artbuc

Thanks RX. I know you really like the Firestone LE's and you should based on your direct experience. The Tirerack survey results are mixed on the LE's with quite a few folks complaining about short tread life, eg 30k miles. Tirerack survey's are not easy to understand with one person raving about a tire's wet traction and another saying that same tire hydroplanes easily and is unsafe. Go figure. The Alenza does have a much higher treadwear rating and generally better test results so I will go with them. I'm not that concerned about the cost difference considering these tires should go at least 50k. I have 50k on the current Bridgestone Dueler H/T's and they could probably go a little longer. The Alenza's should easily outlast the H/T's. Consumer Reports also rates the General Grabber HTS as the #1 LT/SUV tire. Of course, CR rates Behr paint as #1. I tried to use Behr paint once and I will never make that mistake again! I guess it's possible that General has really stepped-up its qualty with the Grabber HTS but I will pass on it this time. If they are still the #1 rated tire, I'll buy them the next time.

Getting ready to buy some new rubber. Based on my personal experience and reading this and ClubLexus forums I was ready to buy Bridgestone Alenzas. Went to Tirerack and discovered the #1 tire is General Grabber HTS which blows away the Alenzas. Grabber's are $90 vs $135 for Alenzas. I've never had General tires on any of my cars. I'm very reluctant to move away from Bridgestone but the Grabber's look too good to pass up. Anyone have any experience with the General Grabber HTS tires? Update: I just talked with Tirerack. They said the Grabber's performance deteriorates as it wears. They said the Alenza is a far superior tire over its expected life and that the Grabber's ratings will definitely go down as consumers get more experience with them. I don't know if Tirerack has a vested interest in pushing Alenzas over Grabbers (they said they didn't) but the person I spoke with had a very strong negative opinion of Grabbers. Now, the person I talked with did ask me to mention his name when I placed the order because they are paid on commission so I assume he will make more $$ if I buy a $135 tire vs a $90 tire.

Since I didn't take the old actuator apart I don't know how easy if would be to replace the motor. I think Code58 did take the old actuator apart because he inspected the old motor to see if he could replace the brushes. I would say go for it and let us know how you make out. Thanks for the info on the motor. PS. There is a thread in the ClubLexus forum which gives a detailed description of the motor replacement. I don't know how to post the link but it is in the GS 2nd Generation Forum. Do a search on "actuator" and you will see a thread started by TRD911 on 6/23/07. I don't know if it translates exactly to the RX300, but it contains a tremendous amount of information.

Linkage is the "silver rod" which came with the new actuator. It will link the new actuator to the old actuator. I assume it is about 300 mm long with a right angle (90 degree) bend. After the bend it is about 25mm long. At the end of the 25mm length it terminates with an enlarged head. This head is too big to push through the hole in the old actuator lever hole so it must be ground or filed down. You could enlarge the hole in the old actuator lever but it is plastic and enlarging the hole would make it too weak. Artbuc-Isn't the end of the rod with the "dog knot" the end that's meant to go through the end of the actuator? And then you cut and bend the other (straight end) in a modified Z (2- 90 degree bends) to fit through the unused hole in the actuator arm. (assuming he has the unused hole, some seem to have a different setup) Maybe I'm not understanding what you were saying but at least that's the way I understand it. It's really quite easy when you visualize it. I had to do all of my own engineering before I found this site and I replaced all 4 of my DIL's with Ford actuators and made my own rods- a lot more work. I wish I had found this site 1st. before I did her RX, it would have made it a lot easier for me. I don't think it makes any difference. I put the "dog knot" thru the hole in the old actuator because that is the way the pics showed it on the ClubLexus forum. The linkage rod is not easy to bend. I just bent it into a 180 degree u-bend to hook thru the new actuator. There isn't much room at the old actuator so putting the dog knot there made sense to me.

Linkage is the "silver rod" which came with the new actuator. It will link the new actuator to the old actuator. I assume it is about 300 mm long with a right angle (90 degree) bend. After the bend it is about 25mm long. At the end of the 25mm length it terminates with an enlarged head. This head is too big to push through the hole in the old actuator lever hole so it must be ground or filed down. You could enlarge the hole in the old actuator lever but it is plastic and enlarging the hole would make it too weak.

