AHC / rough ride woes - mechanic referral needed (1 Viewer)

[RoyD]

I bought my 2005 LX470 back in 2015 second hand, it now has 325k miles. Never had the AHC flushed and never knew about having to do it until recently. Over the last couple years I had issues with the suspension just dropping to low after shortly turning in the engine and pulling out. It’s happened about 4 times and the AHC indicates Normal on dash. If I accelerate while it’s lowered the suspension bounces violently. I play around with the height controls and drive very slowly and the suspension raises back up. Additionally, I feel every bump in the road and this is my daily driver.
I found this forum and read articles about AHC and keeping it vs deleting it. One shop recommended I just delete the AHC as it’s definitely has a failed part or parts. I’m leaning on doing that but that shop is an hour away from me.
Can anyone recommend a mechanic experienced in AHC deletion close to La Palma, CA? And which kit would be best for ride comfort for a daily driver 30 mi to/from work? Thanks

 

[GTV]

If I accelerate while it’s lowered the suspension bounces violently. I play around with the height controls and drive very slowly and the suspension raises back up.

Start by reading your owners manual. I might be wrong but this quote makes me think that you may not understand how AHC was designed to work.

If all that has been done in 325k miles is a recent fluid flush then it likely just needs maintenance. New globes and a pressure correction at a minimum.

 

[818Toyotafan]

RPM Garage in Monrovia, CA ... they recently flushed and adjusted my AHC. Nothing but built LX/LC in their shop so it looks like they know their stuff.

 

[Ryan at Hyperco]

RPM Garage. They are the go to for Toyota in SoCal. They deleted my ACH about two months ago. Glad I did.

Ryan

 

[RoyD]

Thanks for the referral! I’ve decided to go with a mechanic closer to me and will remove the AHC and put in Dobinsons IMS 2” suspension kit. And also replacing the UCAs. Anyone else have Dobinsons on their LX?? I’m looking for improved right comfort than what I have now.

 

[GTV]

Thanks for the referral! I’ve decided to go with a mechanic closer to me and will remove the AHC and put in Dobinsons IMS 2” suspension kit. And also replacing the UCAs. Anyone else have Dobinsons on their LX?? I’m looking for improved right comfort than what I have now.

Nothing will have better ride comfort than properly functioning AHC. If you don't want to bother with the maintenance then factory LC suspension will give you the next best ride quality.

 

[planomateo]

Thanks for the referral! I’ve decided to go with a mechanic closer to me and will remove the AHC and put in Dobinsons IMS 2” suspension kit. And also replacing the UCAs. Anyone else have Dobinsons on their LX?? I’m looking for improved right comfort than what I have now.

Poor decision.

It won't cost you much to replace fluid, check pressures, adjust as needed. You'll spend much more ripping it out.

 

[Rhetoric]

AHC

Sounds like you found a mechanic that doesn’t want to touch it and would rather go through all the work to rip it out instead.

Baseline it. Maintain it. It will last the life of the vehicle.

 

[TwistedCon]

AHC is one of those things that most mechanics don't know anything about, and I can't blame them. I am trying to keep mine as well but for the life of me I can't fix the ride quality. Dobinsons or Slee is what I would switch to if I switch.

 

[jLB]

Anyone else have Dobinsons on their LX??

I have a mixture of coils, torsion bars, aftermarket UCAs, and Dobinsons IMS shocks in front, with Dobinsons MRA shocks in rear, on my two LXs.

I have OME torsion bars on front, OME 860 springs in rear, SPC UCAs, with IMS shocks all around on my son’s LC.

Select springs based on current weight. Lighter springs/torsion bars have worked better for me. Understand that you lose ride quality with every bit of lift that you add. Understand that ~2” in front, and ~2.5” rear, is about the max lift on this platform. Understand that suspension lift has absolutely nothing to do with fitting larger tires, it just changes where in the suspension travel the vehicle sits a rest.

 

[RoyD]

All great info. I suppose if I were a DIYer or had a mechanic close to me that could do AHC troubleshooting that it’d be cheaper but I figured that just ripping out the AHC is better than figuring out what component(s) need replacing.
Dobinsons had great reviews from folks at the shop and my ride quality can’t get any worse than it is now.

 

[Rhetoric]

Dibs on all the AHC components so they don’t go in the trash? Won’t hurt to have spare bits being i’m in the great white north.

 

[yj668]

AHC’s the thing that makes this body-on-frame truck ride a lot closer to a unibody car.

The ride will be noticeably more trucky on just regular suspension. On AHC deletion AHC coils, torsion bars and shocks have to be replaced support the weight of the hundy. Since the AHC suspension parts are approximately half-strength parts as the hydraulics support the rest of the weight.

If the shop’s just selling aftermarket shocks on AHC deletion they aren’t being honest with what needs to be worked on.

If the LX was always in CA, the AHC steel lines are probably in good condition without leaks. The AHC probably needs just new fluid, globes and re-indexing of the torsion bars like what the previous mud members have highlighted.