Today I ripped out the AHC (with help of a friend who is also a master mechanic on all Lexus and Toyota vehicles). Started shortly after 8am with me bringing Bojangles chicken biscuit combos and drinks.
Opened hood and he siphoned off as much of the hydraulic fluid as possible.....then we lifted the LX and started:
1. First I removed two 10mm bolts from tops of shocks on each side. This is where the lines enters top of the hydraulic shock at each corner of vehicle. First bolt is not too bad but back one is a pain in @$$...but I got it to break loose and removed with fingers.
2. While I was doing this, he was releasing pressure from system at the GLOBES...with length of rubber tubing and fluid pan. Keeps it from spraying everywhere when you lift the shock tops. That stuff is VERY SLIPPERY on concrete floor....ask me how I know.
3. Next is get pry-bar or big screwdriver and remove the square steel fitting that the two bolts held on...the tube fits in shock with O-ring so you can pry it straight up to get off. Might want a drip pan near to catch as much as possible of fluid coming out of lines.
4. Then push the steel fitting you just pryed up to side....and get 7/8 wrench...and remove nut on top of shock...you can get it. Took a combination of box wrench and a short stubby to get it loose. Not a lot of room but putting a screw jack under rear diff and then pulling the oem springs out of rear helps and gives more room to work.
5. Once top nut is removed and all the washers and rubber spacers....loosen lower shock bolt with impact wrench. Pop it loose...remove carefully as it is full of fluid as well. A note...the driver side shock would not turn good and ended up having to heat the hell out of it before we could get it loose...so the rear shocks were pretty much destroyed due to how they are installed and how hard it is to get to the nuts.
6. Now you have rear springs and rear shocks off. Next get hacksaw or cutting wheel and cut the steel mounts from top of shock off from hydraulic hose. The hose is steel braided inside so it is a tough nut to crack and not a lot of room. 30 minutes with hacksaw or 30 seconds with cut off wheel...your choice. Once again have drain pan handy and wear eye protection during this removal....
7. While I was doing this, he was removing front torsion bars and placing new TB...the IronMan setup also includes a support reinforcement bracket...that requires drilling and using two bolts on each for strength. Read instructions and do one hole at time before moving to drilling second hole as the bracket flexes when tightened down. Also, the TB are not indexed from IronMan so layed them with arrows up that were stuck....pinged them with punch to line up a line with original models and then counted over I think 5 teeth to index the offset mark as well...marked with chalk for installing properly.
8. Now I put the new springs on each side...did passenger side first....was able to push up on the much thicker and stiffer springs to pop into place on doughnut. Rotated to get end of spring about 1/4 inch from stop on lower mount. Did drivers side same way but a bit tougher so pryed up on bottom spring coil with pry bar to get on edge of mount and pushed into place. Aligned bottom end of coil..done.
9. Got shocks...ones ending in 6 go in rear...will be evident when you compare them. Setup washers with large washer on top bolt first...concave up to hold rubber spacer...then next with concave down over rubber spacer and ridged inner circle up....this part sits in frame mount hole and helps align sock in hole. Stick up through hole...put another set of washers and stops on top in reverse order then finger start top nut. May spin top of shock to get it snug and then get wrench to tighten by hand as much as you can until it wont budge. Then put lower bushings in shock mount, rotate into place and add bolt. I found it easier to put first cone spacer on shock mount on axle....the rotate and push empty lower shock hole onto it...then add external spacer...then bolt finger tight. Then did opposite side the same. Tightened lower bolts and double checked tops again....double checked springs were seated properly and aligned evenly. Done.
10. Move to front shocks....put screw jack under one side lower control arm to make sure it did not drop too much. It didn't but would do anyhow to support it. Removed two bolts from top of shock (lowered vehicle some to make access easier). Pryed up the fitting....cut line to discard steel mount afterwards. This is not required but was not able to remove the soft lines so did not want a 1 pound piece of steel rattling on top of box frame all the time. Removed lower bolt that has a 19mm nut on rear but it breaks loose with impact easily so can hold with fingers if needed. Remove shock, discard and be careful not to spill fluid. Install replacement shock just as before....tighten top with spacers and washers in place......then lower bolt...may need rubber mallet to get bolts started if not lined up perfect but should be close.
11. While I was doing this , he was removing the actuators and height sensors. If you have them off already when you remove the top mount on front shock the vacuum will be gone and the fluid will now pour out of lowest point...have drain pan handy and rags. Four globes and actuators....top screws are PIA....cut lines, unplugged, put in plastic bag. After shock was reinstalled completely I moved to opposite side to remove other front shock with same procedure as mentioned already.
12. At this time the shocks are installed in all four corners. The coil springs are installed in rear. The TB are in place with extra brackets but are just bottomed to mounts not torqued...so are as soft as they can be now...just in place. All four globes with actuators...all height sensors have been removed. he is now removing more line that is hard line...trying to keep it from rattling. We have cut the steel top mount for hydraulic shocks on all four corners and pulled as much of the thick hard lines from within frame and around fuel tanks as we can find. Bend it, twist it, cut it to get it out or will rattle like hell.
13. Now we lowered vehicle to see how it sits...rear was way up...front was way down...about 5 inches of difference as the front was just SHOCK...no TB really as they were all the way loose. We put skid plate back on front already and checked that shocks and springs were in place properly and started setting them up. Using lift and large ratchet bar....went up and down about 15 times adjusting. Ended up with rear at 32.75 inches from bottom of wheel (allow wheel) straight up to lower portion of fender. Ended up with 32 on front with both sides being level with same reference point. In between each lowering of vehicle to floor...we would bounce it to help settle torsion bars. It started easy like a bouncy board and at end was firm. After driving a couple weeks I think the springs and such will settle more and will measure again and adjust as necessary....but did not want to twist up the TB too much...so I tried to get them within 1/2-3/4 of an inch from front....taking into account I was almost empty of fuel....no gear in rear, etc...that will help level it some as well.
14. Got it adjusted...got shocks and springs installed. Now my buddy removed hydraulic reservoir and pump assembly. I was pulling fuses per instructions here.... 1 50amp AHC relay in large fuse box in engine compartment....1 50amp AHC relay in small narrow one up against fender. Then inside I pulled fourth from left AHC B 15a fuse on lowest row...then also pulled AHC IG from row 2 from bottom...and it was 20a fuse second from left. Double checked everything and pulled out.
Install done....successfully.
IronMan Suspension sold and serviced in USA by Camel 4x4 Offroad
I just bought the gas shocks with Performance Kit. I bought this kit in December...CAMEL had a sale for 10% off price of kit and Free Shipping. So I jumped on it knowing I would not install for few months.
It is $756 plus shipping now for whole kit.
