The GX air suspension has normal, low & high modes. Are these a gimmick for "loading/unloading" groceries and overcoming a tall obstacle at low speeds, or can all heights operate at highway speeds? Thx!

No. when speed exceed 35mph (or so) it will automatically drop (or rise) to normal position. The rear air suspension are mainly for the purpose of auto leveling. Also to keep in mind, since GX has the rear solid axle and suspension is above the axle, regardless of setting, the ground clearance will stay the same under the axle.

Correction and thanks to @ASE : the correct term should be rear height control, not suspension.

The GX460 does not have suspension height adjustment ... it simply has (if an option) rear air bags (versus springs) to compensate for towing tongue weight or for the vehicle cargo area being fully loaded. It is a rear leveling feature to eliminate rear-end sag ... nothing more. It does not change ground clearance ... that is fixed and determined by the size (radius) of the tires.

It's not a matter of if the air bags / air springs leak, it's when. My right one is leaking and leading aggressively bottoming out and the compressor running basically all the time.

I ordered some Timbren bump stops for the rears.

OEM air springs are $818 a piece now. The Arnotts are also ridiculously expensive now as well, and after hearing a bunch of bad reviews on the Arnotts about them being stiffer and not as good as OEM, I went with Suncore air springs for $138 for the pair.

I wish there were more reviews on the Westar brand air springs. It's very likely they could be better than Arnott, but IDK.

Once it warms up, will be doing brakes along with the bump stops and air bags.

At what point should I be looking to replace the shocks? Are most people on original shocks?

Hi,

I am facing exact same issue, bouncy ride after air springs replacement. It's been a while but how was the bouncing issue resolved in your case?

Thanks!

Hi, i am facing exactly same issue. I have replaced air springs and air compressor and ride is bumpy now. I replaced with original OEM air springs and air compressor.
Reading your reply ring the bells regarding callibration. How to perform calibration after replacing air springs?
I record my ride from rear to see for any issues: I can see the shocks working fine but it feels as the the air springs are inflated and do not release air while driving and stay stiff as rock. Are they meant to work like this? Or they should release air on bumps to make it soft?
Please help me solve this problem, I have already spent a fortune on replacing air springs and compressor
Thanks

Hi,
I am wondering how the air suspension works in GX models. There are two possibilities I can think of:
1. Air springs are there to only adjust the height of the vehicle and they have nothing to do with absorbing shocks. If there is a bump on the road, the air springs remain inflated and the shocks absorbers (not air springs) handle the thing.
2. Air springs give support to shock absorbers and release the air when car hits on a bump to make the ride smooth. And later the air compressor fill the air back to the air springs.

Which one of these is true? Or both are not correct?
I want to understand the mechanism of the air springs.

Height sensors trigger the air springs to either inflate or deflate to level the vehicle. They do not release air going over bumps, and act like a typical coil spring during normal driving operations. The factory service manual states what is an acceptable range of height for the rear when on level ground. You might want to ensure your height sensors are working correctly, as it sounds like you replaced parts w/o knowing what the actual problem was and after replacing the parts the problem remains.

Sorry, my comment is no help. But still I am so glad I removed that system on both my GX’s. Never looked back again.

The actual issue was the air spring had a hairline leakage, while driving, the ride was getting lower down. After getting those replaced, it no longer lowering down on its own (until i make it lower using height control switch). Now after replacement of air springs, I feel stiffness on the road. Even though in the video which i recorded and shared above, the shocks seems to be working perfectly, At the same time, I was experiencing even small bumps on the road which i usually don't feel in my other honda crv on the same road patch. Which makes me wonder, what is wrong with my GX.

The luxury trim of the GX has the adaptive variable air suspension where the premium has no air suspension. Is this an issue with reliability or is that system pretty well made? I've seen air suspension in other vehicles and they haven't been that great.

You are mixing things up ... Rear Air Bags (for load leveling) ... and Adaptive Variable Suspension (the Shocks) ... are two completely different things. Yes ... the Luxury trim has both.

Here is a video on the GX470 air suspension but this applies to the GX460 as well.


Bottom line is eventually the air springs will need replacement. They are not cheap if you stick with OEM parts. I have a GX460 and the previous owner replace the springs at 110k miles.

On the AVS, the system is reliable however you are limited on the availability of replacement shocks and struts when you get to that point. There are threads here discussing KYB replacements. Note the OEM shocks are made by KYB.

Lexus/Toyota has been using air springs for close to 20 years on a variety of vehicles. If there were major issues the internet would know about it. I personally chose the Luxury because it has the air springs, and tows heavier loads MUCH better then coil springs with helper air bags. There are a few aftermarket companies that make replacement air springs as well, or if you really get into trouble a coil conversion is cheap and easy.