tarvos

Just wanted to add this exact same setup works on our 2007 2.4 NH10 - that is, VGate iCar Pro BLE 4.0 ("ELM327 v2.3" using ELM327 Identifier app), Torque Pro, and the init string in the OP. The (free) Car Scanner app also works but it takes a lot longer to cycle through a pile of protocols (I haven't found, or looked hard enough for, a way to put the init string in that app yet).

Just to wrap this one up, it was a combination of a bad steering rack (presume sticky/stuck valve) and a bad alignment. Local Kwik Fit still haven't managed to find the NH10 and I hadn't spotted the comment on the linked thread about about giving KF Kings Heath a call beforehand, so it was still set up as a 20 but sorted now. The previous dodgy caster measurements were, I think, an artifact of the off-centre steering wheel. There's virtually nothing between them now it's driving dead straight, and clearly they wouldn't have moved with just a rack change and (not sketchy) realignment.

Does anyone reading this happen to have a source for the King Pin Inclination / Steering Axis Inclination spec for the ANH10 and the ANH20? It is not listed on jltechno.com, or anywhere else I care to search (briefly, anyway!). Having no luck finding an alignment shop with ANH10 in their database, but maybe we're not trying hard enough... Can use the JLTechno specs for ANH10 but the calculated caster angle is going to be wrong if the KPI/SAI isn't known. Thanks in advance

I've checked underneath with the Mrs on steering wheel duty and whilst there's nothing obvious moving around on the lower arm bushes, the steering rack is moving probably 5mm, maybe more, each direction (10mm ish total movement). Is that normal? Seems a hell of a lot to me but I am used to much smaller sportier things, and this is a barge by comparison...

Yes, also the 1° difference in caster left to right is about a 12mm difference in either the top mount or lower ball joint position (sin(1°)*700mm-ish). This should be very obvious if it were crash damage, and I'm yet to spot any...

Good point, we got a CarVX before we accepted the vehicle and then I promptly forgot about it. I've checked back and yes it's good. Well - no report of a "collision", whatever that means...I imagine you could clonk it off a kerb, not tell anyone, replace the wheels and CarVX would be none the wiser...? ( Thanks for the link to Amayama, bookmarked 👍

Thanks, that's useful to know. I've done a rudimentary hand check of the suspension up on a lift but it was just that, not a proper load. I'll get the Mrs to turn the handwheel around while I'm underneath as it's up on ramps at the front at the moment. I don't have a racing setup, looks dead stock. I do wonder if the 10 and 20 are different chassis whether it's subtle and someone can fit the wrong bit and have a "mostly OK" car that does weird stuff like this?? It's a fresh import so service history is in Japanese and I haven't tried to translate any of it yet. One more question now it occurs to me: Does anyone know of reference measurements for the subframe that I can try to get a tape measure over while it's up on the ramps, just to rule out an obvious bend in this? (will check the bushes first, but as a plan B...)

Hi all, We’ve got odd steering issues on our 07 (ANH10) Alphard, using the forum to get my thoughts straight and bounce ideas around if you have them: Pulls left Asymmetric effort left (easy, keen to turn) and right (heavy, sluggish to turn) Steering wheel off to the right when driving straight. We only recently got hold of it and the importer/converter has taken it to two alignment places to try and rectify it without solving the issue. The last (Kwik Fit) report showed: Reasonable toe (0.09° total toe-in front and 0.15° total toe-in rear) and camber OK, neutral steering (allegedly with handwheel straight..) Different Caster angles of 2.04° and 3.01° Left/Right which are potentially a concern What’s odd is that I would expect the difference in caster (more on the right), coupled with toe-in, to pull right and lighter steering going right, i.e. the exact opposite of what we’re experiencing (hence “odd” steering issue) Have also already checked for and ruled out: Obvious damage/wear to all four corners Tyre problem (it has 4 new Michelins all within 1psi) Sticking brake (no excessive heat in any brake after straight motorway run) I can measure ~5mm difference between subframe bolts and lower ball joint bolts left-to-right so I think this supports there being an alignment issue. Questions I have for the forum are: Can you folks confirm that ANH10 and ANH20 Alphards are a different chassis? I am asking as: Kwik Fit wrongly selected an ANH20 as the reference vehicle when they did the alignment. I’m not sure this is of much consequence, but obviously not a great start. Regarding specs I’ve browsed the forum and see there seems to be some trust in jltechno.com e.g. here and here show different values for 10 and 20. Pure speculation but perhaps the wrong chassis parts have been fitted to our van in the past. Am I correct that there is no caster adjustment on the ANH10? There is nothing obvious, but I am also seeing aftermarket offset rear lower arm bushes, and am wondering why… I am on the south coast between Southampton and Portsmouth, can anyone recommend an alignment place that knows what they are doing with these vans down here? Might even need to corner-weight it to rule out having the wrong spring in one corner, and other dumb potential problems like that… Anyone had anything similar and can report if/how they solved it? In general the van is in great condition and I seriously doubt it’s been in an accident, but it could have been kerbed hard, not ruled that out… Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Interesting thanks, I guess this isn't the thread to go deep on this but I'm intrigued how you arrived at that number?

