Hello All
So ive finally admitted that I need some help on this one.
I have a 2001 LX 340km
History: Ive had the truck for 8 or so years, I purchased new globes for it and fitted myself 5 years ago, this went well and gained the expected increments and received better (but not 100%) performance from the suspension - flushed at this time. Around 2 years ago I noticed the rear became quite bouncy (heavy trailer loads on a near daily basis) so before knowing really anything about the AHC I decided to purchase new rear springs assumed they were flogged. I brought Dobsons (Teal Green) springs suited for the AHC (or so Im trusting the guy at the suspension shop I brought and the lengths being somewhat identical with a thicker spring) I couldn't find King Springs as others had used (Im in NZ)
These went in Ok but I didn't notice much else but it seemed to be similar with maybe even abit more bounce at times - flushed again. it handled the heavier loads on trailer just fine and was better to drive with a load attached and still is. I then had a problem where my rear sensor was rusty and I snapped the linkage mucking around with it, I brought second hand linkage/unit and tested (these are $750NZD here! tested it with help here with results of around 4.2V I assume this to be OK but realised after reading about the rake the arse of my truck was very high (50mm+ from the front) not the 20mm recommended. I got Techstream to work (took me months
and levelled the front, tweaked the pressures and always end up with 50mm+ in the rear with the only anomaly I recall being that the back went to +100mm for ahwile all on its own and didn't come back down until the linkage was removed to rear sensor) then settled again at the 50mm+ since then
I have spent literally weeks of time over the year/s trying to nut this out with recently given up really and at a loss after reading literally hundreds of the threads here with close similarities but never identical.
My symptoms and points of difference to others in my investigating are.
Rear higher by 50mm than the front when measured from the centre of hub.
The toggle up and down works (*note only for the front accumulators, the rear moves 5/10mm almost just because of the pivot) No flashing, No OFF, L-N-H and back down. Pump is heard (very light not worn sound but potential to replace front moving very freely and getting 50mm lift/drop.)
Techstream tells me (multiple occasions upon first connecting it) 0.0 Rear Pressure 0.0 Accumulator pressure (when I raise and lower through 3 or more cycles) this all over a sudden changes to 10.4+ if I release a slight amount via the HCA bleeder (as confirmed today) or in other instances when the truck has been idling (connected to techstream) and cycled many times for a lengthy period the Accumulator pressure then kicks off up to 10.4 just out of the blue without seemingly like anything I have done is different or changed.
Today I attempted to bleed the Rear globes after convincing myself there's a giant air lock/debri In the rear not allowing fluid to pass to through. I only managed to drain 50ml from either back side which went to a trickle near the end - it was slightly cloudy but not extreme like when I flushed the system first time with the new globes.
The truck was then started raised and lowered and attempt to bleed the Height Accumlator again convinced of a airlock resulted in the first bleed shooting 100ml or more of fluid with admittedly quite a lot of air bubbled present which soon dispersed in the glass bottle catcher. My second round of bleeding after raising lowering had little or no fluid from the HCA which I thought odd as I had recently had a jet (but reading 0 pressure) come out the first time. Upon a few more cycles the pressure was instantly back to 10.4 so I cracked it again getting a high pressure bleed. But a fourth or further time a small amount again....
next I thought Active Tests and I recently brought a longer USB cable so I could listen to the Solenoids convinced it could be that or the valve assy. It was only today that I noticed an anomaly in that the Rear Leveling Solenoid test makes only the smallest of sounds/vibration when depressed in Active Test. The Front Leveling a noticeable pulse through the lines (when touching the valve ASSY area) and the gates both front and rear a definite click from both.
Im clutching at straws and reallllyyyy would love to have the truck back to some normality as I can lower the rear to pickup trailers again and I stop the somewhat dangerous bounce down the road (unless I cycle the system 4/5 times through l-n-h and back down I receive slightly less bouncing - which has been my only savour and makes towing almost normal, heavier the better.)
Any advice or tests to preform will be greatly appreciated.
Further Notes I have tested the resistance on the valve assy about a year ago and from memory received an ok result but if anyone has the Link to this test ive lost it in my saved bookmarks of 50 or greater threads... Or if there's a way to fix the potentially failed rear leveling solenoid be that new assembly ($800NZ 4 week wait) or perhaps continuity tests on specific wiring/harness by myself or an auto sparky (all looks to be sound at connections with no corrosion or damage to valve plug, HCA rear sensor (which I swapped with 3 different supplied 2nd hand sensors, 200km trucks both local and from Aus)
Other things to mention that have been ongoing and maybe related I have had is rear tail light circuit (dash lights) tripping 15amp suspect spliced wire for reverse camera and or potentially for reverse lights on trailer hack by previous owner as I found a suspect large cable in trailer harness that I disconnected (the trucks reverse cam etc was all working well until late last year)
Thanks in advance and thanks to all the members who have already spent so much time on this subject ive learnt a truckload to say the least. Love my truck will be keeping it for as long as I can. it tows like no other I know of and has been a great vehicle for me and my love of boating, off-road beach going/fishing.
Cheers
James - New Zealand
@PADDO This might be 1 for you.. Please
So ive finally admitted that I need some help on this one.
