The part numbers for the accumulator globes are below: 2x front accumulator 49141-60020: amzn.to/2LSNy7r 2x rear accumulator 49151-60020: amzn.to/2LRnQA9 Or set of all 4 accumulators on eBay here: ebay.us/nWFZ0Q
The LX570 I bought from my cousin had 2.0 Fox Shocks with 2" lift in all 4 corners and Firestone airbags helper for when towing. Not sure which one feels better since that is the first LX570 I drove.
My 2008 LX570 rides like new! I am a novice when it comes to working on cars, but my son and I finished this in about 6 hours on a Saturday. This video is thorough and easy to follow. Huge thank you for your work in creating this video!
I love to hear that! These are truly amazing with AHC suspension. Definitely superior to traditional suspension, but often times nobody pays attention to the maintenance and upkeep of the AHC. Once you get into it, it's really not that difficult, and not that expensive to maintain. What are the biggest differences you see before vs after you did the AHC work?
Thank You so much for posting this. My wife was complaining that the ride was more bouncy in our 2009. I image the accumulators have a rubber diaphragms and go and just like an expansion tank on a hot water heater. This could not be simpler and under $500! I love this suspension.
Great Video mate . I'm changing all 4 on my LX570 09 tomorrow. very clear and easy to follow. Just what I needed. thank you . Unfortunately I'm in Australia so after converting the US dollar to Aus it ended up costing me $972 from Japan . still way cheaper than from Lexus or Toyota
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. Even $972 isn't all that bad, once you get it replaced your suspension is good for another 10-15 years. Did you get them from eBay? I found eBay or Amazon were the cheapest route to go, and they are genuine Toyota parts still so it's a great way to safe a few dollars.
@NKP Garage 2011 with 190k the ride feels like butter now again. Smoothed out the bumps on the road. Replaced the front struts and shocks as they were weeping. Thanks again!
Thanks for the video. It helped a lot. I had the warning light a few times but I just cycled the car on and off like you said and it cleared up. It rides way better now. Super glad I finally did this
That’s awesome! What year is your LX? And how many miles when you did the work? I’m always curious to hear how long these AHC globes are lasting before needing replacement.
@@NKPGarage hey- I have a 2009 193k miles. I have 34s and front sensor lift and some other fun goodies. I did a fluid flush when I got it at 165. After some decent towing and a considerable amount of off roading, the suspension degraded till it was time today. One globe was obviously bad. My next big to dos are the valley plate leak and valve cover leak. I hope it’s not the cam tower. Both are slow leaks so I’ll get to it when I get to it. I’ll probably also do some preventative stuff while I’m in there as she’s got some age on her now. I love your content and was stoked you got another lx. Keep making vids for us please!
@Skyvisiontube sounds like you are putting that LX to good use! How do you like the ride with the sensor lift versus stock height? I tried the sensor lift on my previous 2009 and it looked nice, but I didn’t like the more firm ride so I set it back to stock height. I’m going to do the valley plate on my 2017 LX when I do the TRd supercharged install. Will be checking route the valve covers too while I’m in there to see if there’s any reason to R&R them.
Great vid. Well documented and helpful. I'm looking for a used LX570 and want to know what types of deferred maintenance I might find - and how to do it. Your vid is on target. Thanks!
Thanks!! The common things on these trucks to look out for are really the basics. Service records of oil changes and trans fluid being changed. on time. But usually people don't keep those so you have to check things out yourself or have a mechanic do a prepurchase inspection. Check oil, check a couple of the spark plugs to make sure there's not a lot of oil burned onto the spark plugs, Check the coolant for oil with one of test strips to confirm oil and coolant are not mixing. Check trans fluid. Check steering tie rod ends (usually need to be replaced). Then there is the obvious things around rust on the frame that you want to check for vehicles from cold/snowy regions.
First thank you for the video,second i have a problem with my car i change the 2 rear control sensor and now the car going up but did not getting down and I won’t to adjusting the control sensor, but I don’t know how to get the measured value and standard value. Any help please?
@ yes i put it where it was but by example if the car it was on high position and I want to put it in normal position or low it does not working. It’s still on high position.
@ and on the scanner, I don’t have any trouble code but I can get it down with active test, not with the switch with the switch, it going up but did not going down
When do you need to replace the Accumulators? Can you just replace the hydraulic fluid without replacing the Accumulators? I have a 2020 with 35k miles at the moment. Thanks
For most LX570s I would do a fluid flush and bleed at around 60k miles. Then again at 90k miles. And replace the accumulators plus the fluid at 120k miles. But it could vary from one to the next.
Yes!! Finally got the alert from eBay that my globes are on the way and will also be using this video. Saw the thread about over filling the reservoir first and pushing out as much old fluid as well? Any thoughts? I’m assuming it shouldn’t hurt to top it off first but wanted your take. Thanks!
You can definitely fill it up and then bleed it. It will flush out and you'll fill it up again between bleeding corners. That will work just fine. Just make sure you don't run the reservoir dry during the bleeding process.
@@NKPGarage yup thus the reason for over-filling it first! Just wasn’t sure if the extra space in the reservoir needed some air in there for vacuum purposes or what. Anyhoo, any chance I could email ya with some other random questions? I’m like 99% sure I got it, just a few ideas I had. Thanks for the help!
@@chapbax Nope, and you can leave the reservoir lid open while you're bleeding. It will make it easier to bleed in some cases. Sure thing, nkpracing@gmail.com
Yes, the LX470 has a very similar system for the AHC. On the LX470 the reservoir and pump are located in the front in the engine bay, whereas in the LX570 the reservoir and pump are located in the rear behind the rear bumper. But otherwise the systems are very similar.
