Changing out the AHC suspension fluid? (3 Viewers)
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I get my "large" syringes from a local large animal vets office.
Jokes aside
Seriously, what IS the best way to get all the fluid out? I dont' want to put air into the system by doing it the wrong way. Just suck it out with a syringe, or ?Thanks!!
Jokes aside
Thanks!!
Jokes aside, take it to the Lexus dealer and have them change it while you have a roll and some coffee.
Jokes aside
Thanks!!
The best way to get the fluid out is to read post #6 in this thread.
The new fluid is Pink
The best way to get the fluid out is to read post #6 in this thread.
The new fluid is Pink
thanks, yes I have read that post many times over. Now does anyone else have any advice on how to remove all the fluid from the resovoir; other than "remove fluid from resovoir?" as stated in post 6.
just curious if you have to remove the resovoir and dump out the old fluid or use a syringe or ? Ideas ? Don't want to suck air back in there .....
wildsmith
SILVER Star
I used a 500ml oil syringe to suck out as much as I could which wasn't every last drop and then tipped the new in. It must have been said before but do keep an eye on the level before you re-start the truck!
Jokes aside
Thanks!!
I'm not joking. Go by a large animal vet office and purchase a few of their large syringes. Go my Lowe's and get you a couple of feet of plastic tubing that will fit over the syringe and bingo! THese syringes will hold probably 1/2 cup. $3 a piece. I use over and over and over 'til the plunger starts sticking.
I bought one of these vacuum pump kits at Harbor Freight for under $20 a few years back. I use it a lot for changing fluids in my toys.
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
I use the following hand operated vacuum pump, this thing is great. Has the power to pull power steering fluid through the steering rack from the reservoir.
Hand-Operated Vacuum Pump - Lee Valley Tools
Hand-Operated Vacuum Pump - Lee Valley Tools
I just changed out the fluid in my '06 LC.
I suggest strongly that you get two cans of the AHC fluid, which you can buy online for about $30 plus shipping. My local quotes in the northeast from dealers were about $63 per can......if they happened to have it. It appears very few Toyota dealers have any. The parts guys seems mystified if you ask them about it.
The reason for two is that I followed the directions in post #6 and emptied the reservoir under the hood after setting the control to the "L" setting, allowing me to empty the largest amount from the reservoir before beginning the bleed process. (This made sense to me.....I can get the dirty fluid out more easily from the reservoir than by bleeding it through the system.)
I then dumped one of my cans of fluid in the reservoir, which nearly completely filled it to the top [far above the "max" line on the reservoir]. After bleeding the four actuators, but not the accumulator, the level in the reservoir was down to the bottom. The amount that you will bleed out by bottoming each shock absorber is very close to the amount in one can. Therefore you need two cans. One to replace the fluid bled out through the bleeders and another to replace the fluid you extracted from the reservoir before the bleeding. You wind up with about 1/2 can left over, but the nonresealable cap on the container probably means they don't want you to "save" it for future use. I assume it absorbs moisture like brake fluid, but I am not sure.
Obviously if you don't drain the reservoir before starting the bleed, you'll have enough fluid in just one can. Whats left in the system just won't be quite as clean.
I suggest strongly that you get two cans of the AHC fluid, which you can buy online for about $30 plus shipping. My local quotes in the northeast from dealers were about $63 per can......if they happened to have it. It appears very few Toyota dealers have any. The parts guys seems mystified if you ask them about it.
The reason for two is that I followed the directions in post #6 and emptied the reservoir under the hood after setting the control to the "L" setting, allowing me to empty the largest amount from the reservoir before beginning the bleed process. (This made sense to me.....I can get the dirty fluid out more easily from the reservoir than by bleeding it through the system.)
I then dumped one of my cans of fluid in the reservoir, which nearly completely filled it to the top [far above the "max" line on the reservoir]. After bleeding the four actuators, but not the accumulator, the level in the reservoir was down to the bottom. The amount that you will bleed out by bottoming each shock absorber is very close to the amount in one can. Therefore you need two cans. One to replace the fluid bled out through the bleeders and another to replace the fluid you extracted from the reservoir before the bleeding. You wind up with about 1/2 can left over, but the nonresealable cap on the container probably means they don't want you to "save" it for future use. I assume it absorbs moisture like brake fluid, but I am not sure.
Obviously if you don't drain the reservoir before starting the bleed, you'll have enough fluid in just one can. Whats left in the system just won't be quite as clean.
I used 1 1/2 cans also I figured you only do ever 60K might as well make sure you get a good flush. AHC components are not cheap fluid is. I put my unused fluid in a empty water bottle for future use.
Hello,
I have Toyota Landcruiser 100, 4,7 V8, made 1998. (European version)
I found only one accumulator on my vehicle (on left side, in center of car).
Am I right or am I blind?
When I opened the bleeder, only few fluid went out (0,2 Litre). Then I had to start vehicle, set to LOW position and back to NORMAL position. Then I opened bleeder and again olny few fluid went out. (maybe it was due to lot of dust in fluid?) And vehicle did not comes to bottom.
So I repeated this several times and now it seems to be better, but not 100%
Do anyone has same experience?
Thanks.
