AHC with LC Springs & Bars

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xirforever

xirforever

10 Year
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Threads
9
Messages
86
Location
Dallas, TX
So today I was thinking, and I have the following question for members:

Has anyone put non-AHC springs and bars on an equipped AHC vehicle (and keep the AHC working)? Here is the reason I ask.

Benefits:
1. If the AHC takes a dump, an acceptable height can still be achieved until the system can be repaired.
2. Less wear and use on the AHC system, so it makes sense that it might last longer
3. With the AHC still working, I can adjust normal to be lets say 1" higher than the stock springs and bars sit so that the AHC system will be happy in neutral position. And the system would still function to raise the vehicle but with the adjusted neutral, you are now looking at roughly a 3" lift. This is nice for the following reasons:
A. The vehicle is now more stable at highway speeds being lower
B. Might gain higher fuel mileage
C. Vehicle will still self level when heavy loads are placed in the rear (like towing) and driving at night will be more safe (headlights aimed right because of leveling)

Has this already been done? I just can't see any negatives for this combination other than low position probably won't work but that does not bother me.

Thanks,
Nick
 
xirforever said:
So today I was thinking, and I have the following question for members:

Has anyone put non-AHC springs and bars on an equipped AHC vehicle (and keep the AHC working)? Here is the reason I ask.

Benefits:
1. If the AHC takes a dump, an acceptable height can still be achieved until the system can be repaired.
2. Less wear and use on the AHC system, so it makes sense that it might last longer
3. With the AHC still working, I can adjust normal to be lets say 1" higher than the stock springs and bars sit so that the AHC system will be happy in neutral position. And the system would still function to raise the vehicle but with the adjusted neutral, you are now looking at roughly a 3" lift. This is nice for the following reasons:
A. The vehicle is now more stable at highway speeds being lower
B. Might gain higher fuel mileage
C. Vehicle will still self level when heavy loads are placed in the rear (like towing) and driving at night will be more safe (headlights aimed right because of leveling)

Has this already been done? I just can't see any negatives for this combination other than low position probably won't work but that does not bother me.

Thanks,
Nick
Click to expand...

That is basically what I'm running on mine. AHC with stock non-AHC torsion bars and stock 80 series rear coils. I've been very happy with the setup. Still have full AHC functionality and better carrying capacity than I'd have with the stock springs.
 
Sonk76,

What gear are you running?
Front bar, rear bar, long range tank?
 
sonk76 said:
That is basically what I'm running on mine. AHC with stock non-AHC torsion bars and stock 80 series rear coils. I've been very happy with the setup. Still have full AHC functionality and better carrying capacity than I'd have with the stock springs.
Click to expand...

Can you maybe go over why you chose the springs you did and what, if any, adjustments you made to the AHC sensors? Any problems at all? How do you have it set up for the height adjustment?
 
Well today I swapped the stock LX coils for stock used (no doubt 10 yrs old so probably sagged) nonAHC 100 series LC coils.

The rear pressures are now 6.0 (they were at 9.4mPa) and the front 7.0 - most importantly the AHC is back to riding sweet (like new), and AHC still functions fine (including going to Low).

I have standard sensor heights. I have standard torsion bars but they are ratcheted up to bring the front AHC pressures into spec.

For the record I have:

Front deluxe bullbar, with 12000lb winch
100litre LPG tank in lieu of sub-tank (I'm in Aus)
LPG liquid injection system
Dual Rear wheel carrier / rear bar / towbar

I guess in all 450-500kg before passengers, luggage and towball weight.

Seems like my "guesstimate engineering" was about right and everything's sweet!
 
Last edited:
Actualeyes said:
Well today I swapped the stock LX coils for stock used (no doubt 10 yrs old so probably sagged) nonAHC 100 series LC coils.

The rear pressures are now 6.0 (they were at 9.4mPa) and the front 7.0 - most importantly the AHC is back to riding sweet (like new), and AHC still functions fine (including going to Low).

I have standard sensor heights. I have standard torsion bars but they are ratcheted up to bring the front AHC pressures into spec.

For the record I have:

Front deluxe bullbar, with 12000lb winch
100litre LPG tank in lieu of sub-tank (I'm in Aus)
LPG liquid injection system
Dual Rear wheel carrier / rear bar / towbar

I guess in all 450-500kg before passengers, luggage and towball weight.

Seems like my "guesstimate engineering" was about right and everything's sweet!
Click to expand...

Hi mate, how is it still going with this setup?
AHC still working properly without any adjustments?
 
I swapped the rear springs on my LX470 last week for standard LC 100 series springs and flushed the AHC fluid twice to ensure it was really clean as when I put the boat trailer onto the loaded vehicle it had a hissy fit and stuck in Low :(

Works great with heaps of load in the vehicle, but is a little bouncy when not loaded.

I need to get the software so I can read the AHC pressures, but the system is working much smoother now.

I will likely add front and rear bars in the new year so may well swap out the stock TB's for LC100 ones to cope with the extra weight at the front.


Actualeyes said:
Well today I swapped the stock LX coils for stock used (no doubt 10 yrs old so probably sagged) nonAHC 100 series LC coils.

The rear pressures are now 6.0 (they were at 9.4mPa) and the front 7.0 - most importantly the AHC is back to riding sweet (like new), and AHC still functions fine (including going to Low).

I have standard sensor heights. I have standard torsion bars but they are ratcheted up to bring the front AHC pressures into spec.

For the record I have:

Front deluxe bullbar, with 12000lb winch
100litre LPG tank in lieu of sub-tank (I'm in Aus)
LPG liquid injection system
Dual Rear wheel carrier / rear bar / towbar

I guess in all 450-500kg before passengers, luggage and towball weight.

Seems like my "guesstimate engineering" was about right and everything's sweet!
Click to expand...
 
Did you use new or old LC100 coils?
 
Cool.
And when towing, all good?
I am leaning to this for now until the system gives up.
But I do like the lowering and raising. Lowering the car to get into the garage.
 
Towing is a breeze - even a 3500kg van - even goes from L to H with the van on and once out of the driveway and waiting at the next set of lights levels everything up itself. Unlike most tow rigs when you load them the tow ball goes down, this one you know where it is going to be come hell or high water.

As a bonus when connecting up you can lower it when your driveway has an inconvenient camber instead of having to raise the van.
 
You used used lC100 coils right?
 
I used used LC100 rear coils :-)

Just remember sagging isn't a scientific thing and I don't know how old mine were - they are from a wrecker's yard.

And also it depends on what load you are carrying.

Cheers
Andrew.
 
Picked up second hand standard non-AHC LC100 coils with 90,000 kms last Friday.
Now finding time to replace the LX coils with these.
 
Anyone try 80-series rear springs? They should physically fit and should be a lower spring rate. May just be the ticket.
 
I measured the thickness of the used LC100 coils and the LX470.
The LC100 are around 16.5 mm thick, the LX470 around 12.3mm.

I read somewhere that there is a difference in left and right and I am sure it is easy to see with new coils.
What about used ones? Which is which? I couldn't see a stamp or marking, although one had some white marking.
 
Wilsil said:
I measured the thickness of the used LC100 coils and the LX470.
The LC100 are around 16.5 mm thick, the LX470 around 12.3mm.

I read somewhere that there is a difference in left and right and I am sure it is easy to see with new coils.
What about used ones? Which is which? I couldn't see a stamp or marking, although one had some white marking.
Click to expand...
Pink paint dot goes on the driver's side (left) on US spec'd trucks...
 
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