Question about replacing AHC accumulators vs the whole assembly. (1 Viewer)

[LowDrag82]

I’m buying some globes from Japan because someone recommended I should replace them on my high mileage 06 LX. My question is, would it be better to just get the globe or is there any reason to get the whole accumulator assembly which is part 49051-60020 and 49052-60020 for right and left sides. It’s twice as much but Japan prices are wayyyy better than US market.

 

[uHu]

I’m buying some globes from Japan because someone recommended I should replace them on my high mileage 06 LX. My question is, would it be better to just get the globe or is there any reason to get the whole accumulator assembly which is part 49051-60020 and 49052-60020 for right and left sides. It’s twice as much but Japan prices are wayyyy better than US market.

The two numbers you mention are for the Front Damping Force Control Actuators, without the actual globe/sphere/accumulator. These actuators normally last as long as any other part of the car, and don't normally have to be changed. They have tiny valves which can get blocked by dirty AHC fluid, and solenoids that theoretically can burn out, but I've not heard of that ever happening.
What you might need is two front globes/spheres, and two rear globes/spheres. How many graduations does the globe test show?
It is only the globes (accumulators) that wear out, as the nitrogen pressure slowly leaks out over time (~10 years +-). The only other regular wear parts of the AHC system are the three height sensors.

 

[LowDrag82]

The two numbers you mention are for the Front Damping Force Control Actuators, without the actual globe/sphere/accumulator. These actuators normally last as long as any other part of the car, and don't normally have to be changed. They have tiny valves which can get blocked by dirty AHC fluid, and solenoids that theoretically can burn out, but I've not heard of that ever happening.
What you might need is two front globes/spheres, and two rear globes/spheres. How many graduations does the globe test show?
It is only the globes (accumulators) that wear out, as the nitrogen pressure slowly leaks out over time (~10 years +-). The only other regular wear parts of the AHC system are the three height sensors.

Haven’t done any tests, do you need the tech stream to do it? I found the globes, and good look on the height sensors.

I found 2/3 of the sensors. Parts 48907-60031 and 48907-60040 do you know the part number for the third?

 

[yngmrostrvile]

Read the AHC write up on testing the health of your system. My 00 (250k) lasted about 10k after a flush before needing globes so plan on globes and a few liters of fluid. You won't regret the refresh.

 

[uHu]

Haven’t done any tests, do you need the tech stream to do it? I found the globes, and good look on the height sensors.
I found 2/3 of the sensors. Parts 48907-60031 and 48907-60040 do you know the part number for the third?

You don't need TechStream for the globes test, but you do need it for nearly any other test of the AHC.

The two numbers you quote here are not for the sensors. It's time for you to do some homework:

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

 

[LowDrag82]

You don't need TechStream for the globes test, but you do need it for nearly any other test of the AHC.

The two numbers you quote here are not for the sensors. It's time for you to do some homework:

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

do you know where I can find this information? I searched for height sensors at lexuspartsnow but that’s the only thing that came up. Sorry I’m new to all this. Just got this vehicle in august.

 

[LowDrag82]

Read the AHC write up on testing the health of your system. My 00 (250k) lasted about 10k after a flush before needing globes so plan on globes and a few liters of fluid. You won't regret the refresh.

I have 4 new globes on order!

 

[Coin]

Read this. Seriously

You don't need TechStream for the globes test, but you do need it for nearly any other test of the AHC.

The two numbers you quote here are not for the sensors. It's time for you to do some homework:

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

 

[LowDrag82]

Read this. Seriously

I glanced over it last night, maybe I missed the height sensor part numbers?

 

[Coin]

Don’t worry about height sensors until your ahc is tuned properly. You’ll need this

How-To: TechStream In 5 Minutes

Getting Techstream up and running can be a bit of a pain. Hopefully this helps someone get started quickly. Step 1: Purchase an OBD-II / Mini-VCI interface. - I have sold out of my cables and supply chains are back in order, so no reason to purchase more. Anything like this will work: Mini-VCI...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[uHu]

Height Sensors: PartSouq.
Globes/Accumulators: Partsouq, although I hear that impex is cheaper.

 

[LowDrag82]

Height Sensors: PartSouq.
Globes/Accumulators: Partsouq, although I hear that impex is cheaper.

I ordered the globes off Impex, but I’m not sure of the part number for the height sensors

 

[LowDrag82]

Don’t worry about height sensors until your ahc is tuned properly. You’ll need this

How-To: TechStream In 5 Minutes

Getting Techstream up and running can be a bit of a pain. Hopefully this helps someone get started quickly. Step 1: Purchase an OBD-II / Mini-VCI interface. - I have sold out of my cables and supply chains are back in order, so no reason to purchase more. Anything like this will work: Mini-VCI...

forum.ih8mud.com

Yea I’m not going to test the AHC pressures until I get the globes. Thanks for the advice

 

[suprarx7nut]

Yea I’m not going to test the AHC pressures until I get the globes. Thanks for the advice

You need to do more reading.

