AHC delete: 2.5" rake w/ LX TBs. adjust? (1 Viewer)

[BigMaineWomen]

2004 LX470, AHC delete (due to rust) from a high end shop that does NOT replace LX torsion bars with LC torsion bars because they state the LX bars mirror the AHC cushion ride.

This was done ~6 months ago and I wanted to let the shocks and springs settle and now the vehicle sits as follows from hub center to fender:

Driver front: 18.5
Passenger Front: 18.5
Driver Rear: 20.25
Passenger Rear: 21.0

Not sure why I am almost an inch off on the rear side to side. Should I worry about it? Can I adjust it? I have a noticeable difference on my high beams with the increased rake. Does it make sense to adjust the LX torsion bars to try and get the front an inch higher? The truck rides... okay. I wouldn't want to make it worse.

Thanks

 

[Mike NXP]

2004 LX470, AHC delete (due to rust) from a high end shop that does NOT replace LX torsion bars with LC torsion bars because they state the LX bars mirror the AHC cushion ride.

This was done ~6 months ago and I wanted to let the shocks and springs settle and now the vehicle sits as follows from hub center to fender:

Driver front: 18.5
Passenger Front: 18.5
Driver Rear: 20.25
Passenger Rear: 21.0

Not sure why I am almost an inch off on the rear side to side. Should I worry about it? Can I adjust it? I have a noticeable difference on my high beams with the increased rake. Does it make sense to adjust the LX torsion bars to try and get the front an inch higher? The truck rides... okay. I wouldn't want to make it worse.

Thanks

You could get the front end up to 19.5" without any concern for drive angles but you're right, it may affect your ride quality.

You could put a spacer in the coil on the rear left to get that to even out. Mine is about an inch off from side to side but I haven't let it bother me, yet. Full tank of fuel may affect these measurements as well.

> Maybe just adjust headlights and don't mess with anything else if it's riding nice and looks OK

 

[4Beast]

Is it possible that the springs were reversed? As I recall they are side specific to compensate for driver and gas weight?

 

[Mike NXP]

Is it possible that the springs were reversed? As I recall they are side specific to compensate for driver and gas weight?

I think that depends on the brand of springs but good call, worth checking.

 

[4Beast]

I think that depends on the brand of springs but good call, worth checking.

I didn't want to sound too authoritative as it's been several years since I replaced mine, but I thought I recall some being that way...

 

[suprarx7nut]

2004 LX470, AHC delete (due to rust) from a high end shop that does NOT replace LX torsion bars with LC torsion bars because they state the LX bars mirror the AHC cushion ride.

This was done ~6 months ago and I wanted to let the shocks and springs settle and now the vehicle sits as follows from hub center to fender:

Driver front: 18.5
Passenger Front: 18.5
Driver Rear: 20.25
Passenger Rear: 21.0

Not sure why I am almost an inch off on the rear side to side. Should I worry about it? Can I adjust it? I have a noticeable difference on my high beams with the increased rake. Does it make sense to adjust the LX torsion bars to try and get the front an inch higher? The truck rides... okay. I wouldn't want to make it worse.

Thanks

The LX bars should absolutely NOT be used without AHC. They are *very* light for the full weight of an AHC-less car. The spring rate in your car's front suspension is now off by about 50%. Changing the torsion bar adjustment might help remove the rake, but it's still going to ride poorly.

You need non-AHC bars if you don't have AHC.

 

[Skidoo]

The LX bars should absolutely NOT be used without AHC. They are *very* light for the full weight of an AHC-less car. The spring rate in your car's front suspension is now off by about 50%. Changing the torsion bar adjustment might help remove the rake, but it's still going to ride poorly.

You need non-AHC bars if you don't have AHC.

What suprarx7nut says!
Using LX bars makes me want to question the "high end shop" expertise. Could cause breakage of lower control arm as it will be bottoming out. The LCAs have a weakness usually only encountered in very hard wheeling, but the LX bars could cause the issue.

 

[Mike NXP]

The AHC gurus have spoken and put my opinion to shame =]

 

[BigMaineWomen]

For what its worth, Mike I did like your idea as a quicker fix. Suprarx7nut and Skidoo I know you guys are 100% correct and I tried to convey this to the shop but like I said they are a high end independent lexus/toyota shop and I was unsuccessful at persuading them.

The shop installed the Strutmaster kit. I called Strutmaster this morning and spoke to a technical rep that seemed very knowledgeable about the car and the kit. He said they do NOT have side specific springs and Strutmaster does not recommend replacement of the TB to the LC100 specs, but they do REQUIRE re-indexing your LX470 TBs. My shop did not do this. Due to the aforementioned rust, I think if i'm going to go through the effort to pull them to re-index, its worth installing the proper bars. So that will be my plan at some point in the hopefully near future, or at least once it warms up. Thanks all for the insight.