Lx470 torsion bar reindex with ahc (1 Viewer)

[acucole]

I tried to find a clear description of how to do this and pieced it together from other posts and videos of other cars. So here are some pics from my 99 lx470.

History: over the last year I have been building this rig out for overlanding with lots of heavy gear. Front and Reyna he bumpers, winch, roof rack and rtt, wheel and Jerry can carriers, recovery gear, camping gear, family of 4 etc.

so far ahc has been working ok other than when fully loaded not going into high.

I finally got tech stream and the dongle and surprise surprise, my pressures were 9-10 front and rear. Using a MacBook Pro with virtual and tech stream download. No problem.

I had airbags in the back from years ago for towing, but they were faulty. Kinked hoses and ballooned out.

I removed those, added 30mm spring spacers, and new airbags. Pressures them to 25# and rear pressures went to 6.6! That was all airbag, the spacers were already in when getting 9-10.

ok, so I went to crank the TB and the ds was maxed. Also lower than the ps by 1/2”.

so came across reindexing. Thought I would give that a try. Now pressures are 7 and level right to left.

 

[acucole]

it really helps to pre lube these bolt ahead of time but mine only needed a few minutes of PB

1. Lift the wheel off the ground of the side to reindex.
2. Remove armor
3. Remove TB adjusting bolt - uncrank all the way out
4. Check to see if there is indexing marks on the TB and bracket. If not make marks. The teeth only need to move 2 and they are small, so marks are needed.
5. Loosen TB bracket bolts
6. Push out the outside bolt to let the bracket droop
7. Manipulate the bar and adjusting bolt bracket toward the back of the car to slide the teeth out of the holding bracket at the front of the car end of the TB
8. Move the bar clockwise 2 teeth and reinsert into bracket. This is for DS. (passenger side may be opposite, I didn’t need to do that one)
9. Realign the bracket, insert the bolt and Retighten the bracket
10. Insert the adjusting bolt and retighten (I used an electric driver)
11. Your adjusting bracket may be dropped below the frame at this point, but as you check pressure and crank it will raise back up.
12. Lower tire and go back to checking pressures and cranking as needed, moving the car in and out of the driveway as needed.

 

[acucole]

1. Maxed out

2. bracket at front of car indexing marks before moving

3. adjusting bolt removed

4. Bracket bolt removed and bracket droop, indexing marks moved 3 teeth.

 

[acucole]

5. Bracket bolt pushed out the front so the bracket can drop

6. Adjuating bolt removed

7. Adjusting bolt bracket poking down. It will rise as you crank the TB

 

[acucole]

6-2021 after spring spacer 1” rear, removed airbags
Driveway
DF 20.25
DR 21
PF 21
PR 21.5
Pressures 9-10!

6-17-21
New airbag 25#
Driveway
DF 20
DR 20.75
PF 20.5
PR 21
Pressures
F 9.4
R 6.6

Garage
DF 20.5
Dr 21
PF 20.5
Pr 21

Reindexed drivers side 2-3 teeth
Dropped torsion bracket down under frame
Pressures 9.5 front
DF 20.25
PF 20.5
Cranked ds x8
P 8.5
DF 20.5
PF 20.5
Cranked bilateral x8
FP 7.0
Rp 6.6

 

[acucole]

Oh, getting the TB out of the teeth of the front bracket took some coaxing. I used the end of the breaker bar against the bracket with one have and pulled the TB with the other hand.

the whole process took maybe 1.5 hrs.

hope this helps someone!

 

[acucole]

3 more cranks and fronts are now 6.6 rears 6.9. I have more load and people to put in, but pretty good.

 

[ramangain]

How many low to high graduations do you get?

 

[acucole]

How many low to high graduations do you get?

Looks like 13-15. Hard to tell as there are no marks at the seam. Top of tape to top of tape.

 

[acucole]

Ok, fully loaded with all the water, food and family.
front 7.2
Rear 8.5
Need more air in the bags at rear I think.

