Most comfortable AHC replacement available (1 Viewer)

[derekmjones]

Hello Everyone,

My right and left front shocks are leaking to varying degrees. I had pretty nasty fluid so I flushed the AHC system. Everything seems to be working again and it’s definitely smoother ride now, but I have a feeling it’s getting close to that time where the decision will be whether to keep the AHC and refurbish / get new soft goods and bushings, etc. or take it all out and put in a replacement kit of some sort. This is the main kit I’ve considered as a suitable replacement:

BILSTEIN - 1.5" Suspension Lift'98-'07 Land Cruiser / Lexus LX 470 - Slee Off Road

NOTES: IMPORTANT: Spring rates must be selected based upon the current weight of the vehicle (stock or aftermarket armor), not in anticipation of weight. Selecting spring rates for anticipation of added weight will create driveability issues. Use tabs to step through component selections -...

sleeoffroad.com

What do you all think? I don’t really need or want the 1.5” of lift just leaning that way because bilstein makes a great shock and slee has put together a nice kit that I feel might be possibly better on road than what came from the factory 20 years ago. If you have other recommendations for a full time daily driver on road 90% of the time 10% light off roading camping etc. I’d like to hear what you think and which way you went - keep AHC / refurb as much as possible or replace it with a nice kit?

 

[ed94r]

I have this collection of parts. In my opinion (as objectively, I do not have the shock dyno's of either the AHC's multiple modes or the 5160's ), I can say that if you are use to driving your AHC on sport, this collection would be sport ++. Not rods like the OME nitrochargers, but not at all close to driving a functioning AHC in comfort. Like I said,sport ++.

I do not carry any extra weight which could mitigate the sport ++ of this set up. As a matter of fact, I pulled as much unnecessary weight out of the truck because that's what I do.

On the shocks, no complaints on my end on the 5160's. It's been over a year since they've been on the truck with no issues (other than the labels peeling off, lol)

I can't suggest other set ups other than the above feedback. No experience.

 

[derekmjones]

Good to know from someone who has this setup that it's sporty. I don't know I might like that, something to think about. Has anyone else built theirs for comfort that they can recommend an alternative?

 

[GTV]

If your pressures are off that may be causing the shocks to leak. It’s covered in your owners manual.

 

[Rhetoric]

Just do the much needed maintenance on the AHC:
-Fluid.
-Globes.
-Check pressures.
—Install new OE rear springs, 30mm spacers, or King Springs to get that rear pressure back in spec better if needed.

Nothing will ever ride like an AHC truck, even one that needs bushings. People just never touched these systems over the years which is why the reputation is so terrible.

I can only see abandoning AHC if its completely rotten from rust. And if that’s the case, you probably have bigger issues.

But if you must: go Toyota OE shocks, springs and TBs.

 

[J1000]

If your front shocks are leaking you most likely need to crank your t-bars a little bit and nothing else. Please don't ruin another amazing AHC vehicle.

 

[derekmjones]

Thanks for the quick list of items to do on the AHC system. Are any vendors selling an AHC refresh “kit”? If not, any idea what it would run to get oem parts? I have been searching through a lot of old threads and some newer ones and the AHC system does seem hard to beat in value, but I don’t know I guess I expected more favor toward newer technology- Toyota has been featuring bilstein shocks on their off road packages for a long time too so I figured the ride might be similar to oem akin to a head unit upgrade from the oem nav stereo to a modern head unit and speakers. If that’s not the case I’m cool with fixing it and moving on but I was hoping for something better than new if I’m going to do it I want to cry once and not mess with it for another 10 years.

 

[derekmjones]

If your front shocks are leaking you most likely need to crank your t-bars a little bit and nothing else. Please don't ruin another amazing AHC vehicle.

I’ll check that out if it’s as simple as double checking my pressures and cranking those then this may be a future crisis averted situation. Thanks!

 

[Coin]

DO NOT REMOVE the AHC if you want a comfortable ride. Learn how the ahc system works and how to maintain it and you will be much happier. There is a comprehensive thread on here about both these things.

I have 300k on my ahc. After tightening the torsion bars, replacing the accumulators, and replacing the shock bushings, my ride is nice and smooth and quiet.

 

[derekmjones]

DO NOT REMOVE the AHC if you want a comfortable ride. Learn how the ahc system works and how to maintain it and you will be much happier. There is a comprehensive thread on here about both these things.

I have 300k on my ahc. After tightening the torsion bars, replacing the accumulators, and replacing the shock bushings, my ride is nice and smooth and quiet.

Do you have any part numbers I can look for?

 

[Coin]

Here is a thread with lots of info.

Definitive list of AHC maintenance items

My nagging "issue" with AHC is wondering if the suspension doesn't feel quite right. I feel bumps pretty well and I subjectively recall an older 100 series land cruiser standard suspension feeling like being on a cloud vs the small cracks in the road. The question is driving me insane when I'm...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[GTV]

Do you have any part numbers I can look for?