Do you know how to change AHC sensors position (step by step) It’s for adjusting the normal height .. for example if you have big wheels and you want the normal height to be slightly up
Great timing on that question!! I am actually working on wrapping up a step by step detailed video on exactly that process. To lift the AHC equipped LX570/LC with the sensors, best practices, how to make sure the corners are level, and things to look out for. I should have it uploaded in a few days.
@@NKPGarage Thanks I will be waiting for the video. Currently I’m on 285-70-R17 , I had to remove the front mud flaps because it was rubbing on it when turning. The issue now is while offroading sometimes the front tyre is touching somewhere, I couldn’t figure out where it is because there are no signs of rubbing. Only a sound of it. So figured out that the best plan is to lift the car through adjusting the AHC sensor. I tried searching on the internet but couldn’t find any articles or videos about how much sensor movement is needed. Only thing I understood is if you moved the sensor 1 mm, car height will move 3mm (something like that). I think I will mark the old sensor position and try playing with the position a little. If failed will return it on how it was before.
@@LongShadowsGuy Great call on moving the sensor. It is a very easy mod and raises the vehicle slightly and is easy to reverse if you don't like the ride. I'll be making another video as well on how to create more clearance by heating and bending the wheel well liners. Stay tuned.
Great vid. Maybe I missed it, but in the video you mentioned that you had 'previously changed the fluid'. What does factory Service Manual say for intervals? Do you go by that, or change it if/when you 'feel' abnormalities in suspension? (e.g., transmission fluid (100 series LC) is not to be messed with, but i know some diehards change at regular intervals anyway.) Thnx.
AHC fluid on any vehicle that has hydraulic suspension should be changed every 60-75k miles, no matter what the factory service manual says. Transmission fluid is always 50-60k miles (drain and fill, with filter change), again no matter what the service manual says.
Question we were driving back from a road trip when all of sudden 2 hours from home we were leaking out all this fluid. Pulled over towed to a mechanic and they thought it was the differential oil. I explained to them I believed it was the suspension fluid. Sure enough I crawled under the car and found the rear tubing that sits above the rear axle had fully rusted out in two spot. I had to get the wife and daughter home so I gambled that once the AHC system, warning diagnostic came on that the ECU would no longer drive the pump . Since the fluid had ran out of the system and the car sat low but drive able I chanced it and got us home. I didn’t hear the pump comp on any more as I,m hoping that was by design during a fault situation. My question is once I replace the rusted pipe, how would you proceed? Fill the reservoir with new oil, try to see if I can control the height and hear the pump come on. I have read on a forum you may have to reset the pump by sending a command to the ECU using a Tech stream app and vdiag cable. Assuming I get the pump to come on, I plan to proceed like you did in this video, and blend all 4 accumulators. Any other gotchas I may not be aware of please let me know. Thank you it’s a 2015 LX570 with 85k miles, otherwise in great condition.
You would have to do a full bleed on the system after replacing a line. You'll need to bleed it at all the spots to get all the air bubbles out. Otherwise if any air is left in the system you will have a very bouncy ride.
I’m assuming after the final bleeding for air bubbles you go back and top off the AHC reservoir? Should be Full at N height correct? Planning on doing this job tomorrow or Sunday, just making some notes.
Well finally got around to replacing all 4 of the AHC globes. What a night and day difference! Rides SOOOO much better! Much smoother and no more pogo-stick bouncing. Ended up having to bleed 3x and used the entire 2.5l jug of AHC fluid. Oldie fluid was a dark brown so it was in need of a flush as well. 3 of the 4 original globes were shot- unable to see the white diaphram inside the globes, they were collapsed. Very happy with the results. Was going to give it the AHC sensor lift while I was there but decided to hold off as it is handling amazing now and will probably just leave it stock height. I noticed the rear actually sits a little higher now than before, maybe it just needed the globes replaced. Anyway thanks for the video which I mainly used as my guide to get this job done ✅👍
@@andresd9146 that’s awesome! I bet it feels great to have that finished up and suspension that feels like new again. The sensor lift is easy to do, but if you decide to do it make sure to use a permanent marker to mark the exact location of the sensors BEFORE you adjust them so that you can easily return them to the old location without any guesswork. Also, most people don’t realize this, but when you do the sensor lift it actually makes the rise slightly more rough, in my opinion, not very comfortable anymore. There are ways to do the sensor lift + different springs + shock spacers which keep the ride comfort the similar. But that requires a lot more work. Personally I have gotten to the point that I enjoy the Toyota/Lexus engineered suspension exactly the way it came, and I am less concerned about “the look”.
Hello, great video, excellent job and thank you for sharing, I have a few questions, do you need to pre- fill the globes with fluid before reinstalling them? , like an oil filter?, also do the new globes come with o-rings or they need to be ordered separately?, thank you in advance 🙏
You got it! I'm glad it has been helpful to so many people. The globes came with the O-rings already on them, I didn't have to order them or anything else separately. Make sure you lubricate the o-rings a little before installing the new globes. As far as the fluid, I did not fill the globes with fluid at all before installation. It wouldn't hurt anything if you did, but for my process I did not pre-fill them at all before install.
Thanks for the great video! I’m experiencing a harsh ride on my 2008 lx570. The hydronics are fine as I can lift or drop the car. Could this be my potential problem?
