Just got a set of used air shocks for my 04 LS. I need instructions for replacing the front air shocks. The job looks very straight forward but don't want any surprise. Things like: do I need to bleed the air off the old shocks or unplug the battery or remove the air suspension fuse before attempting to remove the old shocks. Thanks in advance.

 

You must remove the fuse for the compressor if you raise the car with the wheels off the ground.
In my opinion, you will be much safer to disconnect the battery.

 

It doesn't hurt to be cautious by disconnecting the battery (in which case, no need to remove fuse), although the Lexus shop manual did not mention it.

Here are steps:
1. Raise vehicle and remove front wheels.
2. Remove front shock absorber cap
3. Remove absorber control actuator: Disconnect electrical connector, rotate actuator counter-clockwise by 40 deg. and remove upward.
4. Separate front stabilizer link
5. Disconnect air tube from pneumatic front shock absorber cylinder assy.
6. Remove front shock absorber lower nut (leave bolt in place for now)
7. Remove 3 front shock absorber upper nuts and compress the shock slowly to clear the top mount.
8. Remove front shock absorber lower bolt and remove shock

Torque spec for re-installation:
1. 3 front shock absorber upper nuts: 43 ft.lbf
2. Front stabilizer link: 41 ft.lbf
3. 3 front shock absorber cap nuts: 43 ft.lbf
4. Front shock absorber lower nut: 116 ft.lbf
5. Front wheel lug nuts: 76 ft.lbf

 

I used a ratchet strap to compress the shock.

 

Pulling the fuse for the compressor is applicable to either replacing the air shocks with regular ones or turning the car on while the air shocks are off the ground on the lift. Pulling the negative on the battery is usually recommended when doing electrical work but I have found that disconnecting electrical connections with a good connector has never been an issue.

Mods, can we add a link in the diy for the technical instructions? Good stuff. Thanks RKW.

 

Sure, this thread or is there another one?

 

Well, this has the instructions for replacing the air shocks with factory air shocks. Not swapping them for springs or coilovers. Which deserves a link too. I don't remember seeing the instructions for this before. Especially the torque specs.

 

Thanks everyone for their input especially rkw77080 for the step by step instructions however without an air compressor I just wasn't able to losen the bolt that connects the lca to the shock. I was also replacing the whole lca. I'm getting too old to be weekend mechanic. I will have my friend's shop do the job. Nevertheless I did replaced the rear brakes, front and rear stabalizer bar links. I must say replacing the rear brakes was an easy diy since I didn't need to replace the disks.

 

Yeah, you need to get a breaker bar maybe. It's really important to get the torque right on the suspension parts when reinstalling. They will loosen and move around if you don't.

 

added to faq, thanks for the suggestion!
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...iy-thread.html

 

I took my car to my friend's shop to replace the front air shock however my replacement air shock is not raising meaning air isn't pumping into the shock. What could be the cause. We double check everything twice. I'll bring the other front shock and see it that will work or put the original back to see if it works. In the meantime can someone give some suggestion.

 

Maybe the height sensor is out of wack? Does the compressor kick on, like when you put it in high mode?

 

It does nothing. My front bumper almost touches the ground. The shop is closed. Does the shock need to be sync with something. Any suggestion I'll try tomorrow.

 

Pull the negative tomorrow. Do a soft reset if you have not yet. I don't remember seeing anything in my Techstream about air suspension calibration. There are no settings for height or anything. It's all done at the sensors at each wheel. Sounds like for whatever reason the compressor is not turning on. At least not pumping the front. It does control the front and back separately. Check the compressor and height sensors. Car has to be running to compress air.

 

I didn't get much of a chance to mess around since I got there late and they were near closing. I'll take a day off tomorrow to mess around with a little more. Lavrishevo thanks for your input.