I'm interested in GVW simply because a higher payload would make a more useful/valuable vehicle. Especially if doing a camper conversion (we are not going the whole hog, but thinking about resale value etc.). We're intending to fit a tow bar (which seems to have been covered on here before e.g. here) and although I've not dived into that part of the build yet it sounds like the combination weight limit may be limited to the GVW of the vehicle, so it potentially really does matter a lot - there's a 355kg difference in the lightest and heaviest GVW's I've been able to find for the ANH10. As it happens, looking at the other post I linked to, the 8 seater has got a 55kg higher GVW/payload (same Kerb weight as the 7) but, as that post says, this is just the weight of an extra person so it sounds like it's not saying anything about the chassis. It's also not necessarily anything to do with what is stamped on the chassis plate. The chassis plate is presumably what the legal weights would be based on in the UK. Also interesting that it might not be stamped with anything at all e.g. here

On the first point I've now found the info at the post below, that does show a different GVW for the 8 seater but as was said in that post Toyota just added 8 people not 7 people to the kerb weight to get the "GVW" https://uk.alphardclub.com/forums/topic/557-alphard-specs-a-minefield/?do=findComment&comment=2141 According to the below link the 7 seater had a GVW of 2520kg. No evidence I can find of a similar page for the 8 seater. https://toyota.dreamhosters.com/pages/alphard/spec.php For interest sake the Previa 7 and 8 seater have same GVW (just swap previa in for alphard in the URL above)

Afternoon all No real question in here, just doing some thinking in public, pulling together some other posts into one place and opening it up for anyone with more experience to chime in/peck at my logic... I had a chat with an aftermarket wheel supplier today who was recommending 690kg rated wheels. This sounded low as I was expecting van-like axle weights, but after looking into it, I think it's actually pretty sane figure and opens up a range of decent wheel (and tyre!) options. So I want to know the axle limits to a reasonable degree of accuracy. I don't have sight of our van yet but judging by the confusion I doubt the gross axle weights are conveniently displayed on a sticker on the van... Looking over here is info that the Alphard ANH10 came in trims up to 2430kg GVW. As that post says, all Toyota seemed to have done is add 7 or 8 passengers to get to the GVW which, I agree, seems silly, so I presume the real GVW is north of 2430kg. Potentially 2520kg from here, so will assume that. I've struggled to find any information on weight distribution anywhere online. Finger in-the-air perhaps the FWD version is 50% on the front at the 1780kg kerb weight (2.4 7 seat). Then let's say the 740kg payload of fuel, people, luggage and pets goes 2/3 on the back axle that puts it at about 1383kg on the back or 692kg per rear wheel. I think this is a conservative guess as I'd expect it to start more front-biased at Kerb condition. I also have zero worry I might accidentally put over 740kg in it 😅. So, in short, 690kg rated wheels seem like a go-er for us 🥳 I have been told I need 101 rated XL tyres by the importer/converter (825kg!!). Maybe this is a misconception or perhaps it just makes more sense with a full camper conversion riding along (we are not having a full conversion). Looking at the export photos our bus has 101V tyres on it but clearly not original. Sounds like the forum is collectively the same hymn sheet that 95-97 rated tyres are fine e.g. here As I said up top feel free to chime in otherwise just leaving this here for the record. If I can get our van on some scales I will post back with that info. Cheers

hi, aware this is an old post but the link that @John Hollis kindly provided above appears to be dead these days and redirects to a news site. I found the right info starting at the slightly shorter URL of https://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/vehicle_lineage/family_tree/index.html which ultimately led me to the same data posted above. Thanks - great post.

Hi all, I've already seen threads here and here but have some questions remaining: Are the 7 and 8 seat Alphards different in anything other than the interior from factory? We've not fully committed to our van just yet and in particular I'm wondering if I'm getting a lower GVW van with a 7 seat interior? (The export cert has a box at the top with "2400" in it that *might* be GVW). I know this seems to be a tricky question to answer having browsed around on this topic too... Has anyone does this and had any issue with insurance? Practically speaking there's no issue IMO - but from the insurers perspective it's a seating (safety) modification from the stock van so I presumably need to declare it... I've not started asking around yet, just looking for any good/bad experiences... If any converters are reading this and have a decent grey/black 8 seat cloth interior, carpet, rails etc. etc. for sale please feel free to DM me Thanks in advance

Hi everyone! Our ANH10 will be arriving soon, so thought I'd post up and say hi! For anyone that cares to poke holes in the plan, it is something like: Currently it's a 7 seat interior but planning to convert to an 8 seater if/when a decent set of grey/black cloth seats, rails and carpet comes up. Cleaning and underseal/wax on the underside ASAP Having a part camper conversion done by the importer (poptop/electrics): CarVX seen and recalls have been sorted in Japan Planning to get some aftermarket wheels for it, have some questions but will post those elsewhere Cheers!