AHC on a Loaded LC200 - HELP Please (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Apr 15, 2019
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Location
France
Hi there,
I have a 2008 LC200 and I am planning to prepare it for overlanding trips. I am considering adding Front and Rear ARB Bars (70 and 90 Kgs respectively) + Roof Tent (approx 80 Kgs) + Auxiliary LRA Fuel Tank (another 100kgs when filled). My LC200 is equipped with AHC (2'' sensor lift done) and I am willing to maintain it.
I am open to suggestions/recommendations on how to keep the AHC but to make it ready to cope with the added charge - new springs, spacers, torsion bar adjustments, etc????? HELP Please :)
 
Many have similar added equipment with no modifications to the suspension. The AHC system seems to be very robust and capable of managing extra weight.
 
Many have similar added equipment with no modifications to the suspension. The AHC system seems to be very robust and capable of managing extra weight.
Thanks CJ3. I am wondering since I see many LC200 owners looking at lowering the AHC system pressure following a sensor lift or to better manage added weight. I must say that so far...even when heavily charged...I havent noticed any issue. I am just worried if doing nothing to it may cause much quicker wear. :)
 
Maybe these threads will help put your mind at ease... I have studied hard looking for weaknesses and expensive problems with the AHC. There just are not many issues even on vehicles with many accessories.

 
If anything you could pursue stiffer spring rates. The issue is that the current springs rate isn’t known. So issue one is figure out the current rate or if they are progressive the range. Then sourcing a new appropriate size coil with an increased rate.

Some have added spacers/packers? To shorten the spring and thus increase rate a bit. This is pretty easy and inexpensive to do. Another option could be air bags to stiffen the coils,I don’t know how that would interact with the AHC, but these are also relatively inexpensive.
 
Maybe these threads will help put your mind at ease... I have studied hard looking for weaknesses and expensive problems with the AHC. There just are not many issues even on vehicles with many accessories.

Thanks a lot! Going to read those through. Much appreciated.
 
When setup for a towing trip, I'm usually well into the 1600-2000lb payload range, depending on whether my parents join my immediate family of 4. Difference is, my vehicle is not lifted.

When lifting with AHC, the coil springs will relax as the ride height increases, shifting more of the load to the AHC system. So instead of stock height for example, where AHC to coil springs may share the load 50:50... when lifting 2", it may be more like 75:25 AHC to coils. Trick to maintaining payload is to augment the coil springs.

Multiple strategies for rear:
1) Lower ride height nearer stock
2) Spring spacer
3) Airbags
4) Higher rate springs - in order of increasing rate possibly diesel LC200 AHC springs, LC100 King Springs AHC KTRS-79, LC100 normal springs, LC200 normal springs. This is somewhat theoretical as there's not many documented mods here. I've heard of at least a couple really heavy rigs abroad use standard LC200 coil spring in the AHC suspension system.

Most of the load is in the rear so that's where much of the augmentation should take place. Fronts, it's been proven that one can add the LC200 leveling spacer to the AHC shock. I actually have a set sitting on my desk to go in.
 
When setup for a towing trip, I'm usually well into the 1600-2000lb payload range, depending on whether my parents join my immediate family of 4. Difference is, my vehicle is not lifted.
I’m in process of adding 100 lb increased spring rate springs on my LX to compensate for the almost 200 lbs on the nose. I just have to get the aluminum spring seats machined to sit on lower mounts. Will get to that soon.

When lifting with AHC, the coil springs will relax as the ride height increases, shifting more of the load to the AHC system. So instead of stock height for example, where AHC to coil springs may share the load 50:50... when lifting 2", it may be more like 75:25 AHC to coils. Trick to maintaining payload is to augment the coil springs.

Multiple strategies for rear:
1) Lower ride height nearer stock
2) Spring spacer
3) Airbags
4) Higher rate springs - in order of increasing rate possibly diesel LC200 AHC springs, LC100 King Springs AHC KTRS-79, LC100 normal springs, LC200 normal springs. This is somewhat theoretical as there's not many documented mods here. I've heard of at least a couple really heavy rigs abroad use standard LC200 coil spring in the AHC suspension system.

Most of the load is in the rear so that's where much of the augmentation should take place. Fronts, it's been proven that one can add the LC200 leveling spacer to the AHC shock. I actually have a set sitting on my desk to go in.
Thanks a lot! Going to read those through. Much appreciated.
 
Thanks everyone for your inputs. I would actually like to maintain the 2'' sensor lift...hence I would be considering:
- Spring Spacers for the rear...pretty straight forward;
- and for the front? This is the trickier part :(...how about the following options?
> lower shock mounts brakets to lift the mounting point of the front shock absorbers - I saw this for the LC100...not sure it exists for the 200? This should work pretty straight forward to lower AHC pressure;
> Front coil Spacers - but it sounds cumbersome to put those in place - anyone tried those out? Any link/reference to share?
> i see someone is playing with the torsion bar to take away some weight from the AHC...any feedback on this approach?
Thanks in advance.
 