That sounds very similar to what I was experiencing. The hydraulics all worked but the ride was very harsh at times and very bouncy. After I replaced the 4 accumulator globes and flushed the fluid it was like brand new suspension again and has been great ever since.
Hello.. my land cruiser j200 is leaning to one side (to right side) after replacement suspension (AHC), bleeding and spooring. Can you give me idea what cause this ?
You may want to try bleeding the globes on the side that is leaning one more time. Air compresses more than hydraulic fluid so of there is still air trapped in the lines it could lean. You can also try adjusting the height sensors to change the height slightly. Keep in mind that you only need to make very small adjustments to the height sensors
Fortunately I haven't had to do the shocks yet on any of my LXs. But out of curiosity, why do you think yours need to be replaced? I have seen multiple times where technicians or dealerships recommend replacing them just to get the customer to pay for a large $$ repair. If that is what you're dealing with what I would recommend is to get under the truck with 2 or 3 cans of brake cleaner spray. Spray down each of the shocks and then use a clean rag to wipe them clean to get any old oil and dirt residue off of them. Do that for all 4 shocks. Then drive it for a while and see if you have any new oil seeping from the shocks. You'd be surprised how many times I have seen this only to find out that a dishonest technician took it upon himself to put an oily substance on the shocks to make it look like it was leaking. Now, with that said, it is entirely possible that the shocks could leak, it is just not very common. So I would highly recommend doing the above first if you're not 100% sure.
I changed all accumulators and shocks when I lower the car or lift it either way I Hi or Lo flashing never stop and when I back it to N it still flash N when I drive the car it goes back to normal
If it is still flashing it means the system is still working on normalizing the height setting and pressures. 1) have you checked the fluid level to make sure it is at an appropriate level? 2) did you bleed the system after replacing the accumulators? and 3) if you did all that, I'd recommend parking it on a flat surface while running, and cycle through the high, normal, low modes. Leave it on each mode for at least 4-5 minutes and let it go through its process.
Hi, just wondering if you put on the backup washer which goes in behind the oring? Read about on ih8mud after at changed mine and saw that people put extra washers on. I didn't but I am now considering doing it. Just I pain doing it all over again...
@@NKPGarage alright! Maybe I will just go a couple of weeks and see if there is any leaks. I just find it strange that you have to order the washer seperate but the oring, not comes in the package, but allready fitted. Why would Toyota find it nessecary to make to user order a small little washer on the side?
@@danielronnqvist685 I saw some of those threads as well after installing mine. I never ordered or used the washers and they have been fine for around 2 years now.
@@NKPGarage did you get a lot of air in your system? I just bled mine and didnt get any air at all... Seems a bit off and will try to do some more cycles to see if this was a fake result.
It took some cycling, but I did eventually get air out of the system. Apart from the air I really wanted to get all the old fluid out and fresh fluid in.
Try this. Start the truck and as soon as you start it continuously flip the height control switch to the up position over and over. Then once it starts flashing to show it’s raising up just let the truck run for 10-15min. See if that gets it back to working it usually works.
I have a problem with my lx570 2013 I can't control the hydraulic height and the car is rough on the road and it shows me check 4-wheel AHC system Could it be the same problem?
If it shows an error message the first thing I would do is check the basics. Check your fluid level. And if the fluid level is okay then you need to hook it up to a Toyota Techstream computer to scan the codes. From there you will need to see what the error codes are and what needs to be replaced. Sometimes it is a pressure leak, sometimes it is a sensor, sometimes it's a pump or a valve. But typically the AHC system is very reliable with some basic maintenance
The ride was starting to get a little "bouncy" over bumpy roads. And I also had very little difference between "normal" and "Comfort" settings for the suspension. The change to the new globes and flushing with fresh fluid made a very big difference in my case.
Hello I have lexus 570 I change the pump motor . Now hydraulic is not working in side dish light is blinking but the vehicle is not working up and down
Try this. As soon as you start the vehicle flip the switch a few times to the HIGH setting, then let the truck continue running for several minutes. Sometimes takes upwards of 5 minutes for it to run through its cycle. See if that works.
Hi, great video and very informative. I just want to know how much you paid for the 4 accumulators. At Ebay cost $250 each and at Lexus parts it is like a thousand each piece. Please advise and thank you for your time.
Take a look at the eBay link I have in the description, that seller currently has all 4 globes for $471 including free shipping. The prices keep changing on these from different sellers based on availability.
That’s a good question. I didn’t look up the torque specs. I just lubricated the orings and then snugged them on. I would guess probably around 25-30 ft/lbs.
Do you recommend to fix the faulty AHC system then lock it at highest level or better go for whole conversion with aftermarket suspension? lx570 2010 will be used 50% HY 50% light off road.@@NKPGarage
@kindi911 it really depends on what you want to do for the overall height. If you are looking for a slight height increase you can just adjust the AHC sensors to trick the system into raising the vehicle height slightly. But if you are looking for more height increase you might be better off removing AHC completely and converting to traditional shocks and springs.
Hi, wondering if you can help me. I followed your video replacing all the ahc globes and bleeding the system. I am on the part where you bleed the system after getting the system back to neutral. I put the system in low and bled. Now I get the ahc error no matter what I do. The pump runs for a second on start up then a immediately turns off. I also don't have access to a techstream..
One trick I found when that happens is to start the truck and then repeatedly flick the AHC up/down switch to the up position over and over again until you see the icon on the gauge cluster showing that it is being raised up. Then you have to give it a few minutes to perform it's process.
