Aftermarket Front and Rear Bumpers with Stock AHC and 33'' wheels (1 Viewer)

[Sota13]

Please forgive me in advance if this is covered somewhere already but I have been looking everywhere and also on the FAQ to avoid replicating a topic that has already been discussed many times .If it has been, if you don't mind, possibly just forward me the link. Lets just say computers and technology is not my strong suit.,..

Basically what I am looking to get clarity/confirmation on is the ability to add Dobinson front and rear bumpers to my 2004 470LX while also putting on 33' wheels (sounds like 275/70/18 is recommended from other forums). Preferably I would like to keep the AHC suspension because it works fine now and I have also read from these forums that people recommend keeping if the majority of the driving is on road with some off-roading. Basically, there wont be a scenario in which I am overlanding but I do go hunting a lot and the area gets very wet here in Florida. I was told by a rep that sells Dobinson stuff that I would also need to replace my AHC suspension with a 2" minimum lift because of the weight of the bumpers would cause issues with current suspension. I am new to all of this stuff so hoping some of you all can provide some insight from your experience and knowledge.

Thanks in advance!

 

[KliersLC]

Hi and Welcome!

The short answer to your question is yes--you can keep the AHC.

Longer answer is that it will take a little bit of work and a lot of reading. You'll need to crank your torsion bars and add some rear coil spacers in order to keep your AHC system happy, but it is certainly doable with some minor adjustments.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I was told by a rep that sells Dobinson stuff that I would also need to replace my AHC suspension with a 2" minimum lift because of the weight of the bumpers would cause issues with current suspension.

Of course the rep would say that - they want your money! The reality is you do not need to rip out the AHC and replace with a conventional suspension system. But you will need to make some minor modifications so that the AHC can better handle the extra weight. @suprarx7nut has a lot of posts about what you need to do to modify the AHC for this and I think he even has some how-to videos on the Ol’ YouTube.

 

[KliersLC]

This is the bulk of the work:

How-To: TechStream In 5 Minutes

Getting Techstream up and running can be a bit of a pain. Hopefully this helps someone get started quickly. Step 1: Purchase an OBD-II / Mini-VCI interface. - I have sold out of my cables and supply chains are back in order, so no reason to purchase more. Anything like this will work: Mini-VCI...

forum.ih8mud.com

If you want the AHC to function correctly, and the ride to be good, you'll need to make sure your pressures are in spec.

 

[Manhattan]

"I was told by a rep that sells..."

Never ask a guy holding a chainsaw if a tree is healthy.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Please forgive me in advance if this is covered somewhere already but I have been looking everywhere and also on the FAQ to avoid replicating a topic that has already been discussed many times .If it has been, if you don't mind, possibly just forward me the link. Lets just say computers and technology is not my strong suit.,..

Basically what I am looking to get clarity/confirmation on is the ability to add Dobinson front and rear bumpers to my 2004 470LX while also putting on 33' wheels (sounds like 275/70/18 is recommended from other forums). Preferably I would like to keep the AHC suspension because it works fine now and I have also read from these forums that people recommend keeping if the majority of the driving is on road with some off-roading. Basically, there wont be a scenario in which I am overlanding but I do go hunting a lot and the area gets very wet here in Florida. I was told by a rep that sells Dobinson stuff that I would also need to replace my AHC suspension with a 2" minimum lift because of the weight of the bumpers would cause issues with current suspension. I am new to all of this stuff so hoping some of you all can provide some insight from your experience and knowledge.

Thanks in advance!

That is patently false.

The rep either doesn't know what they're talking about or they are intentionally deceiving you to sell you their product(s). I would not do business with that individual or at least call them out on it and see if they walk back their statement with an apology. Ignorance on AHC runs rampant so it could be an honest mistake, but it's also a scare tactic used by places that sell lifts to get customers to buy their product - even if it's a downgrade.

At any rate, welcome! We've got a lot of resources here to help you enjoy that AHC system indefinitely. There are a few wear items and some periodic checks, but it's generally a very reliable system once properly configured/adjusted.

Check out this thread to dive in a bit: The ABCs of AHC - How to Measure, Flush, and Adjust all in one place - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/the-abcs-of-ahc-how-to-measure-flush-and-adjust-all-in-one-place.1211999/

 

[Sota13]

That is patently false.

The rep either doesn't know what they're talking about or they are intentionally deceiving you to sell you their product(s). I would not do business with that individual or at least call them out on it and see if they walk back their statement with an apology. Ignorance on AHC runs rampant so it could be an honest mistake, but it's also a scare tactic used by places that sell lifts to get customers to buy their product - even if it's a downgrade.

At any rate, welcome! We've got a lot of resources here to help you enjoy that AHC system indefinitely. There are a few wear items and some periodic checks, but it's generally a very reliable system once properly configured/adjusted.

Check out this thread to dive in a bit: The ABCs of AHC - How to Measure, Flush, and Adjust all in one place - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/the-abcs-of-ahc-how-to-measure-flush-and-adjust-all-in-one-place.1211999/

holy s@#t I was not expecting to get this many responses so quickly! Thank you all for your input and helps me a ton. As it relates to the rep, to be fair, he new he was going to lose all of my business if I couldn't put the bumpers on with the stock AHC system so I think he was just misinformed. I spent a ton of time researching and finding the right LX470 and was fortunate enough to buy it from a guy that owns a Lexus service center and he actually has worked on the car himself since 20k miles (records to reflect) and even owned it for some time. The guy was fantastic but was very keen on me keeping everything stock. I hear where he is coming from but in reality I cant help myself from doing some mods. At this point, the Wheels are key and plan to go with 33" Ko2s, keeping AHC was a must at this time based on my driving habits and feedback on forums, but I really want the bumpers. I am in the process of determining which ones but leaning towards the Dobinson bumpers.

As it relates to small tweaks to torsion bars and rear coil spacers (after I read through @suprarx7nut stuff and admittedly learn what the hell those are)! Have to start somewhere right?