Plug on top of LS400/Celsior Strut

[soupratt]

Hi all,
Well since I couldn't get replacement airbag suspension cheaply (<$1100 AUS each) I bought some second hand (but low km) strut setup from a 1992 Celsior/LS400. 2 of them have a plug at the top and some wires which go into the top of the shock. Is some kind of sensor or stiffness controller for the stock shocks ?? (on the bottom they say KYB and a toyota part number). Then other pair look like stock struts. (got the spring/shock and top plate for all).
I though they would be a straight swap for the airbag but that plug worries me.
Cheers
Andrei

 

[Lextreme II]

If you can transfer the standard shock parts, then u should be able to swap it out.

 

[chimpy]

i may be able to help you out in a few days, i am doing a suspension conversion right now. i am having a bit of a hard time taking off the rotors (rusted on) but they should be off tomorrow. I will then remove the struts...

anyway, the best bet is the stuff at the top is something like, sensors or something. The air lines go into the strutwell from the engine bay (look at the engine from one side of the car, and then look down between the side of the car and the engine, you will see a hose going into the strut well)

Anyway, as i said, ill help you out in a few days.

Oh, alternativly, you dont happen to be in Melbourne do you? You can come around and inspect my car for yourself, while its getting the work done.

 

[soupratt]

If you can transfer the standard shock parts, then u should be able to swap it out.

I am not sure what you mean. I was just wondering what the little plug on top of the non-airbag strut (that I bought to replace the airbag strut) was. The whole suspension setup (spring/shock and top-plate) came as one - straight out of the other car. Just need to pull out my airbags and install this. I hope that is correct ?

 

[soupratt]

I am in Melbourne.
What suspension setup did you get. We absolutely should get together..

i may be able to help you out in a few days, i am doing a suspension conversion right now. i am having a bit of a hard time taking off the rotors (rusted on) but they should be off tomorrow. I will then remove the struts...

anyway, the best bet is the stuff at the top is something like, sensors or something. The air lines go into the strutwell from the engine bay (look at the engine from one side of the car, and then look down between the side of the car and the engine, you will see a hose going into the strut well)

Anyway, as i said, ill help you out in a few days.

Oh, alternativly, you dont happen to be in Melbourne do you? You can come around and inspect my car for yourself, while its getting the work done.

 

[chimpy]

You have PM

 

[Lambo]

hi Soupratt, maybe i can help, the airshock units have a rotary solinoid at the top, it has two slotted things on the underside, one controls the air spring, in other words in the top of the air shock there is a storage space for additional air the actuator turns the shaft to release addtional air from the reserve to increase the sping rate.
The second shaft controls the shock absorber, it sets it to soft/medium/ hard, the replacement units you have are probably similar to the Supra ones have a look at the picture the one on the left is the Supra on the right the Soarer/sc400 both units have the same colour codes for the wiring but the plugs are completley different, so a little modification would be needed i have attached the wiring diagram for the ls400 air system if you need more help just ask, i have spent alot on time researching these shocks etc for my project so hopefully i will have an answer.
Regards
Lambo

 

[soupratt]

Thanks for that. I knew that the airbag suspension setup was adjustable by the motor on top of the strut unit. However, I had not seen (even in the dissasembly diagrams) that the stock spring/shock unit had any wires coming out of it. I will take a picture and post them up as they may be something aftermarket. I will also call the wrecker I bough them from. He assured me the car was a 1992 Celsior which I thought was fully compatible with the 1990 Celsior (which I have). I just wanted to replace my tired airbags with the stock spring/shocks but that plug on top of the spring/shocks made me wonder if there was some kind of sensor. The other reason I wondered if they were aftermarket was that 2 of the shocks (the ones without the plug) have KYB Toyota and I know that LS400/Celsiors used modified KYB shocks OEM. The other 2 shocks don't have anything written on them at all so made me wonder.
Anyways thanks for the info.

hi Soupratt, maybe i can help, the airshock units have a rotary solinoid at the top, it has two slotted things on the underside, one controls the air spring, in other words in the top of the air shock there is a storage space for additional air the actuator turns the shaft to release addtional air from the reserve to increase the sping rate.
The second shaft controls the shock absorber, it sets it to soft/medium/ hard, the replacement units you have are probably similar to the Supra ones have a look at the picture the one on the left is the Supra on the right the Soarer/sc400 both units have the same colour codes for the wiring but the plugs are completley different, so a little modification would be needed i have attached the wiring diagram for the ls400 air system if you need more help just ask, i have spent alot on time researching these shocks etc for my project so hopefully i will have an answer.
Regards
Lambo

 

[soupratt]

Life Is Good !!!!

Just finished installing the front shocks to replace the not so functional airbag.
The installation guide in the tech section was very useful... many thanks LEXTREME.
However I did a couple of small modifications.
As I noted in an earlier post I got a set of second hand Celsior/Ls400 shocks/spings/top-plates. The front shocks were apparently from a non-airbag but TEMS Celsior (so there are adjustable shocks around in the specifications also). Obviously without the controler the shocks will run at default comfort level. The order of installations was
1) Remove wheel
2) Remove airbag plug on top of shock and loosen shock bolts.
3) Undo the air inlet hose (14mm) and let all the air out - if the airbag is fully deflated and the shock free to move easily it makes removing the strut much easier.
4) Remove lower shock bolt (19mm on each side)
5) Remove lower stabiliser bar bolt (near the bottom of the shock) 17mm- It actually helps to have another jack (like a tyre jack) under the suspension setup to stop it sagging when everything is loose
6) Once the shock is compressed (all the air out) it can be easily removed with the upper control arm still in place.
7) I couldn't get the upper control arm bolt out of the lower section - it just wouldn't come off and I did hammer the s...t out of the lower bar. So after a few minutes of panic I though.. Why not remove the whole upper control arm from the car. 2 x 17mm bolts that are not too hard to remove with a torque wrench. That was MUCH easier and just tilt everything forward. If the airbag wasn't removed so far then remove it now/
8 ) Insert the new/used spring strut. Put on the upper screws in the strut but don't tighten them until you fix the lower section of the shock.
9) Replace the stabiliser bar bolt.
10) Replace the upper control arm bolts - You may need to use a spanner if the wrench doesn't fit.
11) Tighten everything and spary with WD40/Silicone spray etc.
12) Wheel goes on.

Drive - MUCH MUCH Better. Like a new car. No shaking of the steering wheel. No instability at high speed.
Going for another drive now !!!