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

[LowDrag82]

Hot damn, I found v12 and got it running on Windows 7.

 

[LowDrag82]

Lmao the whole computer crashes with faulty driver warning when plugging in the cable after launching techstream. If I plug in the cable before opening virtuabox, it says it successfully installed the driver but then still crashes the whole computer one it’s plugged in after opening techstream.

86’d the win7 laptop and got it working on my MacBook Air

 

[LowDrag82]

@suprarx7nut oh dear. That doesn’t look good. This is at N.

 

[suprarx7nut]

@suprarx7nut oh dear. That doesn’t look good. This is at N.

View attachment 3473650

Haha, you are correct. That is not good.

Free fix though. Turn the torsion bars 9 turns on each side (clockwise as you stare up at the bolt from the ground). 30mm socket. Put the car in high to make it easier. A little WD40 or penetrating oil also helps. Do it with the car off.

That should move front pressure down into spec. Rear will likely move a hair in the right direction as well, but will likely still be high. Not a huge deal though. Do the torsion bars because it's easy and free. You can re-assess later after you get all your other stuff added.

Remember, aluminum armor is still strong and weighs much less. Life is easier adding less weight, for AHC and everything else.

**Also do the gradation test after you get that pressure back into spec up front. That will tell you how bad the globes really are.

 

[LowDrag82]

Haha, you are correct. That is not good.

Free fix though. Turn the torsion bars 9 turns on each side (clockwise as you stare up at the bolt from the ground). 30mm socket. Put the car in high to make it easier. A little WD40 or penetrating oil also helps. Do it with the car off.

That should move front pressure down into spec. Rear will likely move a hair in the right direction as well, but will likely still be high. Not a huge deal though. Do the torsion bars because it's easy and free. You can re-assess later after you get all your other stuff added.

Remember, aluminum armor is still strong and weighs much less. Life is easier adding less weight, for AHC and everything else.

**Also do the gradation test after you get that pressure back into spec up front. That will tell you how bad the globes really are.

My Mac ran out of juice and I’m not really on a level surface, so I am going to turn the truck around and do it again. The second test with the way the truck is oriented in my parking lot currently was 8.2 front and 6.8 rear. I probably need new springs as this truck is unladen right now, there’s almost nothing in it besides a small box with 15lbs of items and a 20lb subwoofer box in the rear.

Looking a little better turned around:
7.6 front and 6.9 rear.

 

[suprarx7nut]

My Mac ran out of juice and I’m not really on a level surface, so I am going to turn the truck around and do it again. The second test with the way the truck is oriented in my parking lot currently was 8.2 front and 6.8 rear. I probably need new springs as this truck is unladen right now, there’s almost nothing in it besides a small box with 15lbs of items and a 20lb subwoofer box in the rear.

Looking a little better turned around:
7.6 front and 6.9 rear.

View attachment 3473660

Oh, well that's not so bad at all.

That would only be 3 turns.

 

[LowDrag82]

Oh, well that's not so bad at all.

That would only be 3 turns.

The average between front measurements of 7.6 and 8.2 is 7.9. The rear is what concerns me the most since it has basically no weight in the back right now and it’s reading that high.

 

[suprarx7nut]

The average between front measurements of 7.6 and 8.2 is 7.9. The rear is what concerns me the most since it has basically no weight in the back right now and it’s reading that high.

That's how it always is. I've tested and worked with dozens of 100's in person and on here. Rear is always high like that. The springs sag and the insulators compress over time.

 

[LowDrag82]

That's how it always is. I've tested and worked with dozens of 100's in person and on here. Rear is always high like that. The springs sag and the insulators compress over time.

Ok so I shouldn’t be too concerned. I forgot there’s now a 33” BFG ko2 E rated tired underslung back there too. Most of the time I’m going to be driving this unladen so not sure if I want to go with king springs or just buy some oem springs, or perhaps go in between and get the LC-100 springs, that might be a happy medium?

I appreciate you walking me through this, - noob who shouldn’t even be allowed near heavy machinery.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Ok so I shouldn’t be too concerned. I forgot there’s now a 33” BFG ko2 E rated tired underslung back there too. Most of the time I’m going to be driving this unladen so not sure if I want to go with king springs or just buy some oem springs, or perhaps go in between and get the LC-100 springs, that might be a happy medium?

I appreciate you walking me through this, - noob who shouldn’t even be allowed near heavy machinery.

I would do nothing at all.

Don't do non-ahc springs for an AHC 100 without lots of extra weight. Waaaaay too much spring.

The rear is fine. Adjust the front.

 

[LowDrag82]

I would do nothing at all.

Don't do non-ahc springs for an AHC 100 without lots of extra weight. Waaaaay too much spring.

The rear is fine. Adjust the front.

Ok, I should note too that I was unable to take the temperature sensor off because I’m a frail computer technician, so the pressures could be 0.5-1.0 less than its reading. That’s interesting and I suspect it has something to do with it accounting for fluid expansion when it gets hotter. Fluid temp was at 74f when I started and 101f when I finished.

