Best suspension setup with AHC and 2 sets of wheels (1 Viewer)

[Kanaljen]

What's better:

1)
- You raise your LC with AHC by moving the sensors
- You install the little black box that locks the AHC in L, N or H regardless of speed
- You normally drive in L (which could be close to the Normal without the AHC lift and shift it to N or even H when offroading

or

2)
- You don't do the AHC lift by moving the sensors
- Install the black box that locks the AHC
- You normally drive in Normal and lock it in H when offroading (or using your 33" offroad tires..

Wouldn't an LC raised with AHC tweak, have the same shock characteristics in L as an LC without the AHC twrak have in N??

The reason I'm asking is that I did the AHC lift and in Normal with my 285/75/16 Toyo MT, the truck looks and works great!
Issue: When changing to "H", I don't have enough rebound-travel... so H is pretty much useless (although it looks great!

I want the LC to look better with my street-wheel setup (OEM rims and tire size)/not have that big fender gap, so I was thinking about being able locking it in "L" during street driving. But then, I though about reverting back to normal AHC high and drive in N during street-driving and lock it in High during offroading or when having my Toyos on (which I would need to drive at highway speed)...

It really comes down to that the AHC system has a finite range.. you don't get it super high and at the same time retain the super low.. when moving the sensor you move the location of the suspension range... I knew this but realized it more when trying to drive in "H" at Pismo dunes and could feel how the suspension had no rebound-travel left..

Ideas, comments, experience, keep 'em coming!!

 

[Kanaljen]

Anyone? Lots of suspension gurus out there, need your insight!

Even spoke about this with Slee, and he wasn't sure.. One guess is that the L mode brings the LC to its lowest stance, regardless of the from where it stands at N.. I.e., regardless of the height at N, the L is always the same/it it's lowest height..

I thought N to L was about 2 inches, if the N is an inch high (due to the AHC sensor mod), the L would be an inch higher than stock too.

 

[1loudLX]

you have 33s right? Why not leave it alone, get the black box and only lock it in high while offroad? Saves the CVs the best, lower COG and less messing around.

 

[Kanaljen]

That's one of the issues and reason for why I'm asking these Qs.

'The reason I'm asking is that I did the AHC lift and in Normal with my 285/75/16 Toyo MT, the truck looks and works great!
Issue: When changing to "H", I don't have enough rebound-travel... so H is pretty much useless (although it looks great

I can leave my AHC lift, drive in N when offroad and lock it in L on the street.

Or, I can go back to stock height, drive in N and lock it in H when offroading.

Both would yield very similar heights..

I installed a diff drop in there so the CV joints should be fine either way.

My street tires are smaller than my offroad, which is one reason I want to be able to drive it as low as possible at times, and as high as possible at times..

you have 33s right? Why not leave it alone, get the black box and only lock it in high while offroad? Saves the CVs the best, lower COG and less messing around.

 

[Brock]

I have 33s and left mine alone...it was not broke so did not fix it.

Low- you dont drive in this setting...only for loading or unloading when needed.

Normal- all street driving and regular offroad driving

High- Extreme offroad driving where clearance is needed such as with rocks and obstacles (it will stay there up to 19mph and in extreme driving you wont get close to that...lucky if over 5mph actually)

The vehicle has a non-selectable EXTRA HIGH setting it self selects if it thinks you are high centered as you are stuck and not moving with wheel spin...raises it up a bit more to help clear obstacle and then returns when senses movement after determined period.

Being able to go from very low to very high is not something you would want to do air bag suspension.

Leaving the AHC as it was from OEM settings is going to give you best all around use of system and the flexibility to go up and down as required. My two cents. Unless you want to ride in HIGH all the time or doing fast driving over rough terrain like some roads out West....not sure why you might need to do it. I think my 33's have rubbed three times offroad or in rough terrain while turning wheels....

I just went to Uwharrie and did the most difficult trails they had to offer and never once wished I had anything other than the AHC...good wheel travel, good dampening...though on off camber I did turn it off to keep it from lifting a side that had wheels stuffed and causing me to topple over...LOL

I would do what LOUDLX mentioned if anything...leave it all alone...install SLEE box and only use it when offroad....and let system do its thing otherwise.

