The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[Bigfoot]

Hi, am new to forum and was interested in a post on the 8th november 2021 by Ibex about an issue with the adjustable air system on an lc5. Firstly I hope you're pleased with your purchase Ibex. I also have the Lc5, and the rear adjustable shocks have had it. OEMS  are hellish expensive. I noted that Juddian, ( hi Juddian ) commented on not replacing with oem shocks. By that Juddian did you mean simply replacing with standard shocks, or generic adjustables. Do you know anyone who has replaced with the standard ones, and would the front shocks be affected, as well as the air suspension. I ask as not sure if the adjustable shocks are run through the same ECU as the air suspension, which may cause a problem if any part of the overall system becomes detached. Would very much appreciate your knowledge and opinion, and from anyone who has tackled this problem before.

[Google]

[Juddian]

Hello and welcome Bigfoot
Can't find the thread you refer to, can you copy and paste the link from that page so we can see it please.

I haven't needed to replace mine yet, but from memory of that thread one of the other posters, possibly Tony, had a full Pedders kit at home waiting to be fitted to his 120 when needed.
This would include all springs and dampers, hopefully Tony or whoever it was will see this thread and give you the low down on which specific dampers are needed, my own opinion is that standard decent quality dampers as would be fitted to a LC3/4 would be a straight fit, but Tony or whowver it was will probably know if any extra fittings or mountings are needed.

As far as i'm aware it's simply a case of replacing the electronically adjustable shocks with equivalent height standard shocks.

The present shocks don't make any difference to running height of the vehicle, they simply vary the rate of rebound from soft to harder damping in the (rather silly name on a cruiser) 'sport setting', far as i know if you replace the rears the fronts would still be adjustable unless it requires all 4 to be connected to complete the circuit.

I too wouldn't be spending out massive amounts just to keep the tems adjustable shockers, i will replace the air bags if needed because that's fairly cheap and easy and the ride quality even with only rear air suspension plus keeping the same ride height regardless of load is worth keeping going for as long as possible, but if the rear air system went down badly and it was heading into an unheathly 4 figure sum to replace it i too would go steel springs.

[TONYCY11]

The  adjustable (TEMS) shocks electrical workings are not involved with the Air suspension ECU , changing them to normal shocks will not effect the Air suspension   so you can change them and fit standard shocks in pairs as you need to .   so if you need to change the rear shocks only its no problem . RoughTrax4X4 do shocks to suit individuals budgets for replacement shocks that will fit the LC5 .

[Juddian]

Cheers Tony.

Looking at Roughtrax pages, re those standard Pedders or Monroe rear shockers, will they fit straight on as direct replacements for the adjustables presently fitted to Bigfoot's LC5, and if so is there likely to be a dash warning light come on due to incomplete circuit and how would Bigfoot go about disabling that please?

[TONYCY11]

Hi Juddian , there is no warning light facility on the dash or otherwise for any part of the Tems system. Even if you unconnect one of the shocks electric connectors nothing will happen apart from losing the adjustable facility for that shock absorber that is unconnected .

[TONYCY11]

The replacement shocks are a direct replacement , all you have to do is unconnect the adjustable connectors remove the shocks , replace with none adjustable shocks  and tie up the wiring for the adjustable shocks so it does not get in the way ,

[Juddian]

Much obliged Tony, couldn't be plainer or easier, thankyou.

[Bigfoot]

Hi Juddian and Tony, and thanks for the welcome to the forum. Sorry I'm late on the scene. Nets been down and only just managed to get on. Thankyou for the very clear replies. Your memory of the thread which sparked my enquiry Juddian is spot on.
Do you know of anyone Tony who has installed standard shocks on an Lc5.  I put this point to a guy at roughtrax and he informed me that someone they knew who had, wasn't  impressed with the result. Because of that they weren't prepared to advise on it. Could be many reasons why that was, but would be handy to know of other peoples experience if you know of any. Like yourself and Juddian I can't see why standard shocks wouldn't produce anything other than a standard ride. Toyota by the way were only interested in an overhaul of the complete system to the tune of £3500. Said they only fit the oems specific to the vehicle, and weren't prepared to divulge if standard shocks would suffice.
I had considered the Pedders shocks as an option. Would they be considered an upgrade to standard Toyota shocks as used on the LC3 and 4. Or would I be wiser to stick with Toyota for the sake of uniformity.

[Juddian]

I would expect that new standard gas shocks would have about the same rebound rate as the TEMS on sport setting, but whether thats the case is anyone guess, i've run in sport setting and yes you can tell the damping is more resiliant but if that was the permanent damping rate it wouldn't worry me.

Not something i've investigated but older folks here should remember you could at one time buy Spax adjustable dampers for various cars which if i recall were manually adjustable with a coin or screwdiver, whether something like this is even available or of interest to you.

[TONYCY11]

I know someone who fitted monroe rear shocks on a LC5 and he said they were inferior to the standard ajustable shocks , I told him you get what you pay for and should have got the Pedders as they are up rated shocks and as good as if not better than the kyb shocks that toyota fit as standard , Pedders cost usually twice the price of monroe , another make of shocks that are highly rated on Landcruisers are Dobinsons but Dobinsons are more for off road with a lift kit than on road and cost around the same as Pedders ,

[Tractionman]

Juddian, yes you can still get Spax adjustable shocks, I remember them well. They were slways hsppy to help with advice, and supply spares, which is/was rare. Turn the adjuster up or down by clicks to go from DD to track car.
There's 2 types I believe, ride height adjustable and damping adjustable the latter are the ones with the screw adjuster which can be done in situ.
Still got one of their stickers on one of my tool boxes from around 50 years ago.

[Tractionman]

Tony, I wonder which ones were fitted, as there are I believe 2 types standard, which is supposed to match one, or heavy duty on/off road. Both gas filled.  I've got no personal experience of either, so can't comment further.

[Juddian]

Thats handy to know TM, might be worth Bigfoot dropping Spax a message togther with the Mondoe part number, maybe they can offer an equivalent but adjustable damper that Bigfoot can then fine tune to his wishes, if this works it could be an economical way to keep some form of adjustable damping albeit requiring getting ones mitts mucky.

[Bigfoot]

Like many I have detected very little change on the damping settings anyway, so not really an issue for me Juddian. And your right Tony. As a rule it generally does come down to you gets what you pay for. Not opposed in anyway to forking out a decent amount. Just not the amount that Toyota require for something that I'm not to fussed about. Satisfied now that it comes down to buying decent standard shocks so it's Pedders or Kyb for me.
Will let you know how I get on, but suspect that might now not be until after Xmas. So Thanks again for your input, and have a good one

[TONYCY11]

TM I did not ask which ones as I thought they was only one type , I would have thought they were the cheapest ones he could get .