Alf, Czech Republic, Europe.
uHu
Bridgeburner
Welcome to mud, Alf.
What you bled is the accumulator, and there is only one, according to T0yotas naming convention.
Here on mud (or should I say in the US?) it is common to call the spheres (aka gas springs) accumulators. So, what is described in the quoted step-by-step above is how to bleed the 4 spheres, or rather the AHC fluid through the actuators which the spheres are attached to.
To bleed the accumulator (as you have done) is also important as fluid runs in and out of it all the time. The accumulator acts as a small buffer for pressurized fluid, for those small on-the-fly adjustments of ahc pressure.
What you bled is the accumulator, and there is only one, according to T0yotas naming convention.
Here on mud (or should I say in the US?) it is common to call the spheres (aka gas springs) accumulators. So, what is described in the quoted step-by-step above is how to bleed the 4 spheres, or rather the AHC fluid through the actuators which the spheres are attached to.
To bleed the accumulator (as you have done) is also important as fluid runs in and out of it all the time. The accumulator acts as a small buffer for pressurized fluid, for those small on-the-fly adjustments of ahc pressure.
Hello,
thank you for informations
I bled all accumulators (actuators) and changed the AHC fluid, but problem is not solved. Car is still moving up und down like there is no function of shock absorbers.
So it seems that problem can be in the spheres. Is there some test how to recognize which sphere is broken?
Thank you.
Alf.
thank you for informations
I bled all accumulators (actuators) and changed the AHC fluid, but problem is not solved. Car is still moving up und down like there is no function of shock absorbers.
So it seems that problem can be in the spheres. Is there some test how to recognize which sphere is broken?
Thank you.
Alf.
... or is it possible to unmount the sphere and check if is OK or broken? Check the membrane by finger or screwdriver? (I dont know how it exactly looks like).
When I want to unmount the sphere, is it necessary to bleed all AHC fluid or bleed one corner is enough?
Thank you for answer.
Alf.
When I want to unmount the sphere, is it necessary to bleed all AHC fluid or bleed one corner is enough?
Thank you for answer.
Alf.
uHu
Bridgeburner
Check this thread: https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/438560-ahc-fluid-change-how-need-input.html#post6127557
The pdf there tells you how to check the spheres.
Sounds like your spheres could be flat/dead/empty. Not unlikely after sitting on them for 12 years. They don't last forever.
The pdf there tells you how to check the spheres.
Sounds like your spheres could be flat/dead/empty. Not unlikely after sitting on them for 12 years. They don't last forever.
Thank you for link, but I did not find informations how to check the spheres 
I found there only test how many marks on reservoir should be between low and high position of car. (I dont understand, why OK system should have 7 or more marks and why BROKEN system have less than 7 ? - please explain)
Thank you.
I found there only test how many marks on reservoir should be between low and high position of car. (I dont understand, why OK system should have 7 or more marks and why BROKEN system have less than 7 ? - please explain)
Thank you.
uHu
Bridgeburner
The Spheres are the gas springs.Thank you for link, but I did not find informations how to check the spheres
I found there only test how many marks on reservoir should be between low and high position of car. (I dont understand, why OK system should have 7 or more marks and why BROKEN system have less than 7 ? - please explain)
Thank you.
When the car is in Normal height, the spheres and the normal springs (coils and TBs) share the load.
In Lo, the normal springs take nearly all the load, and the spheres nearly none.
In Hi, the spheres take a bigger part of the load.
Therefore, when the car is in position Hi, the gas springs (spheres) are more compressed, and there is more AHC fluid in the system, pressing against the membrane in the spheres.
The spheres slowly loose their gas pressure, so that after a few years there is not enough left to hold the weight of the car. As the gas pressure goes down, the membrane has to be stretched more and more, and in the end it will bottom out. When a sphere is new, the membrane moves easily, and has a long way to travel, and therefore there will be more AHC fluid flowing into it. When the gas is low, there will not be much room for more AHC fluid when the pressure goes up, so the difference in AHC level between Lo (=low ahc pres.) and Hi (high ahc pres.) will be smaller.
If you want the spheres to last, make sure you take care of your normal (steel) springs, because when they get weaker over the years, there will be more and more load on the spheres, and they will loose their gas sooner. That's the reason for checking the neutral pressure, and changing the rear coils when they get to weak, and tighten the front TBs.
As long as the AHC system is in order, and not leaking, there is no requirement to top up the fluid. If the fluid goes down, it means that more goes into the spheres, which means they are worn (out). The spheres are maintenance items, just like any other springs. They have to be changed every few years.
Thank you very much for perfect answer.
Now I understand
I have only 2 marks between Low and High position so it seems my spheres are "ready" to change .... my car is year 1998 and has 275.000 km.
Propably I have to buy a new spheres, because it does not make a sense to buy used spheres - they could be also with low pressure. New spheres are not cheap
Thanks again for your help
Now I understand
I have only 2 marks between Low and High position so it seems my spheres are "ready" to change
.... my car is year 1998 and has 275.000 km.Propably I have to buy a new spheres, because it does not make a sense to buy used spheres - they could be also with low pressure. New spheres are not cheap
Thanks again for your help
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