Air Ride Conversion Kits

[Brian750]

I’m looking to replace front and rear air ride on my 08 LTZ. I’ve looked at the ARNOTT and STRUTMASTER kits that both come with new front struts and springs for rear from what I can tell along with the module to turn off the air ride service message. Just wanting pros and cons and which kit everyone would recommend if it has been installed on your vehicle. Stealer ship wants $599 for just one OEM replacement air ride strut. Figuring for just a couple more hundred I could do away with it all and have all new parts on all four corners of my Tahoe.
Thanks for any info everyone is willing to provide.

 

[iamdub]

I’m looking to replace front and rear air ride on my 08 LTZ. I’ve looked at the ARNOTT and STRUTMASTER kits that both come with new front struts and springs for rear from what I can tell along with the module to turn off the air ride service message. Just wanting pros and cons and which kit everyone would recommend if it has been installed on your vehicle. Stealer ship wants $599 for just one OEM replacement air ride strut. Figuring for just a couple more hundred I could do away with it all and have all new parts on all four corners of my Tahoe.
Thanks for any info everyone is willing to provide.

Yours as air in the front?

The bottom line is you can use whatever inactive struts and shocks you wanna use. You can disable the air part ("Auto-Leveling Control") by disconnecting the battery, removing a couple of fuses, then reconnecting the battery. For the electronic damping ("AutoRide"), you just need some 25W 3.9 ohm aluminum shell resistors wired in at each corner. You can get a pack of 5 off Amazon for $10. Those "modules" are just a resistor in a box or built inside the shock.

My rear air shocks were blown and I was lowering mine anyway, so I used standard, inactive struts and shocks soldered in those resistors. 3+ years and ~25K miles with no problems.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

If you remove the auto ride, you will need to consider replacing the rear springs with OEM non-autoride springs, as the autoride springs are weaker and rely on the air component of the rear shocks to provide the total lift.

 

[Geotrash]

I’m looking to replace front and rear air ride on my 08 LTZ. I’ve looked at the ARNOTT and STRUTMASTER kits that both come with new front struts and springs for rear from what I can tell along with the module to turn off the air ride service message. Just wanting pros and cons and which kit everyone would recommend if it has been installed on your vehicle. Stealer ship wants $599 for just one OEM replacement air ride strut. Figuring for just a couple more hundred I could do away with it all and have all new parts on all four corners of my Tahoe.
Thanks for any info everyone is willing to provide.

Rock Auto has the best prices on replacement OEM shocks by far, at about $250 per corner.

I'm a fan of the factory parts. It's a sophisticated system that's remarkably reliable and provides the best ride of any full-sized vehicle I've ever driven. Replace them once and you'll likely never have to replace them again for the rest of the vehicle's life.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

^^x2^^ When I purchased my new to me 07 Yukon XL Denali, the previous owner had scrapped the Z55 suspension and installed passive struts in the front and coil over shocks in the rear. I converted back to the Z55 suspension, and I can personally tell you that the Z55 suspension ride is far better than the passive suspension. Just my opinion.

 

[Fulltiltboogie]

^^x2^^ When I purchased my new to me 07 Yukon XL Denali, the previous owner had scrapped the Z55 suspension and installed passive struts in the front and coil over shocks in the rear. I converted back to the Z55 suspension, and I can personally tell you that the Z55 suspension ride is far better than the passive suspension. Just my opinion.

Z95 is air leveling?? Z55 is magnetic??
Please see there’s question marks behind both of those because I am asking.. I have 07 denali.. I replaced compressor once years ago.. and this year my rear shocks were leaking.. I purchased passive conversion fronts and rear/spring assist with the resistors… it seemed the spade connectors that came with are huge.. I have lights on ‍‍Service suspension light/ active handling off/ abs! I’m seriously thinking or soldering on jumpers and bullet connectors.. anyone else have the issue with still having lights on. I’m going to try it either way.. but looking to see if anyone else had same issues.. fixes??
Thank you

 

[Fulltiltboogie]

Yours as air in the front?

The bottom line is you can use whatever inactive struts and shocks you wanna use. You can disable the air part ("Auto-Leveling Control") by disconnecting the battery, removing a couple of fuses, then reconnecting the battery. For the electronic damping ("AutoRide"), you just need some 25W 3.9 ohm aluminum shell resistors wired in at each corner. You can get a pack of 5 off Amazon for $10. Those "modules" are just a resistor in a box or built inside the shock.

My rear air shocks were blown and I was lowering mine anyway, so I used standard, inactive struts and shocks soldered in those resistors. 3+ years and ~25K miles with no problems.

I didn’t remove any fuses.. on my 07 denali.. but I did wire in the resistors.
I get service suspension system/traction control off/ active handling/and abs lights.. disconnect battery and remove all fuses marked ALC?? Thank you for any help

 

[iamdub]

Z95 is air leveling?? Z55 is magnetic??
Please see there’s question marks behind both of those because I am asking.. I have 07 denali.. I replaced compressor once years ago.. and this year my rear shocks were leaking.. I purchased passive conversion fronts and rear/spring assist with the resistors… it seemed the spade connectors that came with are huge.. I have lights on ‍‍Service suspension light/ active handling off/ abs! I’m seriously thinking or soldering on jumpers and bullet connectors.. anyone else have the issue with still having lights on. I’m going to try it either way.. but looking to see if anyone else had same issues.. fixes??
Thank you

I didn’t remove any fuses.. on my 07 denali.. but I did wire in the resistors.
I get service suspension system/traction control off/ active handling/and abs lights.. disconnect battery and remove all fuses marked ALC?? Thank you for any help

First off- check the wire harness connectors on the tops of the frame rails right next to the upper shock bolts (rear). There's a plug that is very easily knocked loose when a socket is turning that upper shock bolt. Or nut- whatever it is. Reach up there and press the halves together to ensure it's locked together.