MisterPoet

@Vishnu Nair - sorry for late comeback. Mine is too minor, after I replaced mentioned parts. Now, I don't pay much attention to it. I have done a long ride across 3 neighboring countries with family and loved the experience and never felt issues at higher speeds specially when full.

Dear Friends, I am looking for advice to protect my car paint in long drive from UAE to Salalah or UAE to Saudi. I see people use to put some sand color spray protection when they travel long by road to protect car paint. Second option I heard about is to use Rust Oleum Rock Gaurd spray paint that develops a thick transparent or color layer which could be removed later. Third common thing used by Saudi frequent travelers to pour Lux Dish Washer on bonnet n bumper etc. Please advise what is best method to temporarily protect the paint in such desert road drives?

This is a status update for friends who have been advising and helping me on the issue of my LC 200 bumpy ride. Background: My vehicle gives me a feeling that it shudders at speed between 80-100 at times. This is mainly felt when I drive over uneven road patches (small ups n downs, and road pothole covers). I also feel small noise from 3rd row wall mounted seat behind passenger side. But when the speed is like 110 and above, I don't feel any issue. On bigger bumps and road issues, car feels super strong. I feel shudders only on small uneven bump which no other car will feel at all (I have 2012 Pajero and I don't feel these shudders on small bumps) By start of April, I replaced 4 shock absorbers + Front Upper and Lower Control Arms, Steering + Both Link Rod and Tie Rod Engs + Steering Boots + Greased Front and Rear Drive Shift + 4 Tyres changed to Bridgestone. Post all above, in my last message on the thread, I mentioned momentary shake is totally gone. It seems it was only temporary relief, though the impact has been reduced but not completely gone. I haven't changed rear upper and lower Trailing/Control arms yet; and I am totally unsure about doing it as I can't preempt will it resolve my issue or not; as I feel it in whole vehicle not in the rear only.

@Vishnu Nair I am in the same boat too. I tool bought 2013 GXR recently and changed multiple parts due to the very same issue. IT helped in reduction of overall shuddering, but it didn't fix the actual issue which is why I still feel it. The changed parts included new tyres, 4 shocks, front upper and lower control arms, Steering and other misc. bushings etc..... Some online forums mention it to be a common problem in LC200 to live with, and some says this is observed in some vehicles only. But now that I see your post, I assume there could be other instances in UAE too.

Thanks to everyone's support. I finally got front lower and upper arms changed and front side momentary shake is totally gone. @Zed I changed the complete arms not only bushing. This is because my mechanic did bushing through machine press for another Prado some months ago but it lasted only for 2-3 months. I think this has to do with the required amount of pressure for removing old and installing new bushing; and this varies depending on the bushing. So, the safest way forward was to replace the whole arms instead. I might try to replace bushing on the rear control and support arms (I saw there are 4 arms in rear - 2 on each side); but I am not sure where in Sharjah or Dubai is the right place to get it done or even its bushing comes separate or not? I read that LC200 rear suspension parts are same as that of LC100.

Thank you @Zed and @Gaurav for great support. If I explain this vibration a bit further, I would say that I feel small bump in the body of the vehicle on bit old road patches like on E311 or E611 and that bumpiness is intermittently only when there is unevenness on road. It stays for less than second and is not continuous. Otherwise, since I changed all shocks, tyres and tie rods etc, car drives like a charm on smooth/new road. I changed my tyres 2 weeks before, then day before yesterday I again went to redo wheel balancing and seen 0 and 0 with my own eyes as @Gaurav mentioned. So, this is not tyres for sure. Moreover, last month I thought of it as propeller shaft greasing related thing, so I steam washed the vehicle underneath and applied grease on all 6 greasing zerks/fittings. @Zed - I sent you whatsapp - can you plz respond to me with garage details in DXB/SHJ who have some type of suspension-testing machine that you mentioned, and also let me know the garage from where you got the bushing job done on LCA. Now, my last 2 areas of focus are either (1) replacing LCA or its bushing only (2) removing propeller shaft and getting it aligned which apparently doesn't have any issue. Out of these 2 areas, what would you think to be more related to my problem?

Thank you @Zed for such an elaboration. The vibration I feel is neither on steering nor on brake padel, its on car seats and at times I feel back seat on passenger side slightly shaking and making bit of noise. This vibration is not felt during whole drive but only when there is old highway patch. (like on E611 and E311). I feel it mostly between 80KMPH to 110KMPH speeds. Secondly, there is no clunking noise while hitting bumps or potholes. Yesterday, I got my car ramped and inspected front underneath - both side ball joints doesn't show any wear, neither the rubber looks old; but small wear was seen on exposed part of the lower arm bushes. Mechanic advised to leave the car, so that he could open LCA and UCA and check if replacement is required. If required, he suggests to change the whole Control Arms rather than only bush replacement which he said won't stay longer. I would definitely send you a message boss.

Appreciate if someone can shed light if this body shake could be caused by Bushes of Lower Control Arm or Ball-Joints? And can I replace bushes or ball-joints without changing the full control arm?

2 days before, I installed new tyres Bridgestone Dueler HP Sport from Sand Dance tyres. Now road noise is totally gone but the main issue of wheel shake still exists. I would say it became more prominent now after changing tyres; not sure what is the relation. Driving at 90 or 100 KMPH on highway, I feel wheels wobbling/shaking but not on steering. Front lower control arm bushes seems slightly worn; not sure if replacing bushes only will do the job or I should replace the full arms. Any guidance what is normal life of these bushes in Lc200 which has never been driven off-road? Secondly, could this wobble be because of wheel bearing (no noise though) or lower arms (no clunking or sound even); that I should prioritize to change?

