Rear Springs with stuck KDSS valves? (1 Viewer)

[SilverHundo]

Did some searching and couldn't find an exact match to my question. Lots of threads on how to change out rear Springs (making sure to crack KDSS valves). And lots of threads about stuck/corroded KDSS valves.

One of my KDSS Allen heads on the wife's 200 is completely stripped and rusted on. I tried everything to get it to break loose and have given up. The rig is leaning to the drivers side a bit, but I suspect that a fresh pair of rear OEM springs would help level her out.

How difficult would it be to swap out rear Springs with the KDSS valves closed? Can the sway bar be disconnected while the KDSS system "under pressure"? Has anyone done this?

Thank you!

 

[tdcruiser406080100]

Did some searching and couldn't find an exact match to my question. Lots of threads on how to change out rear Springs (making sure to crack KDSS valves). And lots of threads about stuck/corroded KDSS valves.

One of my KDSS Allen heads on the wife's 200 is completely stripped and rusted on. I tried everything to get it to break loose and have given up. The rig is leaning to the drivers side a bit, but I suspect that a fresh pair of rear OEM springs would help level her out.

How difficult would it be to swap out rear Springs with the KDSS valves closed? Can the sway bar be disconnected while the KDSS system "under pressure"? Has anyone done this?

Thank you!

Not sure if you can… but I can relate this.. Installed air bags last weekend. Some instructions say to release KDSS pressure but I saw a few videos from OZ that simply disconnected the passenger side sway bar bracket at the frame with no KDSS mention. Seemed simple… it unbolted fine and didn’t seem to move much. However.. when it came time to reconnect the bracket it had dropped down about 16” or more! Tried but failed to swing it up with the floor jack. So I ended up releasing the KDSS pressure which allowed me to slowly jack the end up enough to reconnect bracket to frame. Lesson learned! And despite my best efforts the cruiser ended up level when it was done.

 

[nugget]

Did some searching and couldn't find an exact match to my question. Lots of threads on how to change out rear Springs (making sure to crack KDSS valves). And lots of threads about stuck/corroded KDSS valves.

One of my KDSS Allen heads on the wife's 200 is completely stripped and rusted on. I tried everything to get it to break loose and have given up. The rig is leaning to the drivers side a bit, but I suspect that a fresh pair of rear OEM springs would help level her out.

How difficult would it be to swap out rear Springs with the KDSS valves closed? Can the sway bar be disconnected while the KDSS system "under pressure"? Has anyone done this?

Thank you!

I don’t know the answer, but I have some OEM rear springs w about 40k on them for sale if you want an inexpensive way to replace the springs.

 

[daneo]

I’ve done rear spring swaps with the KDSS shutter valves closed on a 4Runner a dozen times. I’ve not done it on a 200, though.

Once you disconnect any of the hard points in the sway bar, the KDSS ram will extend due to the pressure in the system. You’ll need a way to get a jack under the ram, or get a ratchet strap in position to retract the ram. It will also be easier to reconnect the sway bar once all four tires are back on the ground. I’ve gotten the procedure down pat on the 4Runner, but the sway bar connection methods are completely different on the 200, so I’m not sure if it would be as straightforward. Have lots of jacks, ratchet straps and pry tools on hand

 

[daneo]

You could try leaving KDSS in place and using the bottle jack on the axle method to clear room for the coils to go in and out.

 

[jeep2cruiser]

I’ve tried it… it’ll have lean. And it’s a real PIA to do.

I took mine to the local muffler shop and had them weld some nuts on the valves. Took the guy 5min and I gave him a $20. Problem fixed! Have had them welded on for 2 years now, no issues having opened and closed several times.

 

[bloc]

Read the KDSS anatomy thread. Even with the valves closed there is a method for pressure to slowly move from the accumulators into the rams, and to get “stuck” there. But also to bleed back, very slowly, or quickly with enough pressure. Given the geometry of the attachment points, the thickness of the front bar, and the forces the system sees routinely, I’m assuming it is a whole lot of pressure to open the bypass/overpressure circuit.

Personally I’d try everything I could to get the valves opened before messing with it. I can’t speak definitively to the 4-runner version valving but do know the ram implementation is very different, so we can’t assume the rest will be the same.

 

[daneo]

The 4Runner uses solenoids instead of the "check" valves to manage pressure getting to the accumulators. The 4Runner solenoids open at low speed, so I assume they stay open when the vehicle is stopped, too. On the 200, that would indeed lead to a pickle if there's significant pressure required to bleed pressure back through the valves into the accumulators to get the ram back into place.

One might be able to ratchet strap the ram in place to prevent it from extending in the first place. I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig, though.

 

[B Todd]

I don’t know the answer, but I have some OEM rear springs w about 40k on them for sale if you want an inexpensive way to replace the springs.

Do you know if they are the same height, or is one taller than the other?

 

[bloc]

Do you know if they are the same height, or is one taller than the other?

Factory rear springs are not the same height on a given truck. They’ll have different paint marks to denote different internal Toyota specs.

 

[nugget]

Do you know if they are the same height, or is one taller than the other?

One is taller than the other as designed by Toyota. The taller spring goes on the passenger side.

 

[linuxgod]

The 4Runner uses solenoids instead of the "check" valves to manage pressure getting to the accumulators. The 4Runner solenoids open at low speed, so I assume they stay open when the vehicle is stopped, too. On the 200, that would indeed lead to a pickle if there's significant pressure required to bleed pressure back through the valves into the accumulators to get the ram back into place.

One might be able to ratchet strap the ram in place to prevent it from extending in the first place. I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig, though.

I haven't ratchet strapped the ram but with a good set of ratchet straps I'm sure that would work. I did use ratchet straps to realign the rear sway bar after I'd disconnected it on the passenger's side. The bar rotated forward and no amount of leverage would let me pull it counterclockwise ~90 degrees. A 600# ratchet strap worked and didn't break, though maybe I'm just lucky.