We all love to add things to our 4×4 vehicles, that’s part of their allure. But sometimes less is more and you can gain quite a lot from simply removing and replacing certain parts that might have been rendered obsolete by modern advancements.
This is the case with AHC, a common system on many Toyota Land Cruiser models from the 100 series that was seen as revolutionary at the time.
However, that time has long since passed, and with more modern suspension systems such as those sold by Terrain Tamer and Old Man Emu offering so much more than the old stock system in this day and age.
Add to that the fact that AHC is susceptible to wear and tear and is incredibly expensive to repair or replace and it’s easy to see why AHC replacement is such a popular 4X4 upgrade.
What is AHC?
AHC stands for Active Height Control and refers to the suspension of your vehicle. Simply put, if your vehicle has AHC then you can directly control the ride height and damping efficiency of your 4×4.
This is done using a complex system of dampers, accumulators and sensors and can be adjusted to low, neutral, or high settings, with the high setting perfect for serious off-roading, the neutral for regular driving and low for loading or unloading operations.
It was introduced as a quick and simple way for drivers to manually select various suspension settings to adapt to road conditions. The only problem is, it’s a notoriously unreliable system.
Why not just repair it?
AHC systems might be efficient and practical but as only genuine Toyota parts are used in their construction, once they are gone, they’re gone. The parts that remain are, as you would imagine, incredibly expensive and there’s no telling that they could last very long.
Not only that, but they can be difficult to fit and have a tendency to not handle larger lands or heavy upgrades very well.
We have heard tales of third-party options but it never ends well. That’s why it’s become such a common upgrade for many 100 series Cruiser owners to remove their AHC system and have it replaced by something more reliable.
AHC replacement options
The most common option is to remove the AHC and replace it with a more traditional suspension system of coil springs and shocks.
You’ll lose a little of the adjustability, which could be a deal-breaker for those that have become accustomed to it, but what you’ll gain in reliability.
It’s a time-consuming job to remove everything but you can always sell the components on if they are working reasonably well and put the money towards your new suspension rig.
Once the system has been removed there is a world of options that should open up to you, from factory springs and shocks to upgrade kits that provide extra lift and improved handling.
The Terrain Tamer Suspension Pro Kit is just one of those options and offers a complete suspension package that’s not only easy to fit but incredibly durable.
Old Man Emu also offers a replacement rig that offers incredible ride quality for the price. Whatever you choose though, it’s an upgrade that will ensure you have years – even decades more time with your pride and joy.
Image: Art Konovalov / Shutterstock.com
