200 Series Landcruiser Lean
This is a bit long, but I wanted to list everything I tried in one place. Hopefully someone else won't have to try and figure this out on their 200 for several months before finding the fix.
I have had a lean on my FJ40 since I bought it 20 years ago. It has driven me nuts. I have tried shims, swapping springs side to side and various other things to fix that lean to no avail. I finally had some custom springs built last fall that eliminated the lean. I was so happy it was fixed after all those years. In the meantime I bought and lifted my 55. It was fine until I lifted it, then it also had a lean. I finally figured that one out and fixed it last year too. My 60 had no lean after lift so I was stoked. Stupid little thing on an old vehicle I know, but it annoyed me. So at the end of last year all 3 of my cruisers sat level. I was pleased.
I begin with this so you understand my frustration when I picked up my brand new 200 after the Toyota Dealer installed my BP51 lift and it leaned variably from 1 - 1 1/2" to the drivers side.
I called
@cruiseroutfit (sold me the lift) and they told me the KDSS sometimes gets out of whack when you install a lift so just drive it and it will level itself out in a few weeks. I drove it for a month or so and no change. I should clarify, I'm not faulting Cruiser Outfitters at all for telling me this when it didn't work for me. Sounds like this is the solution for some people, just not me. I just tagged them so they can see the rest of this and have more info to maybe help a customer in the future.
I called ARB USA and explained the situation, again they told me to be patient and drive it and the KDSS would level itself out. I drove it two more months, no change.
I researched it some more and ARB/Cruiser Outfitters were correct that the KDSS often just needs to level itself out. Mine just wasn't for some reason.
While out of town in another state I needed my first service so I stopped in at the local Toyota dealer to have that done and asked for the most knowledgable technician that understood KDSS. I asked him if the KDSS could be reset or something to level itself out and resolve my lean issue. He told me the KDSS is a sealed system and opening the valves would do absolutely nothing to help the lean. He also told me that because I lifted my cruiser I will have premature failure of most of my suspension components.
Called ARB again and they sent me an internal document ( i have attached) sent to installers explaining how the KDSS works and that KDSS valves must be open when installing the lift and then closed after the truck is back on level ground. I called the Toyota dealer that installed my lift. They assured me the valves were open before starting on the lift and closed after.
The document ARB sent me indicated that there is a taller spring for the drivers side. I asked ARB if that should be reversed since our drivers side is opposite Australia, they told me the taller spring should be on the side of the fuel tanks (our passenger side - aussie drivers side). The springs come with a tag on them labeling A (taller) and B. I crawled under my truck and determined that A was installed fuel tank side as ARB confirmed they should be. I had read that other 200 series owners had taller A spring on passenger side with no lean so I didn't pursue this further.
I read on the the interwebs that some used a shim/spacer to fix the lean. I had some spring spacers I bought from Cruiser Outfitters in the event I wanted more rake after lift install. However, I just didn't think that installing one of those on the low side was the solution. I read this was the solution for some. It was a last resort for me so they remain in my shop.
I read on the interwebs that some guys opened their KDSS, let the truck sit on level ground overnight, closed the valves and the lean was gone. I tried this several times, no luck. (some did have luck so you might try this)
I went back to the interwebs and read that some guys opened their KDSS and drove the cruiser around for a few days (mild driving) and then closed the valves and had success leveling the truck. I tried this a couple of times, no luck. (some did have luck so you might try this)
In the meantime my ARB bumper came and while installing it I noticed that the wiring needed to be done opposite the instructions because our drivers side is LH while Australia where ARB is manufactured has RHD vehicles. That raised the question again in my mind if my springs should be swapped. I called ARB to question them on that again. I spoke to Don - despite what they told me previously, he confirmed I need to swap them to have the taller A spring on the US drivers side.
I swapped the rear A spring to US drivers side, B on passenger and my truck sits perfectly level side to side now. Wish I would have known that 4 months ago.
EDIT NOV 23: Coincidentally
@Eric Sarjeant at Ed Martin Toyota uploaded this video just a few days after I made this post. I figured I'd add it here for the benefit of someone else. Since the KDSS is supposedly a self leveling sealed system, this seems like a temporary fix to me. However, Ed Martin Toyota has worked on far more 200s than I have so I would wager my authority on the subject is considerably less reliable.