Great video! Just subscribed as I see you also have LX450 vids👍. Question: My 2010 LX570 has a slight lean towards the driver’s side, both front and back sit around 1/2” lower than passenger side. Will doing this method fix the issue? Or might it be more of a height adjustment sensor issue?
It could be either. If your ride seems comfortable and you feel like the hydraulics are okay it may be worth adjusting the sensors first. But if you haven't flushed the fluid in many years it always helps to bleed the system to get air bubbles out and fresh fluid into the system.
@@NKPGarage Hi there, how do i adjust the sensors ? My Land cruiser 200 front left passenger is leaning slightly compare to the driver side. From behind it looks leaning to the left too. Hope to get your information on adjusting the sensors.
@@MrNicholasKho Hey there!! The height sensors are very easy to adjust. You just need a 10mm wrench and you can see them when you look in the wheel well behind the tire on the front. Does your 200 series have AHC suspension?
@@NKPGarage yes, my LC came with AHC. I tried adjusting the side which is lower. It was adjusted to the lowest point yet it still can't balance the height for both sides. Is the globe giving way if this happens ? TLDR: one side is still lower after adjustment
@@MrNicholasKho it is possible the globe could be adding to the problem. But one thing to mention. After making the adjustment you should drive a little. Just around the block and back. Then park on a level surface and measure each corner
Hello. I also ordered my globes from Japan off of EBAY. I just opened them up and there is oil on the globes. One is completely covered in oil and the other 3 have oil on the flat surface around the base of the threads. Do you remember if your globes had any fluid on them when you first received them? I'm just worried these have been used and the oil is old hydraulic fluid. Thanks!
Mine were dry and did not have have a bunch of oil on them. Did you order them through the same link I posted in this video? The seller I ordered from seemed pretty reliable with good reviews.
@@NKPGarage Yep the same seller. I just got a message back from him and he assured me that they are brand new and that the product itself is protected by oil. I guess ill just install them and flush all the fluid and see how the ride is. I haven't cracked my new hydraulic fluid open yet so i don't know how it smells. Does it smell pungent like gear oil? The oil on the globes doesn't smell offensive. Thanks for the help!
@@NKPGarage Its a lightish coating. Only one globe has it all over though. The other 3 only have it on the flat surface around the base of the threads. Does the hydraulic fluid for the system smell bad? The oil on the new globes doesn't smell too bad so if its not hydraulic fluid I'm not too worried that they're used.
I’m buying a 2013 LX 570 and the suspension is totally lowered onto the bump stops and won’t adjust. Is the fix to replace the actuators or do you think it’s something else? How long did it take you to replace all for actuators / fluid and bleed the system? The whole repair start to finish.
The part numbers for the accumulator globes are below:
2x front accumulator 49141-60020: amzn.to/2LSNy7r
2x rear accumulator 49151-60020: amzn.to/2LRnQA9
Or set of all 4 accumulators on eBay here: ebay.us/nWFZ0Q
The LX570 I bought from my cousin had 2.0 Fox Shocks with 2" lift in all 4 corners and Firestone airbags helper for when towing. Not sure which one feels better since that is the first LX570 I drove.
That sounds like it could be a great setup as well. The factory AHC system on the LX570 is fantastic on its own too
@@NKPGarage parts are Made in Japan? Because I saw some that said made in china
My 2008 LX570 rides like new! I am a novice when it comes to working on cars, but my son and I finished this in about 6 hours on a Saturday. This video is thorough and easy to follow. Huge thank you for your work in creating this video!
I love to hear that! These are truly amazing with AHC suspension. Definitely superior to traditional suspension, but often times nobody pays attention to the maintenance and upkeep of the AHC. Once you get into it, it's really not that difficult, and not that expensive to maintain. What are the biggest differences you see before vs after you did the AHC work?
Thank You so much for posting this. My wife was complaining that the ride was more bouncy in our 2009. I image the accumulators have a rubber diaphragms and go and just like an expansion tank on a hot water heater. This could not be simpler and under $500! I love this suspension.
Alright just got my new globes in. Changing them out this weekend using this video as a guide. Thanks and great job on the video 👍👍👍
Good luck 👍 and take your time.
Great Video mate . I'm changing all 4 on my LX570 09 tomorrow. very clear and easy to follow. Just what I needed. thank you . Unfortunately I'm in Australia so after converting the US dollar to Aus it ended up costing me $972 from Japan . still way cheaper than from Lexus or Toyota
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. Even $972 isn't all that bad, once you get it replaced your suspension is good for another 10-15 years. Did you get them from eBay? I found eBay or Amazon were the cheapest route to go, and they are genuine Toyota parts still so it's a great way to safe a few dollars.
HI Allan. I have the same problem. How did you order the parts from Japan?
Thank you for the video and steps. Replaced all 4 globes today! Be well!
absolutely! Glad it helped. How do you like the results now that you have the new globes on?
@NKP Garage 2011 with 190k the ride feels like butter now again. Smoothed out the bumps on the road. Replaced the front struts and shocks as they were weeping. Thanks again!
@@civilwolf4843 that’s great to hear. They are amazing vehicles and a lot easier to maintain than most people think.
Thank you for sharing! I’m planning to do on my 2016 LX570 soon. It has about 95k miles on it now.
It’s not too hard once you get into it. But it is definitely time well spent to get the suspension feeling new again.
Thanks for the encouragement! I’d really appreciate it.
