knuckle assembly with the bearing on already
Replacing that wheel bearing was a major pain. You’re the best mechanic I’ve seen and it just goes to show sometimes the car wins and can humble even the best. I hope I never have to replace them on my LS. They were a breeze to replace on our Highlander.
this is the first video where you seem human!! having the luck that most of us deal with.. thanks for sharing!!
GREAT VIDEO MY FRIEND!!!
As a business car dealer, I see myself doing a lot of "light mechanic" and sometimes you expect to finish soon, and a bolt challenge comes up, God Bless you, Brother!!!
You make us to love our 2001 LS 430 even more!
Your project Lexus is the gift that keeps giving. Looking forward to the next segment.
Just imagine doing this on the floor with jackstands
*Every guy should do that once in his life. But only once. Cheers!*
Nope. Not doing that! I only do them easy things like oil changes and brakes. And even that is challenging 😅😂
wouldn’t be that hard off jack stands
The quality of your care and concern for doing things right is very inspirational. May the Lord bless you and keep you also!
Love this series. He has the patience of a Zen master. If it was me id be screaming n cursing like a sailor fixing the car 🤣
This has probably been said many times before, but this man sounds like the Bob Ross of mechanics. I enjoy listening to him work.
Really enjoy watching a professional work! I hope you'll share the final costs of getting the car back to "perfect."
You don’t want to know lol, especially when he’s replacing every single thing with oem parts!
Auto techs are just built different! They're backs, shoulders, arms, everything 😅. I can't bend over looking under the hood for 5 mins without my disc's bulging in my back. I Salute you My friend!
Another great video ❤ Wow, that was not an easy job, even without the mushroomed bolts. I don't think I would trust just any mechanic to work on those cars.
You’re a very solid mechanic. Enjoying the series on this car. Thanks for being honest and hardworking and trustworthy in your advice.