Active suspesion

[Steve Wright]

Hi All

This not your normal post on the active suspension, but my problem is when I get 7 passengers
in the car seems to ride ok, but on the display it shows "L" (low) and cannot get it to rise with
the switch.

Has any one had this problem and more to the point is there a cure ? It has done it from new and
the dealer said that was how it is, so its just not just happened but don't carry 7 people very
often so it does not come up every day.

Any idea's please

 

[warrenpfo]

Each sphere can only take a certain amount of weight I want to say around 125kg so if you have 7 people in the car and they are 7 adults then I can only guess you are exceeding the weight allowance which the sensor picks up and so defaults to low.

No cure that i know of apart from swapping out the ahc for std shocks and springs.

 

[Steve Wright]

Each sphere can only take a certain amount of weight I want to say around 125kg so if you have 7 people in the car and they are 7 adults then I can only guess you are exceeding the weight allowance which the sensor picks up and so defaults to low.

No cure that i know of apart from swapping out the ahc for std shocks and springs.

Thanks for the responce

But it is deigned to carry seven,and I don't really want to mess about changing the system, as other than that it works fine.

 

[uHu]

...This not your normal post on the active suspension, but my problem is when I get 7 passengers in the car seems to ride ok, but on the display it shows "L" (low) and cannot get it to rise with the switch.

Has any one had this problem and more to the point is there a cure ? It has done it from new and the dealer said that was how it is, so its just not just happened but don't carry 7 people very often so it does not come up every day.

Any ideas please

This is very much the normal AHC problem, also called "Lack of maintenance". You don't say wich year your 100 is, but after 4 yrs normally, the Neutral Pressure will have gone up - over and above the specs. I.e. the gas-springs carry more than what they are designed for, and more and more so as time goes by. You can't make the ahc carry more and more as the steel springs loose their lift aver time - There is a limit.
When did you last time:
A - check Neutral Pressure front and rear?
B - change the coil springs?
C - tighten the torsion bars?
These are included in normal maintenance for an ahc equipped vehicle, but don't expect your dealer to know.

I think this issue has been discussed here previously.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Although designed to carry 7 people I think Toyota must have expected all 7 to be like bean poles! Your best fix may be to fit airbags inside the rear springs and inflate them a little when you're going to be 7 up. If my experiments were anything to go by that won't compromise the ride quality but will give the AHC enough of a boost to keep it working.

 

[Graham]

AHC = Poor system, not Toyota's finest hour.

Gra.

 

[Dark Dude]

This is very much the normal AHC problem, also called "Lack of maintenance". You don't say wich year your 100 is, but after 4 yrs normally, the Neutral Pressure will have gone up - over and above the specs. I.e. the gas-springs carry more than what they are designed for, and more and more so as time goes by. You can't make the ahc carry more and more as the steel springs loose their lift aver time - There is a limit.
When did you last time:
A - check Neutral Pressure front and rear? (BTW: How do you check the neutral pressures and what are they suppose to be in the 1st place?)
B - change the coil springs?
C - tighten the torsion bars?
These are included in normal maintenance for an ahc equipped vehicle, but don't expect your dealer to know.

I think this issue has been discussed here previously.

Man

I must be one lucky bunny because this has never happened to me and I use my (12 year old) truck as a loadlugger. In fact I've just had my rear spheres "renewed" By Martin and the boys at the magic factory at Sawtry (£140 inc VAT) and now my motor rides on a magic carpet of air. Alas come next year I'll be changing the springs and rams all round as well as doing above to keep my motor running the way it was designed to from the start. Perfect!

John

 

[Dark Dude]

AHC = Poor system, not Toyota's finest hour.

Gra.

Graham

I couldn't disagree with you more.

AHC= Great system, Toyota's finest hour with a little help from our friends at Pleiades.

John

 

[Steve Wright]

This is very much the normal AHC problem, also called "Lack of maintenance". You don't say wich year your 100 is, but after 4 yrs normally, the Neutral Pressure will have gone up - over and above the specs. I.e. the gas-springs carry more than what they are designed for, and more and more so as time goes by. You can't make the ahc carry more and more as the steel springs loose their lift aver time - There is a limit.
When did you last time:
A - check Neutral Pressure front and rear?
B - change the coil springs?
C - tighten the torsion bars?
These are included in normal maintenance for an ahc equipped vehicle, but don't expect your dealer to know.

I think this issue has been discussed here previously.

Sorry I did not say in the original post but it has done it from day one, I was in the dealers within the first week, so none of the above.

but as Jon says I I might try the air bag route, If I can get some at the right price.

 

[uHu]

Sorry I did not say in the original post but it has done it from day one, I was in the dealers within the first week, so none of the above.

but as Jon says I I might try the air bag route, If I can get some at the right price.

Whether you get airbags or not, you have to check your Neutral Pressure so that you know what you're doing. If the ahc does not see the right pressure, it will not be able to function as designed. Ride quality and load capacity will suffer. If you check the pressure, and get it right, you might find that you have another 300 lb available. Then get airbags if you need to carry more than the designed capacity.
Get a MINI VCI FOR TOYOTA TIS Techstream from this site: uobd2.com , then you can check the pressure whenever you want.

 

[Dark Dude]

Uhu

Thanks for the heads up.

John

Whether you get airbags or not, you have to check your Neutral Pressure so that you know what you're doing. If the ahc does not see the right pressure, it will not be able to function as designed. Ride quality and load capacity will suffer. If you check the pressure, and get it right, you might find that you have another 300 lb available. Then get airbags if you need to carry more than the designed capacity.
Get a MINI VCI FOR TOYOTA TIS Techstream from this site: uobd2.com , then you can check the pressure whenever you want.

