LX570 AHC Globe/Accumulator Replacement (3 Viewers)

[Willie G]

That’s a solid write up. I thought you wanted to use a 6 point socket to start with if you were concerned about rounding the nut. Is this not correct? Either way, good pull on going to standard to get that last bit of tightness.

Edit: apparently there’s new sockets that use weird rounded protrusions to grab the faces of the nut. Looks like my old school thoughts are in need of updating?

I used a 13/16" 6 point and my torque wrench set at 110lbs/ft for the removal - just to see how tight the originals were.

Other than that, get 'er done!

If you want to do an oil change or rotate your tires while you're under there, fine. It's kind of a stand-alone project.

 

[GroggyGarage]

Did this with a friend recently. I read every single post prior to the project, and it went fairly smoothly. I don’t think I have anything significant to add to the thread that hasn’t been said already.

My ride was sooooooo bouncy before. After the replacement, I could swear they stealthily fixed all the roads around me haha. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who contributed!!!

 

[NKP Garage]

Did this with a friend recently. I read every single post prior to the project, and it went fairly smoothly. I don’t think I have anything significant to add to the thread that hasn’t been said already.

My ride was sooooooo bouncy before. After the replacement, I could swear they stealthily fixed all the roads around me haha. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who contributed!!!

Nice work!!

 

[bloc]

I finally got a chance to do this job, helping a friend with his 2013. Approx 140k miles. Globes had been on their radar for some time but I rode in their rig for the first time in a while and immediately noticed.. something wasn't right. So they ordered the globes and fluid and we did the job a couple days ago.

I see a lot of people initially posting an improvement of maybe 15-20%.. in this case.. 200%. I read earlier in the thread there shouldn't be much fluid in them when pressure is bled, and my understanding of how all this worked makes sense. Then we pulled the first unit, and a lot of fluid came out. Like nearly the entire outside volume dumped into the fluid pan. Hrm.. So I look inside and there is a metal support washer inside, that appears to be clear across the globe, against the raised hex. I grab one of the new ones and the same washer is just below the inlet hole.

Here are the numbers.

New globe

Original globes.. the diaphragm is a full 2" further down than new

 

[bloc]

Now them losing some nitrogen makes sense, but this seemed excessive. The rig hasn't been abused.. was a DFW soccermom-mobile for about 110k miles, then my friend got it, we did a fluid exchange, and they haven't been hard on it at all. So I'm wondering.. mechanical failure?

So I cut one of them up...

The black powdery stuff is from the cutting wheel. Otherwise it just looks like an intact diaphragm that was designed to rest downward, which I'm sure it wasn't. If I push the rubber back up to position it retracts down again. I guess sitting with the weight of a LX on it without enough nitrogen below is a hard life.

I plan to finish cutting the retaining ring and pull the diaphragm to check for cracks or other mechanical issues.

I also have two more to investigate.. I'll drill holes in the base of each to see whether there is any stored nitrogen. And I'll probably cut up the good one too to see if it was on its way out.

Will post what I find.

 

[tbisaacs]

Always amazed at how thick the skin is on these things.

 

[bloc]

Always amazed at how thick the skin is on these things.

Hah.. yeah. My cutting disk wasn’t a fan.

 

[urinalcake]

Agree on the wall thickness of the high pressure vessel (globe), it’s THICK. I wonder what sort of pressures the hydraulic fluid subjects on the system, and what pressure the nitrogen starts at the factory.

 

[Guaja]

Another option is to put a 3/8-1/2” hole in the red circle and use a flat end punch and hammer in a counterclockwise direction to knock it loose. This is what I had to do to remove the accumulator stuck onto the KDSS valve I dissected that was riddled with cancer.

View attachment 3573560

This thread and suggestion was a life saver, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

 

[bloc]

This thread and suggestion was a life saver, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

You're welcome. If you know of other tricks post them.. all of this stuff eventually helps someone somewhere.

 

[AZLX570]

I finally got a chance to do this job, helping a friend with his 2013. Approx 140k miles. Globes had been on their radar for some time but I rode in their rig for the first time in a while and immediately noticed.. something wasn't right. So they ordered the globes and fluid and we did the job a couple days ago.

I see a lot of people initially posting an improvement of maybe 15-20%.. in this case.. 200%. I read earlier in the thread there shouldn't be much fluid in them when pressure is bled, and my understanding of how all this worked makes sense. Then we pulled the first unit, and a lot of fluid came out. Like nearly the entire outside volume dumped into the fluid pan. Hrm.. So I look inside and there is a metal support washer inside, that appears to be clear across the globe, against the raised hex. I grab one of the new ones and the same washer is just below the inlet hole.

Here are the numbers.

New globe

View attachment 3927070
View attachment 3927072

Original globes.. the diaphragm is a full 2" further down than new

View attachment 3927073
View attachment 3927074

Any more info on what didn't feel right? I'm at 191K on original globes and ride feels......fine. Fluid serviced regularly though. Ride is not "car" smooth obviously but it's a body on frame SUV and I have E-rated 285/70/17 AT's.

As you said some people only seem to post minor improvements.

 

[bloc]

Any more info on what didn't feel right? I'm at 191K on original globes and ride feels......fine. Fluid serviced regularly though. Ride is not "car" smooth obviously but it's a body on frame SUV and I have E-rated 285/70/17 AT's.

As you said some people only seem to post minor improvements.

Yeah I could best describe this as riding on the bump stops of opposite-corner suspension. It wasn't just hitting the bumps.. it was pitching around as a result.

With some of the globes so collapsed that's pretty much what was happening at the end of the day.

 

[kingsleysmith]

First off thank you everyone who have contributed to this thread, y'all are amazing. Just finished replacing all four globes and could not be happier. Little back ground. 2010 LX570, original owner with 190k miles on vehicle. Had always been serviced at the local Lexus dealer until they started BS'ing me about service performed. They claimed they had serviced the AHC system (twice) and inspected it every time in, until I caught them in a lie. I put torque seal on the access cover bolt for the 120k service. Seal had not been broken, yet the tech swore he serviced it. Also told me both rear shocks were leaking/bad and needed replacement. Neither of these statements were true. Service manager stood up for his tech, even when I showed him the torque seal was not broken. Have never set foot in their shop since.

So these are/were original globes. And since the vehicle is a 2010 model I really expected to see this secondary split back up ring. Was not on the globes, so I felt much better installing the new ones without the washer. All four globes had failed to various degree's. I did use a 13/16th, 6 point socket and immediately saw/noticed why so many people and rounded off the very shallow nut on the globe. I was heading in that same direction as the socket did not really seat well onto it. So I wheeled out my handy floor jack, got my socket and breaker bar on the nut, jacked up the lift to put decent force on the tool/nut combo. There was no slop or shifting of the socket on the nut with the jack in place. And very easily attached my extension onto breaker bar and the globes were off.

Took it for a test ride, dang. It feels like a brand new vehicle! I'll bleed it a second time tomorrow to make sure all air is out. But my god, it's a thousand times better. So again, thank y'all.

K