Take a look at my posts on this subject. What the OP didn't explain was that you have to remove the old actuator in order to see what you have to do and actually do it. Once you can see it, you can easily relate to the pics and do the job. Believe me, I am not a mechanic and I did this job w/o too much difficulty once I realized you have to remove the old actuator. Now, when I say remove, I don't mean completely remove it from the door. You have to disassembly the door latch and linkage at the door latch and you have to remove the 3 screws in the jamb. Then you can maneuver the old actuator and take care of business. The most difficult thing is placing the new actuator in position and drilling holes for it which will line-up properly. The answers to your questions can be found by searching this site. I do not have time to give you a detailed answer to every question but I will make a few comments. You do not have to diassemble the old actuator. You will see a lever with a hole in it which is the perfect place to attach linkage for new actuator. You can see this lever moving when you manually operate the door lock which you can do with the wiring harness temporarily plugged in. The new linkage has a 90 degree bend with an enlarged head. You will have to grind this head down a little in order for it to push through the hole in the lever. Don't grind too much because you want a friction fit. The new linkage will be too long so you will have the shorten it and bend it to form a loop which will go into the new actuator. You will determine the new linkage length by making sure the old actuator is back in position and holding the new actuator in a position which allows clearance. You will have to drill two holes in the door sheet metal so you can screw the new actuator in place. Locating the holes just takes a little patience making sure you allow for the total linkage travel. I made a paper template which was very helpful. I forget the color of the wires you will be splicing into but that info can be found by searching this forum. Check operation before you solder to make sure you have the right polarity. This all sounds more complicated than it is.

Take a look at my posts on this subject. What the OP didn't explain was that you have to remove the old actuator in order to see what you have to do and actually do it. Once you can see it, you can easily relate to the pics and do the job. Believe me, I am not a mechanic and I did this job w/o too much difficulty once I realized you have to remove the old actuator. Now, when I say remove, I don't mean completely remove it from the door. You have to disassembly the door latch and linkage at the door latch and you have to remove the 3 screws in the jamb. Then you can maneuver the old actuator and take care of business. The most difficult thing is placing the new actuator in position and drilling holes for it which will line-up properly.

Welcome! Door lock actuator failures are a common problem. A number of us have retrofitted aftermarket generic actuators which are available for $10 or less. Do a search and you will find detailed DIY instructions.

Does it really have a non-interference engine? This discussion has taken place several times on this forum with knowledgeable posters coming down on both sides. I was convinced it was non-interference until I did a little research. There are many who say the 3.0L V6 with VVTi is interference because of the variable timing. I really don't know for sure but really wish I did!

Hi, I just got small motors and I am getting ready to replace it in actuator in driver door, I am planning to follow instructions from this link: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=289839 How much difference is RX300 from GS mention in above instructions? Any tips for RX300? ********************** Pardon my descriptions of things, my DYI are always an adventure, but I've done okay over the years. No need to remove window, but the job is time consuming and a pain in the !Removed!. My job was half !Removed! but only spent $2 for the motor rather than $240, so I feel pretty good. Getting that actuator plastic casing apart is near impossible. I can see the old motor in there and so I dremeled all around the plastic to get to it--very carefully not to cut into the gears and connectors. I couldn't get the small collar (coupler?) off the new motor, and the old motor's twisty end that fits inside the small pointy gear wouldn't come off either. I just put some super glue inside the long pointy gear and put the end of the new motor in. The new motor fits snug but perfect I believe. I tested the lock and the new motor fired up. After 10-12 times, it stopped turning the gear, just spinning going no where. I took it off, cleaned glue off and put more glue in there and let it dry for 30 minutes rather than 2 minutes. It turned the gears with no probs on and off for 10 minutes. I have half the actuator exposed and pieces of old plastic not really practical to put back on. But everything was fairly intact, but when the motor is turning it wants to pop up a bit. I duck taped it and wrapped rubber bands all around the motor and it stays put. Half !Removed! like I said, but it worked!! Getting the cable back on was a pain and fitting the actuator back in the same position caused my keyless entry not to work for the day. I had to go back in the door and play around some more with it and now it's all good. I hope the glue holds up so it will keep working. Time will tell. Good luck!! Out of curiosity, why didn't you retrofit a new $10 actuator as described in the posts instead of trying to install a new motor on the existing actuator?

