Video Transcript
This is Kurt from Strutmasters.com. Today, we're replacing the air suspension on the Lexus LS 460 All-Wheel Drive.
The first step is to lift the car on a lift or jack stands and remove the wheel. So, this particular car does not have any push-in clips, but normally, you would've push-in clips in these holes right here. And once you remove those, you can remove this plastic piece right here.
Okay, next, I'm gonna remove this cover right here with a 14-millimeter. I just wanna round the back here as well. Once you remove those and lift this cover up, it reveals the top mount. This particular car has a broken sensor, but normally, you would twist the sensor counterclockwise and pull it up and out.
And now, using the same 14 millimeter, you can remove the top mount nuts. The air's already been removed from this strut, which is why it's falling. You're gonna wanna remove this brake line bracket with a 10-millimeter. Remove the lower strut bolt with a 22 millimeter and this washer too. So next, we're gonna take this outer tie rod out and remove this cotter pin, just like so. We're gonna take this nut off with a 19-millimeter,remove this nut, use whatever ball joint remover you wanna to use. Sometimes it'll come out, sometimes it won't. There we go.
The washer on top right here, you just wanna pull it out. Remove this airline from the airbag. To do that, you wanna to take the first clip out, move it to the side, take the second clip, get it out by squeezing the tabs, and you wanna to turn this one about 90 degrees and wedge it back in there. We'll let those tabs come up, and then you can pull the airline out.
So, the easiest way I found to get this strut out is to pull the lower clevis out and down a little bit, and then remove the bottom nut at the bottom of the strut. You should be able to get it out by hand. The bolt comes out, and then remove this lower clevis. And then, remove the airbag through the left side is the easiest way, and there it is.
And then, we're gonna take the new strut, insert it from the left side, just like we took the old one out. Make sure your brake line gets on the left side of the strut. So, you let the strut rest inside the vehicle while you put the clevis back on this side.
Tighten this bolt up with a 22. Insert your pry bar in this position, and pry down on the knuckle. And when you pry down on the knuckle, slip the clevis into the lower control arm. To reinstall this tie rod into the knuckle, put it in place. Make sure you put your washer back on there and your castle nut. When you tighten your castle nut up, make sure you line up the hole for the cotter pin. Insert your cotter pin through the hole at the center of the tie rod. Reinstall the washer and the lower strut mount. It's got a deep sink towards the top, it'll only go one way, and put the lower strut and nut back on. Tighten it up using the impact. Reinstall the brake line bracket. Put the bottom end first. Line up the bolt hole. Insert your bolt and tighten up the bolt with a 10-millimeter.
Install the supply hardware from the top mount and tighten it. At this point, you can take the actuator, remove the connector by pushing the tab down, and remove the actuator from the vehicle. Next, place your strut mount cover back in place, reinstall the hardware. Reinstall the plastic trim panels back in place. And this one does not have any push-in clips, but install those back as well.