Is something wrong with my rear suspension?

[TeCKis300]

TK3 are you saying if you loaded down an AHC 570 the same way the OP's LC was loaded down the AHC would completely eliminate the issue being reported?

Yes, I've been to 1800lb payload (~1300 rated) towing with AHC and performance is always on point. Always plush and controlled, with no sag, sway, or brake dive to speak of. I've added 10mm spacers to my rear coil springs as a proactive measure to take some load off AHC, and make sure it can still lift to H mode when towing heavy. Great thing is to be able cruise down the highway in plush damping mode, and tighten things up to firm when in the mountains. I've always appreciated AHC, but it's benefits are even more pronounced under load.

AHC also needs to be augmented if above a a certain point beyond its stock performance envelop. This is where the LC could be more flexible as it can be retrofitted with many different and specialized aftermarket options.

 

[MJ24]

TK3 are you saying if you loaded down an AHC 570 the same way the OP's LC was loaded down the AHC would completely eliminate the issue being reported?

Are you adjusting anything while driving or does the AHC automatically handle it.

 

[Roy Park]

We’re talking about the shocks damping right? Or are they getting moist?

 

[alexchoksm]

Hi all -
I am new to Land Cruisers and Toyota's in general, so I'm hoping to draw on the collective experience of this wonderful community. I bought my completely stock 2014 Land Cruiser in June of 2017 with 22,000 miles from a Land Rover dealer who took it on trade. So far, it's been an amazing vehicle!

Here's the situation - on three separate trips now when I've had the vehicle loaded with gear and/or people I can feel the rear suspension hitting the bump stops. The three scenarios:

1. 2 people, full tank of gas, rear loaded with firewood, cooler, typical camping gear, plus a bike rack with two mountain bikes on the hitch. This was possibly over the payload rating due to the firewood and cooler full of beer, but not positive. Hitting bump stops while driving down I-70, dirt roads getting to destination outside Moab were brutal.
   
2. 5 people, full tank of gas, 5 small suitcases packed for an overnight in a hotel. Hit bump stops at dips in the road. Don't believe I was over payload rating.
   
3. 5 people, half tank of gas, no other cargo. Hit bump stops while driving over speed bumps in parking lots. Pretty sure I wasn't over payload rating.

Toyota's literature states a payload capacity of 1,295 lbs.

So here's the question - Does this sound normal? I'm thinking of installing airbags in the rear like some others on Mud have done, but if something it out of sorts I'll fix that first. Plans for warmer weather: OEM strut spacers and 275/70r18 KO2's.

View attachment 1611784

I had the same problem as you. Hitting bump stops as I went over speed bumps when the car was full. I changed my absorbers but the problem persisted. I wondered if it was the coil springs but every single person I asked including mechanics said that coil springs couldn't go bad. I finally decided to change my springs after my wife told me it wasn't normal for a landcruiser to not be able to carry 5 people considering she's driving a mazda cx-5 and it has no problems whatsoever carrying the same load and going over the same bumps (haha sometimes women do make sense).

Even when I ordered the part the owner told me that it was very very unlikely that it was the springs, when I brought the part to the mechanic he said the same thing...

Anyway after changing, problem solved!!!!! no more hitting the bump stops and the car feels and handles sooooooooo much better!! I'm wondering now if it'll get even better if i change my front coils. haha!

 

[kd5kuu]

@alexchoksm Thanks for the info! Very interesting, indeed. Did you measure any static sagging in the rear before changing springs?

 

[Mogwai]

The "completely normal" camp gets my vote. I bottomed out a few times in the rear when I ran stock, at what I'd consider normal weight (though loaded w/ 4 ppl and our gear) but have not bottomed once since replacing suspension. I suspect it's the tired OEM springs and not the shocks, there are even some cases of folks replacing their oem springs with new oem springs and voila, their cruiser/kdss "lean" went away.

 

[SQRRRL]

I have 2013 suspension with 30k mail crawling miles. Free!