Are your batteries ok in the key fob? You shouldn't have to reprogram they key.

8mm x 1.25 pitch on my 99 RX. I would guess it is the same on the 04 but don't know that for sure.

That troubles me- The "book" may show 16hrs. to remove and replace the complete front drive unit but that is ridiculous to R&R the trans. I can GUARANTEE you it didn't take them 16hrs. to do the work-not even close. My understanding is the original seals were of a little different design and maybe made of a rubber that couldn't take the heat as well. I believe those things were dealt with in the later seals. When I changed my DIL's I was somewhat surprised at how "cooked" the seal was. It was hard as a rock and had worn a groove in the crankshaft, which really concerned me. I used some emery paper to clean and smooth the CS and there has been NO leak in the 25k mi. since I did it and it was leaking quite a bit before that. The crankcases seem to run hot on these engines and I personally wonder if it wasn't more the material the seal was made of because I couldn't really tell any difference in the design of the new seal. Regards, Roger Roger, did you pull the trans all by yourself? Did you need a special lift and/or hoist? How long did it take? Thanks.

That might be the same thing I am talking about...I don't remember the details.

The original exhaust had a design problem which caused the exhaust manifold to crack. Our's was replaced under warranty with a new design which incorporates an expansion joint. If you have not had the new design installed, I would check that first.

I've thought about this and have come around to your point of view. In fact, last night I stole $50 worth of gas from an Exxon station. They make way too much profit and it's time to start getting even.

I know I should keep my mouth shut, but.... cfiiman's car buying insecurities and persistent expectation that someone on an Internet board can tell him what to pay for a car is moving from the sublime to the ridiculous. LexKid360's recommendation to perpetrate insurance fraud is ridiculous and has no place on this board. Hmmmmm. I assumed the insurance fraud suggestion was tongue in cheek response to trolling since the questions had gotten so ridiculous. "Are we there yet?" If it was tongue-in-cheek, I offer my sincere apology to LexKid. I sometimes use sarcasm which other people don't get it at all. Now I feel a little silly if I am the one who didn't pick-up on the sarcasm. Oh well, live and learn.

I know I should keep my mouth shut, but.... cfiiman's car buying insecurities and persistent expectation that someone on an Internet board can tell him what to pay for a car is moving from the sublime to the ridiculous. LexKid360's recommendation to perpetrate insurance fraud is ridiculous and has no place on this board.

Take it to your local hydraulic repair shop and they will match it for you. )O-rings come in standard sizes and you can find them listed in various web sites. You can measure yours and determine exactly what it is to save the shop time, but most shops I've dealt with don't mind doing a match.

Just got my new Omega DS-2.1 door lock actuators. These are the ones that cost $10 vs $5 for the no-name brand. Except color and brand stamp, the Omegas look just like the no-name and both are made in Taiwan. However, the Omegas have a much smoother and robust action. I think they are definitely worth the extra $5. The Parts-Express catalogue lists the Omega DS-1, but they have been replaced by the DS-2.1.

A couple comments FWIW. I remember buying a used Dodge Dart in 1977. It was in beautiful condition and I wanted a car with the slant 6 engine. I had two slant 6's prior and they were virtually indestructible. I thought anyone who kept a car so neat, clean and polished must have done the same mechanically. Boy, was I WRONG! I don't think that guy had ever changed the oil plus many other big problems. So, without maintenance records I would be very leery of buying this vehicle regardless of how nice it looks. At the very least I would pull a valve cover and make sure you don't have any indication of sludge/gel. I haven't had any trans or rear oil seal problems YET; but, they are expensive to fix. You will have to pull the trans to install a $25 seal. Good news is that Lexus has improved the seal design so you should only have to do this job once. I don't know, but I just don't think I would buy a used RX with 133k miles no matter how nice it looked.