I have a 2001 LX 340km
History: Ive had the truck for 8 or so years, I purchased new globes for it and fitted myself 5 years ago, this went well and gained the expected increments and received better (but not 100%) performance from the suspension - flushed at this time. Around 2 years ago I noticed the rear became quite bouncy (heavy trailer loads on a near daily basis) so before knowing really anything about the AHC I decided to purchase new rear springs assumed they were flogged. I brought Dobsons (Teal Green) springs suited for the AHC (or so Im trusting the guy at the suspension shop I brought and the lengths being somewhat identical with a thicker spring) I couldn't find King Springs as others had used (Im in NZ)
These went in Ok but I didn't notice much else but it seemed to be similar with maybe even abit more bounce at times - flushed again. it handled the heavier loads on trailer just fine and was better to drive with a load attached and still is. I then had a problem where my rear sensor was rusty and I snapped the linkage mucking around with it, I brought second hand linkage/unit and tested (these are $750NZD here! tested it with help here with results of around 4.2V I assume this to be OK but realised after reading about the rake the arse of my truck was very high (50mm+ from the front) not the 20mm recommended. I got Techstream to work (took me months
and levelled the front, tweaked the pressures and always end up with 50mm+ in the rear with the only anomaly I recall being that the back went to +100mm for ahwile all on its own and didn't come back down until the linkage was removed to rear sensor) then settled again at the 50mm+ since thenI have spent literally weeks of time over the year/s trying to nut this out with recently given up really and at a loss after reading literally hundreds of the threads here with close similarities but never identical.
My symptoms and points of difference to others in my investigating are.
Rear higher by 50mm than the front when measured from the centre of hub.
The toggle up and down works (*note only for the front accumulators, the rear moves 5/10mm almost just because of the pivot) No flashing, No OFF, L-N-H and back down. Pump is heard (very light not worn sound but potential to replace front moving very freely and getting 50mm lift/drop.)
Techstream tells me (multiple occasions upon first connecting it) 0.0 Rear Pressure 0.0 Accumulator pressure (when I raise and lower through 3 or more cycles) this all over a sudden changes to 10.4+ if I release a slight amount via the HCA bleeder (as confirmed today) or in other instances when the truck has been idling (connected to techstream) and cycled many times for a lengthy period the Accumulator pressure then kicks off up to 10.4 just out of the blue without seemingly like anything I have done is different or changed.
Today I attempted to bleed the Rear globes after convincing myself there's a giant air lock/debri In the rear not allowing fluid to pass to through. I only managed to drain 50ml from either back side which went to a trickle near the end - it was slightly cloudy but not extreme like when I flushed the system first time with the new globes.
The truck was then started raised and lowered and attempt to bleed the Height Accumlator again convinced of a airlock resulted in the first bleed shooting 100ml or more of fluid with admittedly quite a lot of air bubbled present which soon dispersed in the glass bottle catcher. My second round of bleeding after raising lowering had little or no fluid from the HCA which I thought odd as I had recently had a jet (but reading 0 pressure) come out the first time. Upon a few more cycles the pressure was instantly back to 10.4 so I cracked it again getting a high pressure bleed. But a fourth or further time a small amount again....
next I thought Active Tests and I recently brought a longer USB cable so I could listen to the Solenoids convinced it could be that or the valve assy. It was only today that I noticed an anomaly in that the Rear Leveling Solenoid test makes only the smallest of sounds/vibration when depressed in Active Test. The Front Leveling a noticeable pulse through the lines (when touching the valve ASSY area) and the gates both front and rear a definite click from both.
Im clutching at straws and reallllyyyy would love to have the truck back to some normality as I can lower the rear to pickup trailers again and I stop the somewhat dangerous bounce down the road (unless I cycle the system 4/5 times through l-n-h and back down I receive slightly less bouncing - which has been my only savour and makes towing almost normal, heavier the better.)
Any advice or tests to preform will be greatly appreciated.
Further Notes I have tested the resistance on the valve assy about a year ago and from memory received an ok result but if anyone has the Link to this test ive lost it in my saved bookmarks of 50 or greater threads... Or if there's a way to fix the potentially failed rear leveling solenoid be that new assembly ($800NZ 4 week wait) or perhaps continuity tests on specific wiring/harness by myself or an auto sparky (all looks to be sound at connections with no corrosion or damage to valve plug, HCA rear sensor (which I swapped with 3 different supplied 2nd hand sensors, 200km trucks both local and from Aus)
Other things to mention that have been ongoing and maybe related I have had is rear tail light circuit (dash lights) tripping 15amp suspect spliced wire for reverse camera and or potentially for reverse lights on trailer hack by previous owner as I found a suspect large cable in trailer harness that I disconnected (the trucks reverse cam etc was all working well until late last year)
Thanks in advance and thanks to all the members who have already spent so much time on this subject ive learnt a truckload to say the least. Love my truck will be keeping it for as long as I can. it tows like no other I know of and has been a great vehicle for me and my love of boating, off-road beach going/fishing.
Cheers
James - New Zealand
@PADDO This might be 1 for you.. Please
