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Suspension fix for 100 series 2001 LC with Automatic Height Control

Daniyal

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Oct 18, 2017
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pakistan
I've just bought a 2001 4.2 diesel Amazon with AHC in Pakistan. The vehicle has 130,000 miles on poorly-maintained Pakistani roads (if the meter hasn't been put back) but seems to have been fairly well cared for. The ride is a bit jarring - a slight shimmy in the steering, and roughness in the ride. The AHC seems to be working fine, as it raises and lowers the vehicle and keeps it level. What can I do to restore it to near-new suspension? Tie-rod ends? Shocks? Steering damper? I'm not yet very familiar with this particular vehicle, nor do I know very much about mechanics generally. Thanks!
 
First thing to do is flush and refill the AHC system. If the ride is still harsh the 4 nitrogen spheres might be scrap. There are measurement notches on the AHC fluid reservoir. Move the car in to LOW and mark where the fluid is. Then move it to HIGH and mark where the fluid is. Count the number of notches by which the fluid has moved. From memory the more notches the better the condition of the spheres. From memory the healthy figure should be 9-14 notches. uHu will correct me if I've got the number wrong.

As for the rest of the suspension a physical check is really the only way to check for wear. You'll need a laptop to check the pressures in the system to confirm whether or not the springs are OK. There are adjustable torsion bars on the front but if rear springs are weak they'll need replacing.
 
Its a long shot, but the suspension damping is controlled electrically through valves in the actuators (just forward of the spheres). Check the connections and try adjusting the settings from the switch on the console in front of the gear lever.

There should be a difference in ride feel between 'Comfort' and 'Sport', if there isn't you could start investigating (start with the wiring - you really don't want to know what Toyota would charge for four Actuators :dizzy:).

Let us know how you get on and post a couple of pictures of the truck (I have visions of multi-coloured pelmets with tassles . . but maybe not :icon-biggrin:).

Bob.
 
Its a long shot, but the suspension damping is controlled electrically through valves in the actuators (just forward of the spheres). Check the connections and try adjusting the settings from the switch on the console in front of the gear lever.

There should be a difference in ride feel between 'Comfort' and 'Sport', if there isn't you could start investigating (start with the wiring - you really don't want to know what Toyota would charge for four Actuators :dizzy:).

Let us know how you get on and post a couple of pictures of the truck (I have visions of multi-coloured pelmets with tassles . . but maybe not :icon-biggrin:).

Bob.
Hi guys - Thanks so much. Unfortunately, the jeep doesn't look like our famous Pakistani jingle trucks - no pelmet, no tassels - though I have a friend who painted his Discovery that way. I'll try flushing the system, will measure AHC fluid-reservoir levels at High / Low, and will also test the ride difference between Comfort and Sport. Will then post here again. Again, thanks for the quick response.
 
One further question - for the steering shimmy, would it be useful to change the steering stabilizer shock? And if so, could you suggest which one I should get? (I'll be in the UK in a couple of weeks, so can pick one up.) And finally, could you recommend a source to buy Land Cruiser parts in London, or by post if not in London?
 
Listen to Frank. And you really need TechStream or similar to read the values of the AHC system if you want to keep it going. Then search the forums for tons of information already posted.

The 100 series does not have a stearing damper. It's built into the steering rack. You could easily check the front wheel bearings, spindle bearings, upper and lower ball joints, and tie rod joints.

Take a holiday in the UAE for parts, or order from amayama.

And welcome to the forum. Ahlan wa sahlan.
 
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Hi
For the steering shimmy first check the steering rack bushings by asking someone to check shake the steering left and right while you check for movement on the rack its self. Mine had a fair amount of lateral movement due to wear in the mounting rubbers, I replaced my originals for aftermarket nylon/poly type bushes and this made a massive improvement.
Laslty do not forget the tracking and tyre pressures and even the tyres themselfs, I fitted a matched set of BF Goodriches all round and the steering feel was much shaper than my old worn mixed set.
Hope that helps
 
For steering shimmy check the wheels are balanced. Out of balance wheels can cause shimmy and often in resonance with a particular road speed. It's either that or a badly worn joint/s in the steering somewhere.
 
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