Thanks for the video. It helped a lot. I had the warning light a few times but I just cycled the car on and off like you said and it cleared up. It rides way better now. Super glad I finally did this
That’s awesome! What year is your LX? And how many miles when you did the work? I’m always curious to hear how long these AHC globes are lasting before needing replacement.
@@NKPGarage hey- I have a 2009 193k miles. I have 34s and front sensor lift and some other fun goodies. I did a fluid flush when I got it at 165. After some decent towing and a considerable amount of off roading, the suspension degraded till it was time today. One globe was obviously bad.
My next big to dos are the valley plate leak and valve cover leak. I hope it’s not the cam tower. Both are slow leaks so I’ll get to it when I get to it. I’ll probably also do some preventative stuff while I’m in there as she’s got some age on her now.
I love your content and was stoked you got another lx. Keep making vids for us please!
@Skyvisiontube sounds like you are putting that LX to good use! How do you like the ride with the sensor lift versus stock height? I tried the sensor lift on my previous 2009 and it looked nice, but I didn’t like the more firm ride so I set it back to stock height.
I’m going to do the valley plate on my 2017 LX when I do the TRd supercharged install. Will be checking route the valve covers too while I’m in there to see if there’s any reason to R&R them.
Great vid. Well documented and helpful. I'm looking for a used LX570 and want to know what types of deferred maintenance I might find - and how to do it. Your vid is on target. Thanks!
Thanks!! The common things on these trucks to look out for are really the basics. Service records of oil changes and trans fluid being changed. on time. But usually people don't keep those so you have to check things out yourself or have a mechanic do a prepurchase inspection. Check oil, check a couple of the spark plugs to make sure there's not a lot of oil burned onto the spark plugs, Check the coolant for oil with one of test strips to confirm oil and coolant are not mixing. Check trans fluid. Check steering tie rod ends (usually need to be replaced). Then there is the obvious things around rust on the frame that you want to check for vehicles from cold/snowy regions.
Thank you dude! Freakin EXACTLY what I was searching for 🙌🏼
You got it! Hope the video helps with your LX570!
Very informative video.Good luck
Thanks! I hope it was helpful for you as well.
First thank you for the video,second i have a problem with my car i change the 2 rear control sensor and now the car going up but did not getting down and I won’t to adjusting the control sensor, but I don’t know how to get the measured value and standard value. Any help please?
When you replaced the two rear sensors did you out the sensor position close to where it was before with the old sensors?
@ yes i put it where it was but by example if the car it was on high position and I want to put it in normal position or low it does not working. It’s still on high position.
@ and on the scanner, I don’t have any trouble code but I can get it down with active test, not with the switch with the switch, it going up but did not going down
For the final bleeding process we’re you simply slightly loosening the bleed valve until air came out?
Yes sir. Just crack it a bit and you’ll get the last of the air bubbles out
When do you need to replace the Accumulators? Can you just replace the hydraulic fluid without replacing the Accumulators? I have a 2020 with 35k miles at the moment. Thanks
For most LX570s I would do a fluid flush and bleed at around 60k miles. Then again at 90k miles. And replace the accumulators plus the fluid at 120k miles. But it could vary from one to the next.
Yes!! Finally got the alert from eBay that my globes are on the way and will also be using this video. Saw the thread about over filling the reservoir first and pushing out as much old fluid as well? Any thoughts? I’m assuming it shouldn’t hurt to top it off first but wanted your take. Thanks!
You can definitely fill it up and then bleed it. It will flush out and you'll fill it up again between bleeding corners. That will work just fine. Just make sure you don't run the reservoir dry during the bleeding process.
@@NKPGarage yup thus the reason for over-filling it first! Just wasn’t sure if the extra space in the reservoir needed some air in there for vacuum purposes or what. Anyhoo, any chance I could email ya with some other random questions? I’m like 99% sure I got it, just a few ideas I had. Thanks for the help!
@@chapbax Nope, and you can leave the reservoir lid open while you're bleeding. It will make it easier to bleed in some cases. Sure thing, nkpracing@gmail.com
@@NKPGarage emailed ya! Let me know what ya think! Thanks!
Can I install this type accumulators to LX470? Is the Nitrogen pressure inside of those accumulators (for LX470 & LX570) the same?
Yes, the LX470 has a very similar system for the AHC. On the LX470 the reservoir and pump are located in the front in the engine bay, whereas in the LX570 the reservoir and pump are located in the rear behind the rear bumper. But otherwise the systems are very similar.
Do you know how to change AHC sensors position (step by step)
It’s for adjusting the normal height .. for example if you have big wheels and you want the normal height to be slightly up
Great timing on that question!! I am actually working on wrapping up a step by step detailed video on exactly that process. To lift the AHC equipped LX570/LC with the sensors, best practices, how to make sure the corners are level, and things to look out for. I should have it uploaded in a few days.
@@NKPGarage Thanks I will be waiting for the video.
Currently I’m on 285-70-R17 , I had to remove the front mud flaps because it was rubbing on it when turning.
The issue now is while offroading sometimes the front tyre is touching somewhere, I couldn’t figure out where it is because there are no signs of rubbing. Only a sound of it.
So figured out that the best plan is to lift the car through adjusting the AHC sensor.
I tried searching on the internet but couldn’t find any articles or videos about how much sensor movement is needed. Only thing I understood is if you moved the sensor 1 mm, car height will move 3mm (something like that).
I think I will mark the old sensor position and try playing with the position a little. If failed will return it on how it was before.
