The Lowdown on the AHC suspension?

[DallasCrzr]

As with all cars now made witth all the electronic gadgets like electric mirrors, electric this, electric that, theyre all eventually going to go bad. The lx and lc share a lot but yeah the lx has more.

IMO might as well start with them and if they go bad, eff it, unless you like it fix it. That siad, everything on my lx works as well as everything on my dads 06 and Im a 99. Everything including the electric mirrors and power wheel on my brothers 97 still work as well. Guess some is luck and some is how hard you use it but 15 years and 160k (i know not a lot for lc) and the electric still working.

In the end i dont think youll regret an LX for a good price. If you can save $1200 or more that just about covers the cost of an OME suspension like i said above plus a nicer interior and better head lights. Also if you gake it to e dealer, the lexus dealer is just so much better to deal with.

Also its really funny when you get to pull out any other offroad car with your lexus. The faces you'll see.. Theres a video on youtube somewhere of an LX with a bunch of jeeps and a few LC's and the LX dominates this ledge that the jeep in front of it had to try 4 times to get over and the look on the jeep guys face and the "is that a beeping lexus.". And the Z71 i pulled outthe other day...

In the end i think you should go with whatever one you get a better deal on. Get the vins and go to the dealer and ask them for the dealer service records too.

 

[1loudLX]

Homelink works with rolling code, you just need to learn how to program it, noob.

the telescoping wheel feature you can turn off but keep it functional.

 

[hoser]

My own 99 LX experience with such LX-unique interior/etc items:

My '98 experience is everything still works except the auto-down mirror feature which I just disable. I also disabled the auto telescoping feature... and like Loud said, it still can telescope on demand. Heck, my AHC still works!

 

[DallasCrzr]

Hoser, how did you disable the auto telescoping? I think it's really annoying.

Have a question, probably more appropriate for the semi-tech thread loud started..going there

 

[hoser]

Okay, well, I didn't do it myself but I had the dealership do it. Likely, they won't know what you are talking about so give them these instructions for their diagnostic tester.

 

[DallasCrzr]

Very nice, thanks a lot, I'm going to go over there this week. Do you have any of the other options available? The dealer where I got mine said nothing could be customized on these models...

 

[pman]

Hey Guys,
I appreciate it. I was leaning towards a straight LC, but there are some good deals on the LX. If I had 10 guys come back and say, "Hey I have had mine 10 years and have had no problems as long as you flush the fluid every 30k, I'd think about it.

Ryan

I have two, a 2000 and 2001 (127Kmi and125Kmi respectively), both have all the original AHC parts, just had the fluid flushed.

How long it last depends solely on how much you abuse it.

 

[tabraha]

IMO might as well start with them and if they go bad, eff it, unless you like it fix it. That siad, everything on my lx works as well as everything on my dads 06 and Im a 99. Everything including the electric mirrors and power wheel on my brothers 97 still work as well. Guess some is luck and some is how hard you use it but 15 years and 160k (i know not a lot for lc) and the electric still working.

Mirrors my experience as well. All of my gadgets still work (don't have a garage door opener any more but it worked the last time I needed one). I even left my sunroof open up at Tellico back at camp to ride shotgun with someone back in ~2008iirc and it had a torrential downpour come in it while we were out riding. Everything dried out and works fine. Look over in the upstate cruisers forum for pictures of guys surfing on coolers down the streams beside our camp. Yeah it was that day... :whoops: I think 3 inches in under 2 hours or some ridiculous crap.

 

[Yukon LX]

all of my gadgets work too. And being a big guy, i love the telescoping steering wheel. It started working again post my "open rain roof" indecent as well.

 

[r3run33]

the older ones are better! from my experience my 99 had 90k miles with no ahc problems then I got an 2006 and had all sorts of problems apparently in 06 they sub contracted the AHC parts out from denso which caused lots of problems my entire system was replaced back at 12k miles under warranty then the spheres where replaced around 40k or something like that. I really think the newer models try to do more adjusting constantly which may cause the problems? not sure but from my own experience the older lx had sturdier systems. 06 and 07 models actually have TSB out for them so that should back me up.

 

[eleblanc]

I appreciate the AHC with kids, otherwise...well, i'd probably put a lift, but the AHC is comfy..

