Toyota Mark II: JZX110 front lower arm inner bush failure steering shimmy

The front lower control arm inner pivot bushes on the JZX110 are pressed rubber items that deteriorate with age, UV exposure, and the high fore-aft scrub forces generated by the rear-wheel-drive sport sedan platform. Bush failure causes the control arm pivot to develop play, resulting in steering shimmy under braking, tramlining on grooved road surfaces, and accelerated tyre wear. The degradation is progressive and often reaches a significant level of wear before the owner notices handling changes.

• Steering shimmy or vibration felt through the steering wheel under braking or on rough surfaces
• Tramlining on grooved or uneven road surfaces requiring constant minor steering corrections
• Clunking from front suspension over sharp bumps or abrupt direction changes
• Uneven or accelerated front tyre wear, particularly on leading or trailing tyre shoulders

1. 1

   Grip the lower arm and attempt to move it fore and aft by hand to feel for pivot play.

2. 2

   Inspect rubber compound visually for perishing, drying, or distortion under load.

3. 3

   If a workshop inspection is possible: With the vehicle raised on a hoist, check front lower control arm inner bushes for cracking, splitting, or visible rubber extrusion beyond the bush housing.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

$450 to $1,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “Have the front lower control arm bushes or control arms been replaced?”
• “Has a full wheel alignment been performed recently and what were the results?”
• “Is there any vibration or shimmy felt through the steering, especially under braking?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.