My recently purchased Land Cruiser 2013 has Dunlop Grandtrek AT22 285/60R18 tyre DOT 2020 which are unevenly worn, giving road noise and I feel small body shake on highway bumps intermittently as if all wheels aren’t in sync/collaboration. Since I have already replaced all 4 Shock Absorbers and necessary suspension parts, tyres are the next suspect for this body shake. I seek experts' advice for tyre which are comfortable on road to absorb such shakes and doesn't produce noise on wear.

Friends, I actually got my vehicle steam washed and greased (normal yellowish color grease) on 6 fittings/nipples on Drive Shaft 2 weeks before. This was because I read that dry u-joints or Slide Yoke could also cause vibration. But strangely, I feel a but more vibration now when I drive over small highway bumps and car feels uncomfortable and shake for a second as if all corners of vehicle aren’t in sync with each other. Any advice if this could be due to over-greasing and where can I get my car (in Shj or Dxb) to remove extra grease and re-grease all points with high-temperature recommended grease with proper grease gun? My mechanic recommends blames Dunlop AT22 tyres DOT 2020 and suggests to change these with Bridgestone or Michelin. Though I hear road noise with tyres and these are unevenly worn specially rear ones, but I don’t think this is purely due to tyres only; so my thought is to fix mechanical issues before tyre change.

@Frederic it has done 215K KM. @Gaurav It has always been driven on road; never used in sand. Not sure if it is possible for wheel bearings (wheel hub) to get loose without any noise of play in them while inspection? Or is there any other important suspension part left unattended in the above list of parts I already replaced?

@Frederic thank you for your response. That's correct; I have already done wheel alignment and balancing; and moved the tread reduced tyres to backwards. I am also thinking to get the wheel bearings checked, the workshop guy did the check earlier and found no play or noise in the wheels. Without any signs, is it still possible that wheel hub or bearings are loose and are causing this vibration?

Friends, I recently bought 2013 LC200 v6 GXR that drives good but gives an intermittent vibration when it touches a small bump on highway in speed range of around 60-100KMPH. I don't feel it all the times in this speed range, and it is not observed at higher speeds like 120KMPH or above. Otherwise, car ride is very smooth but this little body shake (I feel more in front seats) creates a bit of dissatisfaction. Following is what I have already done following actions which have reduced the vibration but it's not completely gone. 1. All 4 Shock Absorbers replaced. 2. Replaced Both Link Rods 3. Replaced both Tie Rod Ends 4. Replaced Steering Boots 5. Greased Front and Rear Drive Shift 6. Wheel Balancing & Alignment Tyre are Dunlop Grantrek A22 DOT 2021 and front ones had bit of reduced tread from inside; I moved these tyre to back and put the correct ones to front during wheel balancing. But I still hear road noise out of these tyre and have plan to change these too. Springs are OEM and all suspension parts are good per inspection of my mechanic who says that tyres are causing this vibration; but since I don't feel vibration all the time at said speed range and it only comes when crossing small bumps, I don't think this is due to tyres. On some other international forum, a guy had same issue and ended up tightening his LC200 wheel bearings to Specs which made the tyre misbalance very obvious fixing which made the ride smooth. Experts are requested to advice on this please.

@munkybizness you are correct - this is the cluster I have in v6 LC200. Thank you for the knowledge share.... I only feel difficulty in under ground parking with low light during day time, otherwise it's fine.... I have seen instrument clusters turning ON on engine start during day time for old Corolla and Accords.... But this was bit of a surprise in LC200 and I thought it could be a problem with my car only.

@Krishna R I did try but it doesn't work unlike your Civic. Infact, this knob doesn't turn clock/anti-clock wise at all. Thanks for your suggestion though.

@Krishna R thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, I have this knob and it shows 4 settings (1) Odometer (2) Trip A (3) Trip B (4) Brightness Adjustment. But to go into 4th setting of Brightness Adjustment, Headlights should be turned ON. Otherwise, it doesn't get you there.

@Frederic thank you bro - that really helped me to understand this as a default behavior in GXR v6.

Is this a one off problem with me, or someone else experienced the same on Land Cruiser v6 GXR variant?

@Ahmad Nerat thank you brother. As you said LC200 v8 versions comes with DRL which can automatically lit up the Instrument Cluster during day time. I need some friend having v6 GXR to confirm if his LC200 instrument cluster lights up during day time? This could be default behaviour in v6 versions.

Any answers please 🙏

I am new to LC200; so need information from experienced users please. In my LAnd Cruiser 2013 model v6 GXR variant, the instrument cluster light (speedometer light) turns on only if I switch on LED or full headlights. Otherwise, it doesn’t light up during day time and I feel difficulty in underground parking during day. I need to know if this is default behavior in GXR v6 variant 2013 model? OR we can switch it on with some settings? FYI - With headlights control, I see simple 3 steps (1) off (2) LED on and (3) headlight on. There is no AUTO button in it.

Thank you @Gaurav. This is what my other friend told me.

I heard about Al Doha Auto Accessories in Dubai and Sharjah who have I think Thai sourced lip bumpers (not original) already painted that they can put both front and back in reasonable price. I have been told that buying original (new or used) will require repaint work and the cost will go high, for something which is vulnerable to damages once taken to sand. So better advised to go with Thai ones.

Thank you @Srikumar I shall give it a try…but prefer a one stop shop if someone else knows and could advise.