 

[littleking]

Thank you everyone for all the info, I am going to take a look at an '02 LC Tomorrow with the Nav system. I am hopeful that this is the one, as all the other ones I like are going to require a plane ticket for the sojurn home.
It appears that the LX crowd really enjoys their comfortable ride, and nothing wrong with that. I am not the type to put 40' tires on my vehicle as the most I do with it is out in some heavy sand with my fishing poles and boat. ( an old 18'8" Sea Ray), but I don't relish putting 3-4K into an optional suspension to keep it factory.... although that being said, I would prob just switch it over to an LC suspension as I have no thoughts on ever selling a 100 series.
I am leaning towards the LC as there are enough available and I am willing to travel and one less thing to think about.

I would love to have the locking rear differential again, but based upon my off-road use, I think the A-Trac might be more beneficial. I am hoping on an '02 to avoid any of the tranny issues that have been spelled out here... WOW see how much y'all have taught me?!?

Thanks again!!

Ryan

 

[Bull Moose 100]

AHC doesn't give up much to the stock suspension other than the fact it will not go 300k (most likely). Of course the conventional shocks won't either without sagging/crapping out but they're cheap (same thing for springs and t-bars). Any big armor mods and either route will need upgrading IMO.

200k on mine and it can still ride softer or firmer than a LC suspension, at my choice. It will still level a load that the regular suspension would be lights in the sky with and like other's said if it were to crap out tomorrow I'd Slee/OME it and keep on truckin.

That last statement is the key with AHC. You HAVE to be ok with knowing up front that whenever it craps out you need to go to a conventional suspension. From what I've seen the success rate with repairing accumulators/contamination is low.

I would say 150k is a reasonable longevity expectation from what I've read about others changing out accumulators etc but you never know. I won't waste my money trying and just go straight to a 2.5" lift kit most likely.

I certainly wouldn't avoid an AHC-based 100 if the $ is right.

Crap, I'm at 291k

 

[Jack90210]

Interesting how the "conventional wisdom" about AHC has changed. I'm keeping mine until I can't get parts for it any more!

 

[Bull Moose 100]

Interesting how the "conventional wisdom" about AHC has changed. I'm keeping mine until I can't get parts for it any more!

I had a moment of clarity the other day….

I want to drill into the center of the globe, tap some threads, screw in a schader valve, fill it will regular air from my high pressure mountain bike suspension pump(capable of 250 psi), try different pressures until I find that goldilocks pressure, drive to Costco, let the air out, fill it with nitrogen to the goldilocks pressure, sniff more glue.

What are the chances I damage the rubber membrane from drilling and then tapping threads?

Should I open up the bleeder valves and release all the hydraulic pressure?

Should I do this with all 4 tires off the ground?

 

[JJ_SC]

the older ones are better! from my experience my 99 had 90k miles with no ahc problems then I got an 2006 and had all sorts of problems apparently in 06 they sub contracted the AHC parts out from denso which caused lots of problems my entire system was replaced back at 12k miles under warranty then the spheres where replaced around 40k or something like that. I really think the newer models try to do more adjusting constantly which may cause the problems? not sure but from my own experience the older lx had sturdier systems. 06 and 07 models actually have TSB out for them so that should back me up.

I bought my 06 new. Land Cruiser. It's got 170,000 on it. I've never had an issue with AHC. Did an AHC lift at about 50K, have been wheel'n the s*** out of it every chance I get. I carry spare sensors incase they crap out. ~100 bucks each. If it really does blow out at some point, I'll just replace it with a conventional suspension system. But, until then, I'm gonna keep using it. It's a way nicer ride than anything else I've experienced and, so far so good!

(I'm heading out again next week - hopefully I don't eat my words!)

 

[tabraha]

Crap, I'm at 291k

Helluva thread resurrection. I still have the LC from that post 12 years ago (it just has a few more buddies now LOL). 350k on it and still cruising along with AHC.

 

[Bull Moose 100]

Helluva thread resurrection. I still have the LC from that post 12 years ago (it just has a few more buddies now LOL). 350k on it and still cruising along with AHC.

Have you replaced ball joints, tie rods, or steering rack yet?

 

[suprarx7nut]

I had a moment of clarity the other day….

I want to drill into the center of the globe, tap some threads, screw in a schader valve, fill it will regular air from my high pressure mountain bike suspension pump(capable of 250 psi), try different pressures until I find that goldilocks pressure, drive to Costco, let the air out, fill it with nitrogen to the goldilocks pressure, sniff more glue.

What are the chances I damage the rubber membrane from drilling and then tapping threads?

Should I open up the bleeder valves and release all the hydraulic pressure?

Should I do this with all 4 tires off the ground?

Lol, if I recall correctly the globes are something like 750 psi so your bike pump isn't quite up to the task...

 

[Bull Moose 100]

Lol, if I recall correctly the globes are something like 750 psi so your bike pump isn't quite up to the task...