Globes have nothing to do with system pressure.

 

[Coin]

Don’t worry about height sensors until your ahc is tuned properly. You’ll need this

How-To: TechStream In 5 Minutes

Getting Techstream up and running can be a bit of a pain. Hopefully this helps someone get started quickly. Step 1: Purchase an OBD-II / Mini-VCI interface. - I have sold out of my cables and supply chains are back in order, so no reason to purchase more. Anything like this will work: Mini-VCI...

forum.ih8mud.com

Yea I’m not going to test the AHC pressures until I get the globes. Thanks for the advice

Unless you know your system is functioning within designed parameters (using techstream) you cannot know if your globes, sensors, or anything else needs to be replaced.

FWIW, your globes are probably bad simply due to age. But if you want them to last another 20 years, you need to get your system in spec.

 

[LowDrag82]

Don’t worry about height sensors until your ahc is tuned properly. You’ll need this

How-To: TechStream In 5 Minutes

Getting Techstream up and running can be a bit of a pain. Hopefully this helps someone get started quickly. Step 1: Purchase an OBD-II / Mini-VCI interface. - I have sold out of my cables and supply chains are back in order, so no reason to purchase more. Anything like this will work: Mini-VCI...

forum.ih8mud.com

Unless you know your system is functioning within designed parameters (using techstream) you cannot know if your globes, sensors, or anything else needs to be replaced.

FWIW, your globes are probably bad simply due to age. But if you want them to last another 20 years, you need to get your system in spec.

Oh interesting! I thought the globes helped push hydraulic fluid into the system with its nitrogen pressure.

Hope I got the right cable, the links for both cables in that thread are dead links. The listing for the cable I got is dead too but here it is:

 

[LowDrag82]

You need to do more reading.

Globes have nothing to do with system pressure.

Thank you for that tidbit - I have your instructional video saved for techstream. I thought the globes helped push fluid into the system with its nitrogen pressured “bags”, if you will.

side question, I’m reviewing your AHC YT video and quite like the bull bar work on top of the dissent off road bumper you have, is that custom?

 

[LowDrag82]

Ugh the techstream forum post is full of dead links, needs to be updated desperately

 

[suprarx7nut]

Thank you for that tidbit - I have your instructional video saved for techstream. I thought the globes helped push fluid into the system with its nitrogen pressured “bags”, if you will.

side question, I’m reviewing your AHC YT video and quite like the bull bar work on top of the dissent off road bumper you have, is that custom?

Hopefully I came off more succinct and less like a jerk, haha.

This is a common misconception. The globes are pressurized and theoretically the pressure inside the globes equalizes against the hydraulic pressure. However, when we speak about pressures, we do not mean the pressure inside the globes. We mean the pressure in the hydraulic system. The hydraulic system pushes against the balloon of sorts that is the globe set, but the hydraulic system's pressure has nothing to do with the balloons.

Maybe that helps, maybe not. The hydraulic pressure is determined by how much force is needed to lift the car to it's given height. Think of it like a hydraulic car lift at a mechanic shop. That's essentially what it is. And that's why it's so reliable for a complex suspension system. It's basically just a simple hydraulic pump hooked up to a 4 post lift (your 4 wheels). Add some valving and balloons to control how the fluid flows and you've basically got AHC in a 100 series.

Ugh the techstream forum post is full of dead links, needs to be updated desperately

Use this cable: https://amzn.to/3QLNrJq

Use the software package from post #1 in that thread. Ignore any software that comes with the cable.

 

[LowDrag82]

Hopefully I came off more succinct and less like a jerk, haha.

This is a common misconception. The globes are pressurized and theoretically the pressure inside the globes equalizes against the hydraulic pressure. However, when we speak about pressures, we do not mean the pressure inside the globes. We mean the pressure in the hydraulic system. The hydraulic system pushes against the balloon of sorts that is the globe set, but the hydraulic system's pressure has nothing to do with the balloons.

Maybe that helps, maybe not. The hydraulic pressure is determined by how much force is needed to lift the car to it's given height. Think of it like a hydraulic car lift at a mechanic shop. That's essentially what it is. And that's why it's so reliable for a complex suspension system. It's basically just a simple hydraulic pump hooked up to a 4 post lift (your 4 wheels). Add some valving and balloons to control how the fluid flows and you've basically got AHC in a 100 series.



Use this cable: https://amzn.to/3QLNrJq

Use the software package from post #1 in that thread. Ignore any software that comes with the cable.

Yes thanks, I found that same cable on eBay this morning. Unfortunately the links in that thread are dead and the download asks for a decryption key that I cannot locate amongst the 57 pages that thread has.

Based on what you and others have said, it looks like I need to wait to do this until I have a front bumper, sliders, and cargo thrown in. Money is tight so it’ll be a few months before I can afford those things and then 4-6 week lead time on the sliders.