AHC front end collapse - height sensor link fail (1 Viewer)

[holter95]

Hi all - first time posting, hope it can be of some help (searching for this issue turned up nothing). Front end collapsed on my 00 LX this week: no lights, error codes, just suddenly felt like every Land Rover / Navigator on air springs, riding on the bump stops (spine shatteringly poor ride, too).

Tried cycling between N - H - L, obvs wouldn't move out of N, just sat and blinked. I don't yet have TS (working on it currently), so I was at the mercy of hoping something obvious / visual could have caused the fail.

Crawled around a bit (difficult in full compression), but managed to spot a severed ride height sensor linkage on the right front.

Pulled it and seems the lower spherical joint seized, which ultimately fatigued and snapped the threaded connector.

Ordered some replacements on fleabay, but in the interest of getting it operational (it's our cabin vehicle and parts wouldn't arrive until after we left this week), I was able to get some spherical end joints from NAPA and fashion my own new linkage for about $30 in hardware (granted no weather seals so it won't last... thus the proper parts are on their way).

Anyhow, if anyone has the front end collapse seemingly without warning, likely this is your cause. Thankfully a cheap fix in the grand scheme of AHC.

And for those of you ready to scream at me, planning a baseline of the system once I get TS operational. Picking my way through the issues as I get to know this beast.

Cheers,
John

 

[hoser]

Really nice temporary repair.

 

[BullElk]

Nice. Now send the fleabays back.

 

[BullElk]

Reckon this would work as an emergency sensor bracket replacement?

X AUTOHAUX 2pcs M8 80mm Steering Tie Rod Ball Joint for 50cc 70cc 90cc 110cc 125cc 150cc 200cc 250cc ATV Four Wheeler Quad Steering Suspension https://a.co/d/5guyJDw

 

[hoser]

My trail fix would probably just be 3/8" rubber fuel hose, cut to size, joining the two OE part ends and hose clamps.

 

[Red Beard]

I love that you fashioned a proper replacement with parts you found at Napa. I broke my sensor linkage and used zipties. It actually worked mostly fine if I remember until the parts came in. I don't think there was proper dampening but it kept it up and driveable.

Front AHC sensor linkage adjustment hack

Just use zip ties! Jokes aside. I cranked a little hard on the heim joint and broke it. It sucks, don’t do what I did. The adjuster nut was worn down so I had to use a vise grip to turn it and it broke. New one on the way, $80 from Toyota since Partsouq is sold out of that side for some...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[hoser]

Permanent repair parts here:

 

[bajaguy949]

I had a similar thing happen except I was doing 40mph on a dirt road in Death Valley and my front end just collapsed. The threaded rod came undone and disappeared.

I just took some spare electrical wire I had and tied the links back together. I was able to get back home (300 miles) and still hit some mild dirt roads during the trip. I carry a spare in my tool bag now.

 

[TexLXCRZR]

this thread is making me more comfortable with my pending AHC removal

 

[bajaguy949]

this thread is making me more comfortable with my pending AHC removal

User error in my case as I think I didn't tighten the sensors enough when I adjusted them. The sensors I have seen go out are due to age or rust for the most part.

I would consider them wear items and if you replace them shouldn't have any issues for another 200K miles depending on climate. I purchased a set from Ebay that claim they were made in Japan and compared the quality between the original sensor and it is pretty similar. For $50 it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace stock ones especially those subject to rust. I've never had an issue with AHC besides that and I've taken the rig through some pretty technical trails. My pressures are within spec and I have flushed out the AHC fluid so everything works as it should.

 

[TexLXCRZR]

User error in my case as I think I didn't tighten the sensors enough when I adjusted them. The sensors I have seen go out are due to age or rust for the most part.

I would consider them wear items and if you replace them shouldn't have any issues for another 200K miles depending on climate. I purchased a set from Ebay that claim they were made in Japan and compared the quality between the original sensor and it is pretty similar. For $50 it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace stock ones especially those subject to rust. I've never had an issue with AHC besides that and I've taken the rig through some pretty technical trails. My pressures are within spec and I have flushed out the AHC fluid so everything works as it should.

I understand the advantages AHC does have but to me its a level of complication on an aging truck that I don't care to have. The cruiser is our hurricane bug out vehicle and I plan to make a trip to big bend this winter - neither situation do I want to have a suspension failure of that nature in.

I also get random ride height adjustments and variances in ride quality that I think is likely due to aging sensors - I have flushed, replaced globes, adjusted for pressures in spec and it ride nicely but I just can't trust it the way I need to.

 

[CrystallineMonk]

wow. this is exactly what happened to my LX in mid July.
Thank you so much for sharing @holter95
I haven't been able to look at mine until today and I found my problem to be 2 broken sensor arms.

Also Thank you @hoser for the parts link.
I really appreciate this community of enthusiasts!

 

[100serieslover]

Happened to me a couple weeks ago. Thanks for the link to the parts, and to the temp fix! Posts like this are why Mud is so great!!

 

[white_lx]

These linkages are very prone to getting stuck, especially with the application of road salt. The LS and GX have exactly the same problem. On the LS it will snap the mounting tab off the control arm. On the GX it will bend the sensor mounting bracket till it fatigues.

I religiously spray FluidFilm around the ball sockets before each winter and 'exercise' them by twisting to work the FluidFilm into the joint. It also helps to raise and lower the vehicle now and then during the winter season.