Z55 rebuild or bilsteins

I’ve read just about everything I can on z55 suspension and still cannot decide if I should go with a stock rebuild (or arnott) or buy some bilstein 5160 resi shocks for the rear.

I’d love to hear from anybody that has gone the delete route and if you regret it or are happy with it.

Current issue is the bags out back are not holding air and the compressor is dead. Arnott 2708 electronic replacements are $250 each at rock and dorman compressor is $200 or so.

Bilstein 5160 reservoir shocks are $500 for the pair out back and I can just get helper bags for heavier loads (probably new springs too).

Pricing comes out to about the same but might end up cheaper in the long run with the “dumb” shock route.


Side note, can I keep the leveling sensors and hook a stock compressor up to helper bags?

A few thoughts:

1) Your rig was designed with stock suspension for safety as well as ride quality and load handling.

2) Your stock system lasted how long?

3) If you go with passive shocks you need to replace the springs. Stock Z55 springs are softer. I found this out the hard way before switching back to stock.

4) If cost is comparable and you’d have to add helper bags this is an easy call. Arnott has a lifetime warranty so you’ll never buy rear shocks again.

^^^^^x2^^^^^ in my opinion.

This Forum is FULL of threads covering this exact topic, and there are good justifications for going either way. At the end of the day, the choice is yours.

BUT, as @Big Mama stated above, if you go the passive shocks route, you will need to change your rear springs to the non-Z55 specification.

I did state I’d be doing springs with bilsteins. My concern with new oem rebuilds (arnotts) are other things going out within the system and being nickel and dimed.

The basic arnotts with airbags I assume just aren’t as good as a bilstein 5100 series. I don’t see going that route. It’s either electronic replacements or a higher (low) end shock.

I’ve seen discussion about this but haven’t actually seen people go the route I speak of.

Search 88mph on the forum

petethepug said:

I’m pushing 180k+ on the original suspension in my 09 Esky. Here’s a list of parts you need to rebuild the z55 front struts w/ OEM, guaranteed for life GM struts and the ancillaries. It’s $1.2k.

If you want want to replace all the bushings and control arms with steel or aluminum, it’s another 2-$3h more.

Aluminum / XFE NNBS Front Suspension Rebuild

It's front-end refresh time. I'm fast approaching 180K miles on our 09 Esky ESV. It has the original everything on the suspension. The front sway bar bushings have been replaced with poly recently because they were ready to disintegrate. While looking around at parts I saw that aluminum upper...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Here’s the list of all the part #’s from RockAuto. You’d need z55 struts for the Denali. Z95 for the Esky are listed below

View attachment 429586View attachment 429587

You’ve only got to do it once the right way with a lifetime guarantee on factory struts. Jerry-rigging parts and sensors for an economy ride means you’ll be doing it again & again and have your top speed limited to 88mph or override the stability system at your own risk.

Click to expand...

petethepug said:

Search 88mph on the forum

Click to expand...

I’m currently talking about the rears since all of my dampers are actually functional, just the bags have torn.

I’m referring to the rears if your truck has z55 autoride.

petethepug said:

I’m referring to the rears if your truck has z55 autoride.

Click to expand...

I’m confused then because your linked thread is all about the front end.

why not just buy oem replacement shocks off rock auto? mine were like 300 each, my compressor still works, but a new one is what? 200?

i vote just fix it and be done with it. best of both worlds. it rides stock, about the best it's going to. can pump up for load and the rest of the active handling stuff is all calibrated for it.

I don't see why people buy the arnotts or rebuilds whatever that is?


I do have z95 not z55 thou. but seems about the same just a slightly different/older technology.

j91z28d1 said:

why not just buy oem replacement shocks off rock auto? mine were like 300 each, my compressor still works, but a new one is what? 200?

i vote just fix it and be done with it. best of both worlds. it rides stock, about the best it's going to. can pump up for load and the rest of the active handling stuff is all calibrated for it.

I don't see why people buy the arnotts or rebuilds whatever that is?


I do have z95 not z55 thou. but seems about the same just a slightly different/older technology.

Click to expand...

Z55 is similar but electronically controlled.

One reason I’m mulling it over is that I may want to lower it in the future. I miss having a low nnbs hoe. It simplifies it quite a bit.