Thanks Lenore. I think I solved my problem. The actuator is covered with a white plastic shroud. The door opening connecting rod passes through the shroud making it impossible to remove unless you either disconnect the door connecting rod or cut the plastic shroud. Indiana, who posted the most detailed description of this process, didn't mention the shroud but it was obviously removed in his pictures. I believe that removing the shroud will give me the visibility and access I need to do the repair. artbuc- you do have to remove the (I believe 3 screws) that hold the door lock (latching mechanism) in the door frame. On my DIL's 99RX there was an existing arm with a hole on that latching mechanism that was perfect for the aftermarket actuator rod to attach to (hole was not used, don't know what it was there for). It is really easy to bend the rod and mount the actuator with the supplied strap bracket and piggy-back onto the 2 wires that go to the factory actuator. You want to leave all the original stuff in place and just piggy-back onto those two wires. I didn't have it near as easy because I had to figure it all out on my own (found this forum after I had done all 4 doors). Also, I used 4 Crown Vic actuators (free) and their original brackets. The outside handle doesn't have to come off but I'm quite sure you won't be able to fit and install the rod with the latch in place. Thanks 58. Yes, you have to remove 3 torx screws holding the latch in the jamb, another torx screw on the inside panel, a bolt holding the actuator, a bolt holding the window track and a plastic barb. I also removed the exterior door handle so I could disconnect the two connecting rods (one for door key cylinder and the other for the door). Also I removed the bolt holding the inside door latch to create slack on the two wire cables. Finally I disconnected the two wiring harness connectors. This was the only way I could move the actuator around enough to see what I was doing. More later. Ok, the deed is done and all is well. As mentioned before, I bought the $5 actuator from Parts Express (#330-010). I found them on the Amazon storefront but you can buy directly from them at www.parts-express.com. The first one I installed was DOA. I smelled it burning on the first test. Luckily I had purchased two and the second is working fine, for now. Parts Express gave me a credit for the bad unit and 1/2 of the original shipping cost. I purchased two Omega actuators which have the blue body and cost $10 (#330-580). The cheap unit had 13 reviews which were pretty good except concern that the boots tended to dryrot. No mention of premature coil failure. The Omega's only had two reviews because, I guess, everybody buys the cheap ones. Considering the work involved, I would rather install a $10 name brand, than a $5 no-name brand. Now I have a couple spares ready to go. Now, a couple words of gratitude to those who have gone before me, especially to indiana, Code58, Lenore and the chap who did the superbly illustrated DIY on the door removal (ClubLexus). I could have never done this on my own!

Thanks Lenore. I think I solved my problem. The actuator is covered with a white plastic shroud. The door opening connecting rod passes through the shroud making it impossible to remove unless you either disconnect the door connecting rod or cut the plastic shroud. Indiana, who posted the most detailed description of this process, didn't mention the shroud but it was obviously removed in his pictures. I believe that removing the shroud will give me the visibility and access I need to do the repair. artbuc- you do have to remove the (I believe 3 screws) that hold the door lock (latching mechanism) in the door frame. On my DIL's 99RX there was an existing arm with a hole on that latching mechanism that was perfect for the aftermarket actuator rod to attach to (hole was not used, don't know what it was there for). It is really easy to bend the rod and mount the actuator with the supplied strap bracket and piggy-back onto the 2 wires that go to the factory actuator. You want to leave all the original stuff in place and just piggy-back onto those two wires. I didn't have it near as easy because I had to figure it all out on my own (found this forum after I had done all 4 doors). Also, I used 4 Crown Vic actuators (free) and their original brackets. The outside handle doesn't have to come off but I'm quite sure you won't be able to fit and install the rod with the latch in place. Thanks 58. Yes, you have to remove 3 torx screws holding the latch in the jamb, another torx screw on the inside panel, a bolt holding the actuator, a bolt holding the window track and a plastic barb. I also removed the exterior door handle so I could disconnect the two connecting rods (one for door key cylinder and the other for the door). Also I removed the bolt holding the inside door latch to create slack on the two wire cables. Finally I disconnected the two wiring harness connectors. This was the only way I could move the actuator around enough to see what I was doing. More later.

Search this forum using the word "actuator". You will see a thread by indiana which gives some great detail on the actuator repair plus it includes a link to the ClubLexus forum with a well illustrated how to remove the door panel.

Thanks Lenore. I think I solved my problem. The actuator is covered with a white plastic shroud. The door opening connecting rod passes through the shroud making it impossible to remove unless you either disconnect the door connecting rod or cut the plastic shroud. Indiana, who posted the most detailed description of this process, didn't mention the shroud but it was obviously removed in his pictures. I believe that removing the shroud will give me the visibility and access I need to do the repair.