@@LongShadowsGuy Great call on moving the sensor. It is a very easy mod and raises the vehicle slightly and is easy to reverse if you don't like the ride. I'll be making another video as well on how to create more clearance by heating and bending the wheel well liners. Stay tuned.
Great vid. Maybe I missed it, but in the video you mentioned that you had 'previously changed the fluid'. What does factory Service Manual say for intervals? Do you go by that, or change it if/when you 'feel' abnormalities in suspension? (e.g., transmission fluid (100 series LC) is not to be messed with, but i know some diehards change at regular intervals anyway.) Thnx.
AHC fluid on any vehicle that has hydraulic suspension should be changed every 60-75k miles, no matter what the factory service manual says. Transmission fluid is always 50-60k miles (drain and fill, with filter change), again no matter what the service manual says.
Question we were driving back from a road trip when all of sudden 2 hours from home we were leaking out all this fluid. Pulled over towed to a mechanic and they thought it was the differential oil. I explained to them I believed it was the suspension fluid. Sure enough I crawled
under the car and found the rear tubing that sits above the rear axle had fully rusted out in two spot. I had to get the wife and daughter home so I gambled that once the AHC system, warning diagnostic came on that the ECU would no longer drive the pump . Since the fluid had ran out of the system and the car sat low but drive able I chanced it and got us home. I didn’t hear the pump comp on any more as I,m hoping that was by design during a fault situation.
My question is once I replace the rusted pipe, how would you proceed? Fill the reservoir with new oil, try to see if I can control the height and hear the pump come on. I have read on a forum you may have to reset the pump by sending a command to the ECU using a Tech stream app and vdiag cable. Assuming I get the pump to come on, I plan to proceed like you did in this video, and blend all 4 accumulators. Any other gotchas I may not be aware of please let me know. Thank you it’s a 2015 LX570 with 85k miles, otherwise in great condition.
You would have to do a full bleed on the system after replacing a line. You'll need to bleed it at all the spots to get all the air bubbles out. Otherwise if any air is left in the system you will have a very bouncy ride.
I’m assuming after the final bleeding for air bubbles you go back and top off the AHC reservoir? Should be Full at N height correct?
Planning on doing this job tomorrow or Sunday, just making some notes.
Yes. After each bleed you want to make sure your fluid level is still good so that you don’t run the risk of sucking air into the system
Well finally got around to replacing all 4 of the AHC globes. What a night and day difference! Rides SOOOO much better! Much smoother and no more pogo-stick bouncing. Ended up having to bleed 3x and used the entire 2.5l jug of AHC fluid. Oldie fluid was a dark brown so it was in need of a flush as well. 3 of the 4 original globes were shot- unable to see the white diaphram inside the globes, they were collapsed. Very happy with the results. Was going to give it the AHC sensor lift while I was there but decided to hold off as it is handling amazing now and will probably just leave it stock height. I noticed the rear actually sits a little higher now than before, maybe it just needed the globes replaced. Anyway thanks for the video which I mainly used as my guide to get this job done ✅👍
@@andresd9146 that’s awesome! I bet it feels great to have that finished up and suspension that feels like new again. The sensor lift is easy to do, but if you decide to do it make sure to use a permanent marker to mark the exact location of the sensors BEFORE you adjust them so that you can easily return them to the old location without any guesswork. Also, most people don’t realize this, but when you do the sensor lift it actually makes the rise slightly more rough, in my opinion, not very comfortable anymore. There are ways to do the sensor lift + different springs + shock spacers which keep the ride comfort the similar. But that requires a lot more work. Personally I have gotten to the point that I enjoy the Toyota/Lexus engineered suspension exactly the way it came, and I am less concerned about “the look”.
Hello, great video, excellent job and thank you for sharing, I have a few questions, do you need to pre- fill the globes with fluid before reinstalling them? , like an oil filter?, also do the new globes come with o-rings or they need to be ordered separately?, thank you in advance 🙏
You got it! I'm glad it has been helpful to so many people. The globes came with the O-rings already on them, I didn't have to order them or anything else separately. Make sure you lubricate the o-rings a little before installing the new globes. As far as the fluid, I did not fill the globes with fluid at all before installation. It wouldn't hurt anything if you did, but for my process I did not pre-fill them at all before install.
Thanks for the great video!
I’m experiencing a harsh ride on my 2008 lx570. The hydronics are fine as I can lift or drop the car. Could this be my potential problem?
That sounds very similar to what I was experiencing. The hydraulics all worked but the ride was very harsh at times and very bouncy. After I replaced the 4 accumulator globes and flushed the fluid it was like brand new suspension again and has been great ever since.
Thanks, but we needed the entire process if possible. How do you bleed it?
I can try to make a video of the bleeding process. I have a 2017 LX570 now and am planning on doing a full bleed of the system soon
Hello..
my land cruiser j200 is leaning to one side (to right side) after replacement suspension (AHC), bleeding and spooring. Can you give me idea what cause this ?
You may want to try bleeding the globes on the side that is leaning one more time. Air compresses more than hydraulic fluid so of there is still air trapped in the lines it could lean. You can also try adjusting the height sensors to change the height slightly. Keep in mind that you only need to make very small adjustments to the height sensors
@@NKPGarage okay, i will do that... where side i adjusting Height Sensor ? the leaning side ?
@@yusuflbs7535 Yes, i would start with the leaning side to see if you can get it to even out.
@@NKPGarage Thankyou for your advice, i wiil try it..
@@yusuflbs7535 let me know how it goes. I hope it is an easy fix for you
do you also have a video for replacing hydraulic shock absorber front and rear step by steps like this car model?
