02' Denali L. Rear Srut Boot Leaking

[JoeyMiggs]

Is there any help I can get here for my 2002 Yukon Denali? I just noticed that on the left rear strut, the rubber boot that seals the air ride feature, is leaking air when the compressor kicks on an fills it up. There is a faint hiss coming out of the boot, and I even put my finger on the dry rotted rubber role that has come of it.

I been thinking about getting an Eibach 3" suspension drop kit for it.. but it only includes springs and sway bars.

If I were to replace those struts? Then what is there to replace them? Aftermarket wise? And if it were a drop kit with springs? How do I get the air ride feature to continue working? Do I buy shorter struts? Universal struts? Nitroge filled?

I seen nitrogen filled struts but I do not think they are right.

And what about them air "bags" ? My vehicle is air ride, with no bags?

Do those bags replace the springs if you want them to? Springs are much longer than those bags. I do not get it.

School Me Please.

 

[Max]

You can replace the shocks (they're shocks, not struts. Struts have an integrated coil spring perch) with arnott load leveling shocks off ebay or find some oem shocks to replace them with. I replaced my entire suspension with bilstein shocks and deleted the autoride but if you wish to keep the autoride feature you'll have to procure another stock rear shock that doesn't have a puncture in the ballast. With the 3" eibach coils you can keep the stock shocks though I would recommend using a set of shock extensions and adjusting the autoride links (little metal rods that pivot mounted on the frame and attached to the rear upper control arms) until the compressor kicks on when adding just a slight amount of weight. I used some ballast in my cargo area and adjusted the links until the compressor would barely kick on with the weight in the back, remove the ballast and you should be set at proper length for the sensor links so when weight is added to the rear the system will function as it would stock. Best of luck, be sure to post any further questions you may have as myself and others on here are well versed in these suspensions.

 

[JoeyMiggs]

So the piston like "shock" isn't a strut? I am blowing with the wind here.

I was under the impression the springs a.k.a. coils? - were the shocks.

Now.. Those "shocks" could theoretically be replaced with standard shocks which in turn have no valve nor any sensor on those standard shocks. It would kill the autoride air ride feature, correct?

But I could purchase some other nitrogen filled shocks? Or perhaps any other type of air compressed featured shock, for that matter, at the stock length, and in turn, replace all the "springs, coils" with the Eibach lowering kit.

Thus.. needing to modify the sensor arms, control arms, of the autoride mechanism, to not sensor quit the difference.

One thing I didn't realize is that the front of the vehicle doesn't have that autoride feature.

Could you imagine all this suspension replacement could be done with one simple floor jack and some jack stands? One side of the car at a time?

Also.. If I could find the "sure fit" shocks for front and rear, I would do so.

It would probably be very difficult to make it a manually adjustable autoride system, like air bag hydraulics? That would be cool.

 

[JoeyMiggs]

With the 3" eibach coils you can keep the stock shocks though I would recommend using a set of shock extensions and adjusting the autoride links .

if i were to keep the stock shocks and drop the suspension coils, wouldn't i need to shorten up the length of the shocks so that they would not bottom out? why would i need extensions?

please, if you wish.

 

[JoeyMiggs]

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10070

This here answered many of my questions.