 

[TonyP]

Get a MINI VCI FOR TOYOTA TIS Techstream from this site: uobd2.com , then you can check the pressure whenever you want.

OT, but have you actually got one of these? Does it talk to all the modules? I also see that site lists a couple of different ones, is this the better one?

 

[uHu]

OT, but have you actually got one of these? Does it talk to all the modules? I also see that site lists a couple of different ones, is this the better one?

T'works fine. Talks to all modules in mine, although there isn't anything to tinker with in all of them. Fine for turning off auto-steering-wheel-up-and-away, and that alone is worth the cost. Also reads the ahc-data and does the active test. You can play with auto locking and dome-light delay, test windows... - see more on mud.
Don't know if it's the better one, but other ones cost 10 times as much, at least.

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

I have had my AHC now for 11 years and 360.000 km. I do not want to change since I believe it is a brilliant system and I drive a lot! My car has only 2 frontseats. It is rated to load 750 kg in the back. It is not recommended I would say, but 500 kg is no issue at all ( to compare with your 5 passengers!)
But then again I never experienced any problems with the heavy ARB front bumber with winch (for 6 years now!) -as I know others have. It would be nice to have the systems checked (like uHu propose!) and compare the results among us?
I also use my LC for towing machinery of 3500kg(read 4500kg!!) -and it is mostly a matter of balancing the trailer to "satisfy" the AHC and avoid the system fall into "low"

Anyway...I think AHC is a fine system, but maybe we want to use the car in a way that makes it a problem?

By the way they continued the AHC in the 200, so Toyota seems to believe in the system as well ...by the way (2) Toyota DK has taking the 200 of the program since the sales were to low ....thats really a good strategy to keep the legend alive

Gr Lars

 

[prav]

Hi Steve,

Mine is a 1999 import vx4.7 petrol and does exactly the same with a full load and will not move out of L until everyone is out ,however I've not had a full load since I had all the spheres changed. But speaking to the Toyo Guru Julian Voelcker (Overland Cruiser) the problem could be weak springs .Next summer another trip to ledbury I think.

 

[Avalon Audio]

My VX100 is a 2002 done 364,000k and an 8 seater - I am the 2nd owner but knew the first well and he tells me it has always been perfect...it is one of the things I like about the truck

 

[chugga90]

I am on my second 100 series, both have been V8's on LPG. They have been used for work and generally always have boot full of tools & equipment. The first I had for three years. It did the sit down in low setting when pushing a trailer into some driveways and dragging out. Even when the trailer was empty. You could sometimes get it back to normal facing down hill, by switching off and starting up again. The present one have had it for seven months and only managed to get it to drop to low recently when I loaded a pile of turf in the back, because I no longer have a trailer for it!
I tried heavy duty springs on the first one of varying rates, this just made for dreadfull bouncing over speed bumps at the rear and spoilt the whole car. In the end fitted airlift springs within the original coils, had the onboard compressor kit and valve gear with it and this worked just fine with the existing set up. The only issues I had were the air line to the bag connection was rubbish and would leak air sometimes and if my brain forgot to do what was needed before loading the butt end with trailers or treasures! From memory the airlift parts were just under £300.00 and half a day ish to fit and set up. For occassional use just the bags would do as they come with valves to pump them up with a foot pump or tyre air line. Best 120.00ish pounds you will spend to solve it!

 

[paul c]

Trawling through posts I found your reply chugga90. Its great to read of someone using their 100 for real work,which I intent to use mine for. Have your V8's come with LPG or have you had it fitted after? I used to have a citroen BX estate which was great and never had any problems. Am I right in saying this is a similar system?

 

[nathanrobo]

This is very much the normal AHC problem, also called "Lack of maintenance". You don't say wich year your 100 is, but after 4 yrs normally, the Neutral Pressure will have gone up - over and above the specs. I.e. the gas-springs carry more than what they are designed for, and more and more so as time goes by. You can't make the ahc carry more and more as the steel springs loose their lift aver time - There is a limit.
When did you last time:
A - check Neutral Pressure front and rear?
B - change the coil springs?
C - tighten the torsion bars?
These are included in normal maintenance for an ahc equipped vehicle, but don't expect your dealer to know.

I think this issue has been discussed here previously.

Does the MINI VCI FOR TOYOTA TIS adjust the neutral pressure? If not how is this done?

Is this something that Martin is aware of? Also ref the hydraulic rams, now that Martin has lots of experience with the system, maybe he could look at supplying a pattern or recon ram. In the '90's he used to supply these parts for XM's, Xantia's and BX's etc.

I'll give him a call on Monday, see what he says. I'm up for renewing the rest of my system. Gotta say, I love the AHC, I often have it in different settings according to the road and how I'm driving. All big cars should have them!

Toyota obviously looked at the design very carefully, Martin says that the 3 layer diaphragm is what keeps the air from migrating. When I got mine done they still have 50% pressure in. Not bad for an '01 car Citroen Spheres lasted 3 - 4 years max. Plus as the system wears the driving characteristics in my opinion are more safe than standard systems. If you keep it maintained ('Stitch in time'), it'll last, with the added benefit that changing a sphere is easier than changing a shock absorber. Just my view.

 

[uHu]

Does the MINI VCI FOR TOYOTA TIS adjust the neutral pressure? If not how is this done?

The tester can only measure the Neutral Pressure. Adjustment is done by adjusting or changing the steel springs.