For those who removed their AHC, what were the "gotchas" during install?

[ClassyJalopy]

X2 to what @dirtdwag said. I removed my entire ahc system a couple of months ago. I had two failed lines due to rust. Ugh.
If you do the work yourself definitely get a tarp or something to cover the garage floor - that ahc fluid gets everywhere, is really slippery and it stinks. I used 2 of those harbor freight free tarps.
I couldn't get the top bolt on any of the accumulators or the pump so I used a big pry bar and bent/broke them off. I used a sawzall and different length blades to remove all the lines etc. Wear safety glasses!
I used OEM shocks with OME torsion bars. Small lift, comfy ride.
I ordered new shock washers from cruiserparts.com. My ahc washers were rusty beyond use.
I had to cut a hole in the floor to get the passenger side shock out, again because of rust. Driver side was easy using the 22mm flexhead wrench others have mentioned.
I did it over 3 weeks, Saturdays mostly. I've got 3 kids and the busy life that goes with that so the time it took me may not be a relevant comparison.
I love the ride and the knowledge of how the suspension works.

My AHC hardware is still on the frame rails. I am planning to have the whole frame media blasted and coated this winter and really want to get rid of this dead weight but all the mounting hardware is fused to the frame due to rust. Perhaps I will try the pry bar to get them off.

 

[Pyrenees]

new ones don't come with washers like you have been told before. I believe I even shared the part diagram with you too).

Correct, I was making a reference to that post. I'd seen different things so needed some clarification. Definitely seems like they do not come with the washers based on what you and the others are saying here. I wouldn't think too hard about it but it's like $160 worth of washers

 

[ClassyJalopy]

I paid $200 for the 4 oem shocks shipped to my door. I would also be VERY SAD if I had to pay $160 for the washers. I'd post a wanted ad on the classifieds to get a used set for a song.

 

[Pyrenees]

@ClassyJalopy I agree. Not a bad idea at all. I wonder if there's a cheaper aftermarket option with the washers. One of the big reasons I wanted to go with the OEM setup was that I was under the impression all OME springs provided a lift (and the shocks were too stiff).

 

[Pyrenees]

Alright. I just ordered all of the parts for pickup at my local toyota dealer's parts counter. $750 for four shocks, two springs, and all those stupid washers, including tax (side note: the kit that the cruiser parts site sells is $699 + $129 for washers +tax/shipping, so pricing out everything and ordering locally to avoid shipping was definitely the cheaper way to go OEM.

If you add in the used OEM LC torsion bars that I paid a mudder to ship to me ($120 inclusive), total parts cost for the AHC delete with OEM stuff = $870. My shop is quoting me a max of 7.5 hrs labor at $100/hr + tax, so I'm guessing the whole thing is going to run me about $1700 to have done. Then I just have to sell my AHC bits to chip away at that. I'll follow up in this thread when the job is done.

Current parts list for posterity:

482316A680 Coil Spring (Right, Rear) 1 $191.89
482316A690 Coil Spring (Left, Rear) 1 $197.50
4851169585 Shock Absorber (Left, Right, Front) 2 $39.24
4853169835 Shock Absorber (Left, Right, Rear) 2 $43.37
9094802170 Shock Mount Washer (Rear) 2 $8.32
9094802173 RETAINER 6 $8.32
9094802174 Shock Mount Washer (Front) 4 $12.37
9094802175 Shock Mount Washer (Front) 2 $12.74
9094802176 Shock Mount Washer (Front) 2 $9.24

+ TBs.

 

[AlabamaLX]

Have you addressed the rear sway bar? The one for the LC is of a larger diameter than the one that comes in the LX. I changed mine over when I did the swap.

 

[Pyrenees]

I have not. In fact I don’t recall ever seeing this mentioned before. Just the whole “don’t crank the LX TBs, replace them” bit. Are we talking about an incompatibility/blocker or a technical detail here?

 

[AlabamaLX]

Just like the TBs are of a smaller diameter, due to the AHC system, so are the rear coils and the sway bar. You won't have the AHC carrying any of the load any longer. The front sway bar is the same for the LC/LX.

I did mine eight years ago. Complete removal.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Have you addressed the rear sway bar? The one for the LC is of a larger diameter than the one that comes in the LX. I changed mine over when I did the swap.

View attachment 2116550

This is quite interesting. I didn't replace my rear sway bar either and it might be reason I get a little more side to side lean than I like.
Looks like it is about $161 on Amazon.

 

[Pyrenees]

Was that swaybar part number superseded by a new number? Or is "sway bar" the colloquial term for... uh, one of these other bars? I'll order one, that's cheap enough, but I just gotta make sure I'm getting the right thing. Never been down this road before.

For what it's worth, I ordered from Hendrick Toyota in Apex NC.

Also @AlabamaLX major kudos for the AHC blank switch part! I don't like having buttons that do nothing in my car (plus I can probably sell the AHC switch assembly) so that is perfect.

 

[AlabamaLX]

Looks like the number is still good.