 

[Kanaljen]

Thanks for the reply, you confirm my understanding of the system. The key question is which setup is better:

You mention "I would do what LOUDLX mentioned if anything...leave it all alone...install SLEE box and only use it when offroad"

If you mean lock it in High during offroad, you missed my issue that due to the AHC raise, H is not prferred for offroad (for me) because of the lack of available rebound travel)

key info/two options
1) Leave my AHC raise, use the slee box, lock it in L during regular/street driving (since that would be close to N without the AHC raise)

OR
2) Remove the AHC raise (by moving the sensors back to stock position), use the slee box, drive in N during regular/street driving and lock it in high when going offroad.

I think both options would yield about the same height during regular/street driving and offroad driving repsectively. So my question is around pros and cons of the two options. For example, would L with the AHC raise, if yielding identical height as N without teh AHC raise, provide the same suspension characteristics?? OR would L always go to the LOWEST point, regardless of the height of N??

I have 33s and left mine alone...it was not broke so did not fix it.

Low- you dont drive in this setting...only for loading or unloading when needed.

Normal- all street driving and regular offroad driving

High- Extreme offroad driving where clearance is needed such as with rocks and obstacles (it will stay there up to 19mph and in extreme driving you wont get close to that...lucky if over 5mph actually)

The vehicle has a non-selectable EXTRA HIGH setting it self selects if it thinks you are high centered as you are stuck and not moving with wheel spin...raises it up a bit more to help clear obstacle and then returns when senses movement after determined period.

Being able to go from very low to very high is not something you would want to do air bag suspension.

Leaving the AHC as it was from OEM settings is going to give you best all around use of system and the flexibility to go up and down as required. My two cents. Unless you want to ride in HIGH all the time or doing fast driving over rough terrain like some roads out West....not sure why you might need to do it. I think my 33's have rubbed three times offroad or in rough terrain while turning wheels....

I just went to Uwharrie and did the most difficult trails they had to offer and never once wished I had anything other than the AHC...good wheel travel, good dampening...though on off camber I did turn it off to keep it from lifting a side that had wheels stuffed and causing me to topple over...LOL

I would do what LOUDLX mentioned if anything...leave it all alone...install SLEE box and only use it when offroad....and let system do its thing otherwise.

 

[1loudLX]

If you mean lock it in High during offroad, you missed my issue that due to the AHC raise, H is not prferred for offroad (for me) because of the lack of available rebound travel)

So, guess the last two years of me, spressomon, Christo, Hoser, and everyone else trying to figure out how to get more front travel never caught your eye. It is what it is.

Brock is right. If you are going faster, leave it in N, as you dont need the ground clearance. If you're crawling, lift it. Align your truck for the N setting. If you need a little bit more room for your tires, bodylift.

If you want to lock it in High around town just because it looks cool, I guess that's an option. Align it for that. Then you could put it in N for high speed offroad(such as my avatar).

 

[Kanaljen]

I tell you what, I'll try both options that I tried to get opinions on and report back. I'm especially interested in the details of the L mode: - Does it lower it a set distance from N or does it lower it to a set distance regardless of originating height (in N).

I'm leaning towards reducing the currentl AHC lift so I just clear the 33" when in N and then lock it in H during offroad. That should give a good balance between two sets of tires. E.g, the LC doesn't look like I have small hockey pucks on when riding the stock wheels, while I have the choice to drive in N or H when having the 33"s on.

 

[hoser]

- You normally drive in L (which could be close to the Normal without the AHC lift and shift it to N or even H when offroading

or

2)

Issue: When changing to "H", I don't have enough rebound-travel... so H is pretty much useless (although it looks great!

The issue you mentioned is the same issue that will happen if you shift into H in your #1 scenario. There is only 7.5" of total travel in the front. Each step on the AHC control is somewhere between 1.7-2" of change. (less change in front and more change in the rear, I believe).

 

[1loudLX]

best of both worlds, dropped and lifted! Ohh toyota scan tools, you make everything so much fun.

 

[deerhunter1557]

best of both worlds, dropped and lifted! Ohh toyota scan tools, you make everything so much fun.

i saw a rover going down the highway like this earlier this year.