 

[unclemat]

I had the same problem as you. Hitting bump stops as I went over speed bumps when the car was full. I changed my absorbers but the problem persisted. I wondered if it was the coil springs but every single person I asked including mechanics said that coil springs couldn't go bad. I finally decided to change my springs after my wife told me it wasn't normal for a landcruiser to not be able to carry 5 people considering she's driving a mazda cx-5 and it has no problems whatsoever carrying the same load and going over the same bumps (haha sometimes women do make sense).

Even when I ordered the part the owner told me that it was very very unlikely that it was the springs, when I brought the part to the mechanic he said the same thing...

Anyway after changing, problem solved!!!!! no more hitting the bump stops and the car feels and handles sooooooooo much better!! I'm wondering now if it'll get even better if i change my front coils. haha!

I had confirm this does happen....

tl;dr: stock springs could not take load somewhat suddenly at ~71k miles. Replaced with brand new stock springs and the problem was solved.

Full story:

When we headed out to LCDC this year with the truck fairly loaded I was surprised how badly suddenly it was taking highway joints or bumps. We were hitting bump stops like never before under similar load.

The truck is stock except: 33" wheels, Budbuilt sliders and mix of steel/alu Budbuilt skids. I estimate <350 lbs. weight penalty over stock. I had only 4 people in the car including me (<600 lbs.) and fair amount of camping gear but nothing crazy (lightweight backpacking tests, a picnic table canopy, food, clothes, not even a fridge!). Yet it sucked! ~71k miles on the truck when we left.

Only month earlier I completed a 2k mile trip with a similar load and while I felt the heft, handling or suspension wasn't really objectionable.

Thanks to the generosity of another mudder (hello @RobW0) I picked up a brand new stock takeoffs along the route and had them replaced near our destination (at Metric Offroad in Grand Junction, CO). The shop owner was skeptical the issue would be cured with new stock springs it was! Technically, in addition to springs I had him install 10mm OME spacers. While I did not gain much static height (maybe those 10 mm), the truck behavior when laden was back to "stock normal". Not great (I am of the opinion now that stock suspension is inadequate overall), but it did not feel as soft as before and we weren't hitting bump stops anymore!

So, yeah, the springs can wear down, and it's not obvious unless under load. Unloaded the truck was behaving normal.

 

[linuxgod]

I had confirm this does happen....

tl;dr: stock springs could not take load somewhat suddenly at ~71k miles. Replaced with brand new stock springs and the problem was solved.

Full story:

When we headed out to LCDC this year with the truck fairly loaded I was surprised how badly suddenly it was taking highway joints or bumps. We were hitting bump stops like never before under similar load.

The truck is stock except: 33" wheels, Budbuilt sliders and mix of steel/alu Budbuilt skids. I estimate <350 lbs. weight penalty over stock. I had only 4 people in the car including me (<600 lbs.) and fair amount of camping gear but nothing crazy (lightweight backpacking tests, a picnic table canopy, food, clothes, not even a fridge!). Yet it sucked! ~71k miles on the truck when we left.

Only month earlier I completed a 2k mile trip with a similar load and while I felt the heft, handling or suspension wasn't really objectionable.

Thanks to the generosity of another mudder (hello @RobW0) I picked up a brand new stock takeoffs along the route and had them replaced near our destination (at Metric Offroad in Grand Junction, CO). The shop owner was skeptical the issue would be cured with new stock springs it was! Technically, in addition to springs I had him install 10mm OME spacers. While I did not gain much static height (maybe those 10 mm), the truck behavior when laden was back to "stock normal". Not great (I am of the opinion now that stock suspension is inadequate overall), but it did not feel as soft as before and we weren't hitting bump stops anymore!

So, yeah, the springs can wear down, and it's not obvious unless under load. Unloaded the truck was behaving normal.

FWIW I experienced the same at around 60k when I had the stock suspension. 5 people in the vehicle (maybe 500#) and a Thule bike rack with 4 bikes on it (about 130# I think) plus a ~16" kids bike in the trunk and when I'd go over the "lazy" speed bumps around here (the wider ones designed to take at 15+ mph) I'd hit the internal jounce stops. Yes I know physics and all that says the bikes are a lever, but still it was surprisingly soft and pronounced.