14 Tahoe ZW7 suspension

I was trying to figure out what shocks and struts to order for my 14 LT Tahoe. The RPO codes say it has the ZW7 suspension. There are no wires going to the front struts and nothing hooked up to the rear shocks. So is it truly a ZW7 suspension? Everything looks stock.

From what I understand...... ZW7: Premium Smooth Ride suspension, using conventional shocks in the front and self-leveling Nivomat shocks in the rear.

Other folks on the Forum more knowledgeable than me on the ZW7 suspension will chime in.

ECaseyP said:

I was trying to figure out what shocks and struts to order for my 14 LT Tahoe. The RPO codes say it has the ZW7 suspension. There are no wires going to the front struts and nothing hooked up to the rear shocks. So is it truly a ZW7 suspension? Everything looks stock.

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Check your RPO Sheet for the 6XX and 7XX codes, then plug your VIN in here and have a look to see what the front struts are:


I caution against purchasing pre-assembled struts assemblies, they do not perform the same or last as long. If you are apt to rebuild the struts, use all new GM OE parts.

If your truck is a Z71, she'll have Rancho shocks.

Joseph Garcia said:

From what I understand...... ZW7: Premium Smooth Ride suspension, using conventional shocks in the front and self-leveling Nivomat shocks in the rear.

Other folks on the Forum more knowledgeable than me on the ZW7 suspension will chime in.

Click to expand...

Hey Joe, in our generation the Nivomats were only used in 2007. After that just dumb shocks.

swathdiver said:

Check your RPO Sheet for the 6XX and 7XX codes, then plug your VIN in here and have a look to see what the front struts are:

https://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/acesCat.php

I caution against purchasing pre-assembled struts assemblies, they do not perform the same or last as long. If you are apt to rebuild the struts, use all new GM OE parts.

If your truck is a Z71, she'll have Rancho shocks.

Click to expand...

The day I posted this I stopped by the parts store and got new struts and shocks for it. I went with KYB gas-a-just strut assemblies and rear shocks. It rides way better than it did when I bought it. I could have save a little more money and just got the strut shocks and reinstalled the springs, but I didn't feel like fighting with all of that. I was a mechanic for 20 years (mainly diesel) and I really don't enjoy fooling with stuff like that anymore. I guess I got soft when I changed careers last year.

I guess I knocked an ABS sensor loose because now my ABS light is on. I think it's the passenger rear sensor wire. I'll probably crawl under it this evening and see if that is the problem. I know there was a loose pigtail but I didn't try to figure out where it went. We'll see if guess.

ECaseyP said:

The day I posted this I stopped by the parts store and got new struts and shocks for it. I went with KYB gas-a-just strut assemblies and rear shocks. It rides way better than it did when I bought it. I could have save a little more money and just got the strut shocks and reinstalled the springs, but I didn't feel like fighting with all of that. I was a mechanic for 20 years (mainly diesel) and I really don't enjoy fooling with stuff like that anymore. I guess I got soft when I changed careers last year.

I guess I knocked an ABS sensor loose because now my ABS light is on. I think it's the passenger rear sensor wire. I'll probably crawl under it this evening and see if that is the problem. I know there was a loose pigtail but I didn't try to figure out where it went. We'll see if guess.

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The ABS sensor bolts onto the top of the axle tube and then connects up along the frame, you'll find it. It's all in the area where the shock attaches to both ends.

Sure enough it was an unplugged sensor on the right rear on top of the frame. Right where you have to go over the top of the frame for the top shock bolt. Plugged it in and the lights went out.

ECaseyP said:

Sure enough it was an unplugged sensor on the right rear on top of the frame. Right where you have to go over the top of the frame for the top shock bolt. Plugged it in and the lights went out.

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This is such a common issue when replacing rear shocks am that Arnott actually puts a little flyer in the box with their air shocks telling you to double check the connection.

ECaseyP said:

I was trying to figure out what shocks and struts to order for my 14 LT Tahoe. The RPO codes say it has the ZW7 suspension. There are no wires going to the front struts and nothing hooked up to the rear shocks. So is it truly a ZW7 suspension? Everything looks stock.

Click to expand...

I have the same RPO ZW7 suspension on my 2005 Tahoe. I purchased it new and now have 185,000 miles on it. There are no wires nor air lines going to either my front of rear shocks. There are no springs or struts in the front end, but the rear shocks are the Nivomat type which are much larger than the standard shocks without the ZW7 option. I recently replaced all four tires and about a month after driving on them, I started to notice a rather severe bounce seemingly coming from the driver's side front. I purchased replacement front shocks on line, installed them, and found little or no improvement from the bounce. I also purchased new front sway bar links and bushings, and front sway bar to frame clamps and bushings, but haven't yet installed those additional parts. I also purchased rear shocks and that's where I learned the ones I purchased were for standard Tahoe without the RW7 option. Those RW7 shocks for the RW7 option are about $7-800 dollars a pair, which is a lot of money to invest in this old Tahoe. I'm not sure my reply helps you, but some other member might come up with something that helps me resolve my problem.

@WayneY Look at your RPO codes -- is there a G65? If there is, that's what shows that the rear OE shocks were manual self-leveling Nivomats. The ZW7 by itself does not. (From what I've seen here not all ZW7 Premium Smooth Ride SUVs of your year had them.)

Your severe bounce on the front could be caused by not having the front jounce stops contacting the lower control arms at ride height. Check to see their condition. That contact is a fulcrum point in the front suspension.

Here's a picture of a jounce stop NOT contacting the lower control arm, which is NOT what your suspension needs to work correctly.



There were a couple of members with used Nivomats for sale; if you're interested reply to this post and we'll find them for you.