 

[LowDrag82]

@suprarx7nut im
Going to retest all of this Wednesday using my friends garage. Just one thing I’m wondering about. Since both my fronts are reading low on the distance between hub and fender, can I adjust both of them so that they get as close to the middle as possible? Ever since I’ve owned the truck it did appear to sit lower in the front than other peoples LX’s

Edit: nvm just got to the part in your video about the heim joint adjusting. That should bring both FL and FR up to same 19.75” height

 

[LowDrag82]

Haha, you are correct. That is not good.

Free fix though. Turn the torsion bars 9 turns on each side (clockwise as you stare up at the bolt from the ground). 30mm socket. Put the car in high to make it easier. A little WD40 or penetrating oil also helps. Do it with the car off.

That should move front pressure down into spec. Rear will likely move a hair in the right direction as well, but will likely still be high. Not a huge deal though. Do the torsion bars because it's easy and free. You can re-assess later after you get all your other stuff added.

Remember, aluminum armor is still strong and weighs much less. Life is easier adding less weight, for AHC and everything else.

**Also do the gradation test after you get that pressure back into spec up front. That will tell you how bad the globes really are.

In terms of aluminum bumpers, the dissent one is the only one I like the look of, but it’s not really my first choice. I really like the look of the ARB winch bar, but I noticed that your bumper has angled hoops, thats custom yeah? I don’t see that as an option on their site.

I haven’t adjusted the torsion bars yet but I’m getting 6 possibly 7 gradations, the container seam is obstructing the view.

 

[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.

6 gradations, possibly 7, the fluid reservoir seam is obstructing the view.

 

[Rhetoric]

In terms of aluminum bumpers, the dissent one is the only one I like the look of, but it’s not really my first choice. I really like the look of the ARB winch bar, but I noticed that your bumper has angled hoops, thats custom yeah? I don’t see that as an option on their site.

I haven’t adjusted the torsion bars yet but I’m getting 6 possibly 7 gradations, the container seam is obstructing the view.

You will get the same grads regardless of where your torsion bars are at. Grads show globe health and thats pretty sickly, so good thing you have new ones coming.

 

[LowDrag82]

You will get the same grads regardless of where your torsion bars are at. Grads show globe health and thats pretty sickly, so good thing you have new ones coming.

What is considered good? The video yotaMD has on AHC, he mentioned 7 or more.

should a mechanic install the globes? I am not a professional, I’m whatever the opposite of that is. Lexus dealership quoted me $960 labor for AHC fluid flush, and 4 globe install with pressure check / adjustment afterwards.

 

[Coin]

14 graduations is new.
If you’ve accomplished all this with techstream so far, the globes will be cake for you.

Search the forums, there is one about replacing the globes. It’s very easy, although messy.

 

[suprarx7nut]

@suprarx7nut im
Going to retest all of this Wednesday using my friends garage. Just one thing I’m wondering about. Since both my fronts are reading low on the distance between hub and fender, can I adjust both of them so that they get as close to the middle as possible? Ever since I’ve owned the truck it did appear to sit lower in the front than other peoples LX’s

Edit: nvm just got to the part in your video about the heim joint adjusting. That should bring both FL and FR up to same 19.75” height

View attachment 3473699

Correct, the height sensors determine the height. The T-bars and springs determine the pressures.

In terms of aluminum bumpers, the dissent one is the only one I like the look of, but it’s not really my first choice. I really like the look of the ARB winch bar, but I noticed that your bumper has angled hoops, thats custom yeah? I don’t see that as an option on their site.

I haven’t adjusted the torsion bars yet but I’m getting 6 possibly 7 gradations, the container seam is obstructing the view.

The bull bar on my bumper is not a standard thing anymore. I recall Ben just recently saying how difficult it was to make the bull bars profitably. It's an awesome piece of work with excellent precision on a few floating points so I'm sure those were a bear to make.

What is considered good? The video yotaMD has on AHC, he mentioned 7 or more.

should a mechanic install the globes? I am not a professional, I’m whatever the opposite of that is. Lexus dealership quoted me $960 labor for AHC fluid flush, and 4 globe install with pressure check / adjustment afterwards.

7 is about the minimum. New are 14. Totally dead are around 4. So if you're at 7, you could think of that as a health score of 3 out of 10. 30%. Not great. Toyota says they all need replacement at 6 or 7.

Correcting pressures might alter your results a grad or two, but suffice to say you'll improve ride quality by replacing those globes.

 

[LowDrag82]

Correct, the height sensors determine the height. The T-bars and springs determine the pressures.



The bull bar on my bumper is not a standard thing anymore. I recall Ben just recently saying how difficult it was to make the bull bars profitably. It's an awesome piece of work with excellent precision on a few floating points so I'm sure those were a bear to make.



7 is about the minimum. New are 14. Totally dead are around 4. So if you're at 7, you could think of that as a health score of 3 out of 10. 30%. Not great. Toyota says they all need replacement at 6 or 7.

Correcting pressures might alter your results a grad or two, but suffice to say you'll improve ride quality by replacing those globes.

the bar still a $450 ad on option on their site for that bumper but they say it won’t work for the LX, did you have to modify yours to fit like you would the ARB winch bar going on an LX?

 

[suprarx7nut]

the bar still a $450 ad on option on their site for that bumper but they say it won’t work for the LX, did you have to modify yours to fit like you would the ARB winch bar going on an LX?

The LX and LC bars were/are totally different. I didn't modify it because I bought it when Dissent was still making the LX bar. It was a real straightforward bolt on deal.