 

[acucole]

At 30# in the airbags

front 6.7
Rear 7.6
Front hub to fender 20”
Rear hub to fender 21”

 

[ramangain]

If you plan on running the bags a lot, run them on the same air line. If one pops (and they do, I've gone through 2) at least the rigs suspension stays symmetrical for safety reasons.

 

[acucole]

So the bags had issues. while wheeling they deflated 2x. both probably my fault on the install. The hole at the bottom of the spring plate seemed big enough but it looks like the clamp get caught in it and pulls off the hose. The second was a pinched hose that leaked, not sure how the pinch happend, so I just reconnected to the T and all was good again. both quick fixes, but not ideal.

Next plan: installing 80 series springs tonight with 30mm spacer and bags (with a larger hole) as well! Lets see what those pressures do now!

 

[IndroCruise]

So the bags had issues. while wheeling they deflated 2x. both probably my fault on the install. The hole at the bottom of the spring plate seemed big enough but it looks like the clamp get caught in it and pulls off the hose. The second was a pinched hose that leaked, not sure how the pinch happend, so I just reconnected to the T and all was good again. both quick fixes, but not ideal.

Next plan: installing 80 series springs tonight with 30mm spacer and bags (with a larger hole) as well! Lets see what those pressures do now!

Great thread, clear story, good pics!!

 

[acucole]

Ok! 80’s on, with 30mm spacer and airbags with nozzle pointed down and a 3/4” opened up hole.

starting point
1/2 loaded with armor, stock springs 30mm spacers 22# air (seemed to leak out a little was 30), gentle sensor lift (no bracket or bolt mods)
PF 6.5
PR 7.3
Heights
Pf 20.5
Pr 21.75
Df 20.25
Dr 21.5

after 80 springs, spring spacers and no air in airbags:
PF 6.5
PR 5.1
Heights
Pf 20.5
Pr 21
Df 20.5
Dr 21

 

[acucole]

these 80’s look like they have an extra 1/2 turn and a little taller for the ds and much thicker than the stock ahc spring

 

[acucole]

Looks like I lost .5” height in the rear also. Next step, get the shock spacers and arms as needed for a full sensor lift aka Paddo. I still get some rub on the front fender when stuffed. I am running 325/65/18 ko2 so kinda wide

 

[Jerzywerzy5]

it really helps to pre lube these bolt ahead of time but mine only needed a few minutes of PB

1. Lift the wheel off the ground of the side to reindex.
2. Remove armor
3. Remove TB adjusting bolt - uncrank all the way out
4. Check to see if there is indexing marks on the TB and bracket. If not make marks. The teeth only need to move 2 and they are small, so marks are needed.
5. Loosen TB bracket bolts
6. Push out the outside bolt to let the bracket droop
7. Manipulate the bar and adjusting bolt bracket toward the back of the car to slide the teeth out of the holding bracket at the front of the car end of the TB
8. Move the bar clockwise 2 teeth and reinsert into bracket. This is for DS. (passenger side may be opposite, I didn’t need to do that one)
9. Realign the bracket, insert the bolt and Retighten the bracket
10. Insert the adjusting bolt and retighten (I used an electric driver)
11. Your adjusting bracket may be dropped below the frame at this point, but as you check pressure and crank it will raise back up.
12. Lower tire and go back to checking pressures and cranking as needed, moving the car in and out of the driveway as needed.

I did this a couple weeks back and ended up with a creaking sound from drivers side tb.
The only difference from you is I didn’t remove the tb bolt all the way. Just loosening it allowed me to rotate the bar 2 teeth and tighten it all back up.

 

[acucole]

I have not noticed any creaking

 

[LGU62]

Thanks for the write up! So would replacing just the adjuster bolt be as simple as raising the tire, removing the bolt, and screwing in the new one? I don’t need to reindex yet but I have a bolt that is so rusty it’s getting hard to adjust. If it’s that easy I’ll just replace them.