The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[ivshi]

Gents,
I've got the car about three months ago, with a lot of joy as it is my youth dream
This is my first LC so I cannot properly compare it to the previous models. Basically I'm very happy except the hard ride, specifically being sited on the back. I've been told that this model is implementing for the first time the air suspension of the 200 (rear differential only) that improves dramatically the ride. In fact the car is EXTREMELY hard riding. That's the back ground. Now the technical stuff:
Over the rear differential there are two rubber mountings that (on my car) are located about 2"above the diff. body while having the active suspension on NORMAL; getting HIGH these goes to about 3" up and going to DOWN they touch the diff.body.  Apparently, while driving in NORMAL mode there are only about 2" of headroom before them touching the diff. That makes that when the car passes over a large bump (two wheels at the time) the shock is absorbed by the two mountings in the same time that feels very, very hard inside. Is this space of 2" only normal? How about someone else's car and how about the 200 series?
Back in time a had an old Pajero and the mountings there were a cone kind so a gentle touch created a gentle absorption (smaller volume of rubber being compressed) and a harder touch created a harder resistance (exponentially increasing the volume of the compressed rubber). With the LC the mountings are cubic type so, the impact is always like 100% and it really feels brutal inside.
Questions: Is it typical or my car have problems? Is the compression in the air cylinders adjustable or its fixed? If adjustable, what it should be like?  
I'll appreciate some feedback.
Cheers
Ivo

[Google]

[dannyson]

I wasn't aware air suspension was an option on any Landcruiser model .... at least not here in the UK ..... maybe try the Australian forum 'pradopoint'?

[ivshi]

Yes, the new 150 model 2014 has an air suspension on the rear diff that is taken by the 200 series. Only, the 200 is having such, both in front and in the back and the 150 is having it just in the back. In my country that comes as the top level and I have paid quite a lot for this option that for the moment ... I have an appointment with the dealer tomorrow and will report shortly after.

[dannyson]

Ivshi - I see what you mean! - AVS (Adaptive Vehicle Suspension) - WOW! and lots of bucks!! ...... from what I've read on other sites about these systems in the past on numerous models they have, in the past, been fraught with problems.  One would hope Toyota would have learnt from this .... but ...??? - anyway you deserve your moneys worth and I hope Mr T sorts you out ok .... keep us updated :-}

[dannyson]

Meant to add.... of course, I doubt you will receive much feedback on this and a lot of other matters on the 150 on this site at the moment.  There don't seem to be many of them around here in the UK as you can see from the forum responses.... people here seem to go for other marques - rightly or wrongly... :-}

[ivshi]

Ok,
Here is the report: went to the Dealer's shop and got the truck inspected. This is done with an lap top , plugged in while driving. It showed that all systems and sensors are running fine. However there are some specific stuffs to be noted:
-While loading the vehicle it gets down BUT it takes back the original height within 40 seconds; So seeing the truck laying down and thinking that the reduced distance between the rubber mountings and the diff will stay like this is wrong. One should wait these 40 seconds and the truck will get back to right height NO MATER the load. This compensation function is one of the features of the system;
-There are three sensors controlling the height and the pressure in the cylinders that in fact results in a harder/smoother ride. These are subject of adjustment BUT the local chaps are afraid to touch there as the car is pretty new and they have no experience. Next time I go there , I will ask them to record the actual settings and will try to play around with some different figures, so we can see how it changes the behavior of the car.

Generally speaking, my feeling is that the shock absorbers are still too tight (the car has only made some 10 000 km) so all little bumps on the road are felt inside. I think this is why the absorption of all little shakes and shocks doesn't come to the air suspension at all, because of the tight shock absorbers. I felt a clear improvement in this regard since having the car by now and I guess it will get even better.

Hope that puts some light. The main stuff is: I like the car!    
Cheers
Ivo

[dannyson]

Might be an idea to share this on pradopoint as mentioned before ..... not likely to get much feedback here. Thanks though Ivo - if I ever do manage to upgrade maybe I'll stick with a non air suspension jobby  - until - maybe - it gets sorted at source ?

[ivshi]

At the end of the day, I think I should wait a bit more. My previous car had a hard ride for almost an year than it improved dramatically. I don't believe Toyota will do such a complicated system, with all these features - automation, sensors etc. without being sure it has a positive effect far beyond the "mechanical" suspension... I will be back when having made 50 000km
Cheers
Ivo

[14all_and_all41]

Yes, I put up with the same type issue on my vehicle.

[14all_and_all41]

Should add, it's at 40k mls, only notice when very bumpy road, or when going over harshly on the traffic calming measures we have in the UK, Aka sleeping policemen.

On my LC 120 I'd did adjust the settings (2 rose jointed arms on each anti tramp bar at each side connected to the chassis)

As previous message, I've just put up with it, but I'll have a look under Neath in the next few days, diff and bumps stops you mention etc.

Only other niggle at the moment, was the steering column linkage replaced under warranty, still knocks slightly, and after figment the steering wheels not true, small things but was OK before work done etc.

As Danny says, quiet forum, either not many owners, or mot many problems.