To start you’ll need fluid, a 30mm socket, some 30mm coil spacers and techstream. How many miles are on it?

The ABCs of AHC - How to Measure, Flush, and Adjust all in one place

I initially put this in the Definitive list of AHC maintenance items thread, but at almost 800 posts long and growing, it's going to get buried and the thread itself is very unwieldy. In an attempt to make as focused a summary as possible, I present "The ABCs of AHC." It's intended as a...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Coin]

That's the thread I was really looking for, thanks.

 

[derekmjones]

Here is a thread with lots of info.

Definitive list of AHC maintenance items

My nagging "issue" with AHC is wondering if the suspension doesn't feel quite right. I feel bumps pretty well and I subjectively recall an older 100 series land cruiser standard suspension feeling like being on a cloud vs the small cracks in the road. The question is driving me insane when I'm...

forum.ih8mud.com

Thank you!

 

[suprarx7nut]

Thanks for the quick list of items to do on the AHC system. Are any vendors selling an AHC refresh “kit”? If not, any idea what it would run to get oem parts? I have been searching through a lot of old threads and some newer ones and the AHC system does seem hard to beat in value, but I don’t know I guess I expected more favor toward newer technology- Toyota has been featuring bilstein shocks on their off road packages for a long time too so I figured the ride might be similar to oem akin to a head unit upgrade from the oem nav stereo to a modern head unit and speakers. If that’s not the case I’m cool with fixing it and moving on but I was hoping for something better than new if I’m going to do it I want to cry once and not mess with it for another 10 years.

There's no modern AHC upgrade. AHC is still among the very best design types for suspension comfort. The Mercedes S-Class offers a hydro-pneumatic suspension as an *upgrade* option. On their highest end, flagship vehicle it's an *upgrade*. Hydropneumatic active suspension offers performance you can't really touch for comfort with anything conventional. All the aftermarket options are straight conventional or conventional with adjustable damping. AHC is way beyond that in terms of tech.

There are some aftermarket options starting to pop up that offer dynamic active damper manipulation, but I haven't seen them for the 100/200. And those will be WAY more expensive than just getting AHC in tip top shape.

If you want comfort, AHC is still king. By a significant margin. New bushings, new fluid, proper pressures, maybe new height sensors. That's all you need for a very, very good ride quality.

 

[krice118]

Refurbish your AHC and you will have the most comfortable ride...

 

[derekmjones]

There's no modern AHC upgrade. AHC is still among the very best design types for suspension comfort. The Mercedes S-Class offers a hydro-pneumatic suspension as an *upgrade* option. On their highest end, flagship vehicle it's an *upgrade*. Hydropneumatic active suspension offers performance you can't really touch for comfort with anything conventional. All the aftermarket options are straight conventional or conventional with adjustable damping. AHC is way beyond that in terms of tech.

There are some aftermarket options starting to pop up that offer dynamic active damper manipulation, but I haven't seen them for the 100/200. And those will be WAY more expensive than just getting AHC in tip top shape.

If you want comfort, AHC is still king. By a significant margin. New bushings, new fluid, proper pressures, maybe new height sensors. That's all you need for a very, very good ride quality.

Thanks for the input. Did fluid, adjusted torsion bars, upped the tire pressure for the ko2s to 40 psi all around, everything seems like it’s good to go now. Seems much more back to how it “should” feel. To your point about bushings, is there a brand / set you’d recommend, do them all or are there any specific bushings that likely need to be replaced given age and 200k miles?

 

[suprarx7nut]

Brand: OEM Lexus/Toyota

Which ones: pretty much all of them. The cushions on top of the front shocks (have to disconnect ahc lines, annoyingly), the front control arms and the lower front shock bushing would get my priority if nothing else is obviously bad.

Bushings are the unsung heroes of that buttery smooth ride feel.

 

[willyroo]

The big cost with the AHC is the 4 globes (aka "spheres"), one for each wheel. Over time the bladder (for want of a better term) that separates gas from AHC fluid breaks down. The stealership cost of globes is - well - theft. I can vouch for Impex Japan if you're needing 4 new globes - read here:

Impex is LEGIT 4 new AHC globes. Door To Door from Japan, less than 2 weeks

It's criminal what the dealership's charge for these. Got everything in time to change the globes this holiday weekend. All in including enough AHC fluid for 2 or 3 flushes if necessary

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[derekmjones]

The big cost with the AHC is the 4 globes (aka "spheres"), one for each wheel. Over time the bladder (for want of a better term) that separates gas from AHC fluid breaks down. The stealership cost of globes is - well - theft. I can vouch for Impex Japan if you're needing 4 new globes - read here:

Impex is LEGIT 4 new AHC globes. Door To Door from Japan, less than 2 weeks

It's criminal what the dealership's charge for these. Got everything in time to change the globes this holiday weekend. All in including enough AHC fluid for 2 or 3 flushes if necessary

forum.ih8mud.com

Thanks for the link. Ordered a set of globes off JDM!