Fortunately I haven't had to do the shocks yet on any of my LXs. But out of curiosity, why do you think yours need to be replaced? I have seen multiple times where technicians or dealerships recommend replacing them just to get the customer to pay for a large $$ repair. If that is what you're dealing with what I would recommend is to get under the truck with 2 or 3 cans of brake cleaner spray. Spray down each of the shocks and then use a clean rag to wipe them clean to get any old oil and dirt residue off of them. Do that for all 4 shocks. Then drive it for a while and see if you have any new oil seeping from the shocks. You'd be surprised how many times I have seen this only to find out that a dishonest technician took it upon himself to put an oily substance on the shocks to make it look like it was leaking.
Now, with that said, it is entirely possible that the shocks could leak, it is just not very common. So I would highly recommend doing the above first if you're not 100% sure.
Do I need to replace the accumulators ? Or I can do just the fluid ? Dealership did the fluid at 120 k now I’m at 205 k miles
At 205k miles I would definitely replace the accumulators
I changed all accumulators and shocks when I lower the car or lift it either way I Hi or Lo flashing never stop and when I back it to N it still flash N when I drive the car it goes back to normal
If it is still flashing it means the system is still working on normalizing the height setting and pressures. 1) have you checked the fluid level to make sure it is at an appropriate level? 2) did you bleed the system after replacing the accumulators? and 3) if you did all that, I'd recommend parking it on a flat surface while running, and cycle through the high, normal, low modes. Leave it on each mode for at least 4-5 minutes and let it go through its process.
Thank you for the video!!
Absolutely! Hope it was helpful.
What torque for the globes? Or did you just get them tight?
I think it was 111 ftlbs for the globes
Hi, just wondering if you put on the backup washer which goes in behind the oring? Read about on ih8mud after at changed mine and saw that people put extra washers on. I didn't but I am now considering doing it. Just I pain doing it all over again...
Hey Daniel. If I remember correctly, I did not use the backup washers for my setup. It's been a couple years now and I haven't seen any issues.
@@NKPGarage alright! Maybe I will just go a couple of weeks and see if there is any leaks. I just find it strange that you have to order the washer seperate but the oring, not comes in the package, but allready fitted. Why would Toyota find it nessecary to make to user order a small little washer on the side?
@@danielronnqvist685 I saw some of those threads as well after installing mine. I never ordered or used the washers and they have been fine for around 2 years now.
@@NKPGarage did you get a lot of air in your system? I just bled mine and didnt get any air at all... Seems a bit off and will try to do some more cycles to see if this was a fake result.
It took some cycling, but I did eventually get air out of the system. Apart from the air I really wanted to get all the old fluid out and fresh fluid in.
Torque specs for the accumulators, please ?
It should be 111 ft lbs on the accumulator spheres.
@@NKPGarage you are the man. Thank you 👌
@NKPGarage I tried to remove them today and failed. Too tight or rust is preventing me from removing it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
I really wanna do the job myself but I'm scared to prime the ahc pump and screw everything up. The dealership just quoted me $4800 for all 4 😣😣
Personally I would not trust the dealership to do it correctly. Most of those technicians have never touched AHC.
I just replaced all around struts and shocks, but the car is lowest position and keeps telling me to check the ahc system. Do I bleed the modules?
Try this. Start the truck and as soon as you start it continuously flip the height control switch to the up position over and over. Then once it starts flashing to show it’s raising up just let the truck run for 10-15min. See if that gets it back to working it usually works.
@@NKPGarage Yep, that’s always the trick
That’s awesome! Glad you got it!
I have a problem with my lx570 2013 I can't control the hydraulic height and the car is rough on the road and it shows me check 4-wheel AHC system Could it be the same problem?
If it shows an error message the first thing I would do is check the basics. Check your fluid level. And if the fluid level is okay then you need to hook it up to a Toyota Techstream computer to scan the codes. From there you will need to see what the error codes are and what needs to be replaced. Sometimes it is a pressure leak, sometimes it is a sensor, sometimes it's a pump or a valve. But typically the AHC system is very reliable with some basic maintenance
What were the symptoms that led to the globes being replaced? Thank you for such an informative video!
The ride was starting to get a little "bouncy" over bumpy roads. And I also had very little difference between "normal" and "Comfort" settings for the suspension. The change to the new globes and flushing with fresh fluid made a very big difference in my case.
@@NKPGarage thank you!!
@@summersifysummers4702 Absolutely!
Hello I have lexus 570 I change the pump motor . Now hydraulic is not working in side dish light is blinking but the vehicle is not working up and down
Try this. As soon as you start the vehicle flip the switch a few times to the HIGH setting, then let the truck continue running for several minutes. Sometimes takes upwards of 5 minutes for it to run through its cycle. See if that works.
Thanks 👌 I will try
@@Qura84 Good luck. Let us know how it goes
@@Qura84 curious if NKP's suggestion worked for you?
Having issues with my lx570 suspension. Know anyone around midwest area where i can get it fixed?
What sort of problems are you having with it?
Hi, great video and very informative. I just want to know how much you paid for the 4 accumulators. At Ebay cost $250 each and at Lexus parts it is like a thousand each piece. Please advise
and thank you for your time.
Take a look at the eBay link I have in the description, that seller currently has all 4 globes for $471 including free shipping. The prices keep changing on these from different sellers based on availability.
What are the torque specs for the globes?
That’s a good question. I didn’t look up the torque specs. I just lubricated the orings and then snugged them on. I would guess probably around 25-30 ft/lbs.