The little pocket is handy for phones, change, etc...

I also covered up the little truck icon in the gauge cluster.

As far as the process for removal, @DirtDawg nailed it.

 

[DirtDawg]

One additional note:

If anyone encounters their rear shock top nut rusted to the point where a wrench is not gonna cut it, take a sawzall to the base of the top stem. With the rear spare removed, I could fit a full size sawzall to cut this mount once. Make sure the lines are depressurized as fluid passes through the stem. If they are that corroded odds are you’re not trying to salvage the shock.

 

[Pyrenees]

Alrite, I ordered the LC swaybar/bushings and the console switch replacement. And now we wait.

 

[suboptimusprime]

@Pyrenees what shop you using for this? May be in a similar boat to you soon--have not decided whether to just replace my globes or go to conventional. I swapped rear springs out to correct my pressures but not sure I have capability or time for suspension replacement if I go that route.

 

[Pyrenees]

@suboptimusprime I actually dropped it off today at Renaissance Auto in Cary. Jay (shop owner) came recommended on this very forum and I had him do the timing belt/etc a year ago. All of that went well, in fact when I picked it up from the timing belt job he remarked about how if I ever wanted to install an old man emu kit, they are familiar with that and I could bring it back. I filed that away for later, and later came today.

My main reason to ditch the AHC once the high-to-low test only measured 7 gradations was that I was concerned I'd spend a bunch of money on globes only to turn around and repeatedly throw money/troubleshooting time at other AHC components when it's my daily driver and I've got two little kids (hint: no spare time). Personally I think the AHC is a fantastic system and it has worked 100% perfectly in my case, but I just didn't want the risk (and I didn't want a lift kit) so I went to the Hendrick Toyota online parts store, ordered the full Land Cruiser conversion pieces and picked them up at the parts desk.

I'm located closer to Mark Jacobson Toyota but they don't have an online parts store whatsoever (seems like a huge "WTF?" to me). I had previously used the Fred Anderson Toyota online parts store and picked up at the parts counter there a couple of times, but when I went to order stuff this time their parts department website had some kind of crippling failure so I went with Hendrick. Looking forward, my drive time to Hendrick is approximately the same as Fred Anderson (~30 min), and I thought Hendrick's parts department had better-annotated/exploded diagrams of the actual parts and where they go. For a conversion such as this, that was a HUGE factor for me.

 

[katit]

Personally I think the AHC is a fantastic system and it has worked 100% perfectly in my case, but I just didn't want the risk (and I didn't want a lift kit).

I'm sorry, but it's like "I'm getting old, my knees will give up at some point, I'd rather replace them now"

 

[blackdoutuzj100]

everyone is 100% correct with the 14 hour job estimate for a complete removal and install with setting front ride height. messy and very time consuming. do yourself a favor if you do this yourself and either drill holes on floor or just cut off rear struts to save yourself the headache and time. otherwise you need to lift body up to remove rear struts. all the ahc lines are a pain to remove. good luck on install im just happy lx has zero rust so it all went very smooth.

 

[vishmuzty]

Rear shocks: This was the most difficult part. 22mm ratcheting wrench for sure, got an individual one at Home Depot. Be patient with the 12mm bolts holding the fittings to top of rear shocks. Don't resort to bending metal or drilling, just stay calm.

Shock bushing washers : The AHC lower shock bushings/washers are oval, whereas the non-AHC bushing/washers are both are round. You can use the oval washers with the round bushings (they fit), but I ordered new lower washers from dealer before I realized this. See image below showing the bushing/washer stack on the front & rear AHC shocks.

AHC hardware : The rest of the pumps, accumulators, valves, globes and hoses can be removed at your convenience. I pulled out all the chunky stuff and sold it on eBay, then slowly worked my way through removal the chassis tubing. After carefully tracing the AHC lines (and making sure they WEREN'T brake or fuel lines!) I used a bolt cutter to cut the hard lines into manageable size segments for removal.

Really not a difficult job, the only surprises I had were the shock lower washers (AHC=oval) and getting tools onto the tops of the rear shocks (no clearance).

 

[vishmuzty]

As for the wiring, just unplug all harness plugs for the AHC ECU (above the accel pedal) and everything is copacetic.

Bonus: You gain a 50A relay-controlled power source from your AHC pump, great for air compressor or power inverter. See my thread on simple way to wire relay to come of with ignition:

AHC removed? Easy 50A fused switched circuit!

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Pyrenees]

The deed is done. Removed the AHC shocks, coils, torsion bars and rear swaybar. Installed OEM Toyota Land Cruiser parts. I have to say, it rides just fine. Yeah, there's no more "comfort" mode with its pillow-soft but bobble-head type motions, but the highway ride is perfect and the body lean is very much under control. The only time I notice anything remotely impactful is going over bridge joints or potholes, which feels the same as AHC did on "sport" mode. None of the AHC bits other than the aforementioned parts were removed, so I'll do that over the following few weekends. I got charged for 6.5 hours labor. I cannot complain about that.