@LakinoFR

There are no torsion bars on the 200 Series.

Plenty of people have done the front coil spacers here. You will need to bleed the AHC system when you do break the line to get the spacers on.

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Thanks everyone for your inputs. I would actually like to maintain the 2'' sensor lift...hence I would be considering:
- Spring Spacers for the rear...pretty straight forward;
- and for the front? This is the trickier part :(...how about the following options?
> lower shock mounts brakets to lift the mounting point of the front shock absorbers - I saw this for the LC100...not sure it exists for the 200? This should work pretty straight forward to lower AHC pressure;
> Front coil Spacers - but it sounds cumbersome to put those in place - anyone tried those out? Any link/reference to share?
> i see someone is playing with the torsion bar to take away some weight from the AHC...any feedback on this approach?
Thanks in advance.

@i4c4lo most of it.

In regards to using the lower shock brackets mod from the 100 series. I've considered this in the past. The unknown is whether that bracket will extend the overall shock length too much, where it now acts as the limit for uptravel. That would be a bad thing and would surely destroy the shock. The limiter is current the bump stop on the lower control arm. We know the leveling bracket won't cause this situation and would be what I recommend for the front end.
 
Thanks everyone for your helpful feedback.
It sounds I have some true options now :)
- REAR - Spring Spacers
- FRONT - Front Coil Spacers
Would you have any specific link/reference to recommend for both rear/front spacers?
Thanks again. :)
 
Thanks everyone for your helpful feedback.
It sounds I have some true options now :)
- REAR - Spring Spacers
- FRONT - Front Coil Spacers
Would you have any specific link/reference to recommend for both rear/front spacers?
Thanks again. :)

PS: I found the Front Spacers (Toyota part: 43136-60020 ).
How about the Rear Spring Spacers? I found a few: 30, 40, 50mm...not sure what size I should consider. Any idea?
 
I used 30mm spacers in the rear after putting on a bumper with a tire hanging off the back. No issues prior or to date and we load up quite heavy with 2 kids, 2 dogs with hatch and rack loaded for trips. Make sure to get 200 series specific rear spacers. Some advertise universal for 80/100/200 but the center bore on these is not wide enough for the stock bumpstop. I had to trim my bumpstops to make them fit.
 
Hi there,
Finally got the front spacers...and planning for the installation.
I am wondering if AHC liquid will spill everywhere when I'll break the line... :eek:
Any recommendation on how to best do the job?
 
Hi there,
Finally got the front spacers...and planning for the installation.
I am wondering if AHC liquid will spill everywhere when I'll break the line... :eek:
Any recommendation on how to best do the job?
Yes, there will be fluid!
Connect a hose to the bleeder and direct into your temporary storage container of choice. You'll want to have the reservoir topped up so that you don't introduce air into the system from that side. I'm not sure if the correct setting will be L or N; probably L to get as much fluid into the reservoir as possible prior to starting.
If you haven't baselined the AHC fluid yet you'll need get 5 liters to do a full exchange. I saw somewhere on here that the shocks are also a candidate to be pre-flushed as the fluid in them, while new, has some minor contamination in it (don't panic, that's just what I recall, but you might want to search up that thread and see what your tolerance level is).
 
Some progresses made:
- Rear Spacers (40mm) installed
- Front and Rear ARB bumpers installed (with wheel carrier) - mudflaps still missing...

What's Next: Front Spacers... :eek: ...somehow I keep pushing it further....got to get that done sometimes soon
 
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Hi there,
Just did an AHC bleed and now I have the back of my car really bumpy when in HIGH position. It's like if rear bumpers do not work and I am driving on some hard sticks :bang:
Btw...I went for an AHC bleed since I had to brake the AHC line to install the front shock spacers. At the back I have spring spacers (40mm) but they were on since a while and never had issues with the AHC on HIGH position. Issue appeared after I installed the front spacers.
Any idea of why that would be? Some air in the AHC line? Thanks in advance...
 
You may need to go into techstream to manually run the pump.

There was also a trick I read somewhere to reset, maybe it was just drive around for a bit, maybe it was pull the battery negative for 10 min, sorry I don't recall exactly.

It is likely you got some air yes. Probably want to rebleed all points, if you replaced fluid you can probably just reuse. Make sure you have enough in the reservoir so air doesn't enter there at any time.
 
Bumping this thread for help
I'm having a problem trying to access the AHC ECU in tech stream (using VXDiag VCX NANO) for my 2021 Land Cruiser 200.. Basically it does not shop up at all under the ECU table.
I'm suspecting that I'm not choosing the correct vehicle version in the 'vehicle connection wizard' dialogue box as I can't seem to find the correct vehicle version.. any ideas? Which region/ area are you using?
 

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