Can ahc be removed and instead use coil overs?
Yes, it requires all the parts needed to convert over. But it can be done. I have seen a few LX570 owners that have done it.
Do you recommend to fix the faulty AHC system then lock it at highest level or better go for whole conversion with aftermarket suspension? lx570 2010 will be used 50% HY 50% light off road.@@NKPGarage
@kindi911 it really depends on what you want to do for the overall height. If you are looking for a slight height increase you can just adjust the AHC sensors to trick the system into raising the vehicle height slightly. But if you are looking for more height increase you might be better off removing AHC completely and converting to traditional shocks and springs.
I just replaced all 4 gloves and fresh new fluid. After multiple bleed cycles, the truck drives like super comfortable.
Thank you for the details 🙏🙏🙏
That's awesome to hear! Love to hear success stories like yours. Hope you are enjoying the new ride!
Hi, wondering if you can help me. I followed your video replacing all the ahc globes and bleeding the system. I am on the part where you bleed the system after getting the system back to neutral. I put the system in low and bled. Now I get the ahc error no matter what I do. The pump runs for a second on start up then a immediately turns off. I also don't have access to a techstream..
One trick I found when that happens is to start the truck and then repeatedly flick the AHC up/down switch to the up position over and over again until you see the icon on the gauge cluster showing that it is being raised up. Then you have to give it a few minutes to perform it's process.
I shuold make it in L then I bleed it right ?plz answer
Yes. And bleed it at least twice at each corner or until you get no more air bubbles.
Great video! Just subscribed as I see you also have LX450 vids👍.
Question: My 2010 LX570 has a slight lean towards the driver’s side, both front and back sit around 1/2” lower than passenger side.
Will doing this method fix the issue? Or might it be more of a height adjustment sensor issue?
It could be either. If your ride seems comfortable and you feel like the hydraulics are okay it may be worth adjusting the sensors first. But if you haven't flushed the fluid in many years it always helps to bleed the system to get air bubbles out and fresh fluid into the system.
@@NKPGarage Hi there, how do i adjust the sensors ? My Land cruiser 200 front left passenger is leaning slightly compare to the driver side. From behind it looks leaning to the left too. Hope to get your information on adjusting the sensors.
@@MrNicholasKho Hey there!! The height sensors are very easy to adjust. You just need a 10mm wrench and you can see them when you look in the wheel well behind the tire on the front. Does your 200 series have AHC suspension?
@@NKPGarage yes, my LC came with AHC. I tried adjusting the side which is lower. It was adjusted to the lowest point yet it still can't balance the height for both sides. Is the globe giving way if this happens ? TLDR: one side is still lower after adjustment
@@MrNicholasKho it is possible the globe could be adding to the problem. But one thing to mention. After making the adjustment you should drive a little. Just around the block and back. Then park on a level surface and measure each corner
Why not drain all fluid then replace with spec volume ?
its a pressurized system, so it's not realistic to just drain it. You have to "bleed" it as pressure builds up.
Great video! Did you buy your accumulators off of ebay?
Yup. I purchased them from eBay. You can also get them from most Toyota parts outlets or dealerships
How big was the hose
The hose for bleeding?
Can I ship you my car if my local mechanic can’t fix this 😂 - I think I might have AHC gremlins on my 2015 LX.
Definitely. Just send the Porsche 996 along with it, beautiful car! 😀
@@NKPGarage hahaha thanks sir!
Did you see if any of the gloves were bad?
My ride was very “bouncy” so I knew at least one or two of them were bad.
Hello. I also ordered my globes from Japan off of EBAY. I just opened them up and there is oil on the globes. One is completely covered in oil and the other 3 have oil on the flat surface around the base of the threads. Do you remember if your globes had any fluid on them when you first received them? I'm just worried these have been used and the oil is old hydraulic fluid. Thanks!
Mine were dry and did not have have a bunch of oil on them. Did you order them through the same link I posted in this video? The seller I ordered from seemed pretty reliable with good reviews.
@@NKPGarage Yep the same seller. I just got a message back from him and he assured me that they are brand new and that the product itself is protected by oil. I guess ill just install them and flush all the fluid and see how the ride is. I haven't cracked my new hydraulic fluid open yet so i don't know how it smells. Does it smell pungent like gear oil? The oil on the globes doesn't smell offensive. Thanks for the help!
@@snasuage it might be just a light protective coat on the metal. Is it a lot of oil? Or just a skim coat?
@@NKPGarage Its a lightish coating. Only one globe has it all over though. The other 3 only have it on the flat surface around the base of the threads. Does the hydraulic fluid for the system smell bad? The oil on the new globes doesn't smell too bad so if its not hydraulic fluid I'm not too worried that they're used.
I’m buying a 2013 LX 570 and the suspension is totally lowered onto the bump stops and won’t adjust. Is the fix to replace the actuators or do you think it’s something else? How long did it take you to replace all for actuators / fluid and bleed the system? The whole repair start to finish.
Do I need to replace the accumulators ? Or I can do just the fluid ? Dealership did the fluid at 120 k now I’m at 205 k miles
At 205k miles I would definitely replace the accumulators
Do I need to replace the accumulators ? Or I can do just the fluid ? Dealership did the fluid at 120 k now I’m at 205 k miles
At 205k miles I would definitely replace the accumulators
Do I need to replace the accumulators ? Or I can do just the fluid ? Dealership did the fluid at 120 k now I’m at 205 k miles
At 205k miles I would definitely replace the accumulators