John
I've driven one of these 100s with the "Active suspension", which means
variable height air suspension.
There was a control on the centre console that selected "auto", "high"
or "low" heights. And the current height indication was a rather
annoying led in the middle of the speedo that, as far as I can see you
couldn't turn off.
As you observed it rises (slowly) when you first start it up and -
theoretically - in "auto" mode it hunkers down at speed on the motorway,
and raises itself automatically in low range.
It was really, really slow and annoying though. For example the height
wouldn't change if you'd got a door open, presumeably to stop you
lowering the vehicle onto an open door. But this meant that you couldn't
open the door and peer at the ground clearance as you fiddled with the
height (which was the first thing I tried).
Also it responded only very slowly to height change requests, and I
think the total "high" to "low" height variation was only about 2
inches.
Subjectively it was smoother on the road than my 80, but then the 100
series is better on the road anyway - and also my 80 was five years
older with an extra 60k on the clock.
If I were buying a 100 series I think I would try to get one without the
air suspension as it struck me as offering only minimal benefits, and as
being just one more thing to go wrong. I'm fairly sure they only put it
in because Land Rover added it to the Range Rover.
I would like a 100 series though (Shock! Horror! Heresy!) because I
spend most of my time on the road, they have an extra 40 bhp and - main
reason - there is more room inside them.
Christopher Bell
|
| Hi John,
|
| > Is this the usual on the 100 or had he an extra installed.
|
| Some 100s do have adjustable height facility controlled via
| switches on the dash, I guess this is what you saw waking up
| as it was powered up - some Range Rovers have it as well.
|
| Here is some info about it from the brochure:
|
| Toyota Electronically Modulated Suspension (TEMS), an
| automated system that adjusts shock absorber settings and
| vehicle height for improved ride comfort, handling and
| stability, is fitted to all Land Cruiser Amazons, as is
| Active Height Control, a self levelling active height suspension.
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