Best option for replacing stock shocks

[Sasquatch]

When i got rid of the autoride on my yukon i used billstein 5100`s and left the springs alone. If you haul a lot of weight or tow a large trailer i would change the springs but you`ll be fine with the stock ones if you don`t.

Every other week i travel to my property 150 miles from home and i always have 300+ pounds of dogs and about 3-400 pounds of other stuff on top of towing my 6x12 trailer with a 1200 pound yamaha rhino on it. It sags a little but there is still about three inches between the tire and wheel arches. I always hated how high my yukon sat with the autoride in the back and with the stock springs and the 5100`s it only sits slightly higher in the back and in my opinion looks much better.

 

[Brewcity]

When i got rid of the autoride on my yukon i used billstein 5100`s and left the springs alone. If you haul a lot of weight or tow a large trailer i would change the springs but you`ll be fine with the stock ones if you don`t.

Every other week i travel to my property 150 miles from home and i always have 300+ pounds of dogs and about 3-400 pounds of other stuff on top of towing my 6x12 trailer with a 1200 pound yamaha rhino on it. It sags a little but there is still about three inches between the tire and wheel arches. I always hated how high my yukon sat with the autoride in the back and with the stock springs and the 5100`s it only sits slightly higher in the back and in my opinion looks much better.

Huh...very interesting. Thanks so much for the reply!

 

[Sasquatch]

There`s another option if you`re not happy leaving the stock springs in there. You can get these air bags that install inside the coil springs. This was going to be my option if what i carry was too much weight.

https://www.suspensionconnection.com/60769-yukon-xl-air-springs.html

 

[Brewcity]

There`s another option if you`re not happy leaving the stock springs in there. You can get these air bags that install inside the coil springs. This was going to be my option if what i carry was too much weight.

https://www.suspensionconnection.com/60769-yukon-xl-air-springs.html

Very cool....thanks so much!

 

[Sasquatch]

You`re welcome.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

There`s another option if you`re not happy leaving the stock springs in there. You can get these air bags that install inside the coil springs. This was going to be my option if what i carry was too much weight.

https://www.suspensionconnection.com/60769-yukon-xl-air-springs.html

That was my plan as well.

I did leave my stock springs when I first replaced my shocks and hated it. I was chasing a sway problem and other handling issues for awhile. Finally decided that the first set of shocks I installed should be replaced, and noticed that in less than a year they were toast. Those were Gabriel MaxControl Monotubes, their "top of the line." I decided to go with the tried and true 4600 bilsteins the second time around and swapped to trimmed moog "z71" springs since i wanted a higher spring rate. Huge improvement. Granted much of that was likely just replacing the crummy gabriel shocks. Anyhow my recommendation would be to replace the springs with the shocks. The price increase is negligible. I think I spent ~$45 on the moog springs on amazon open box. Super easy to install btw... no spring compressor was necessary. I also deleted the spring isolators (rubber pads on either side of the springs) and used some 3/4" rubber hose slipped over the first coil on the springs. That brings the ass end down a touch and doesn't squeak, and I trimmed a coil off of them.

 

[Brewcity]

That was my plan as well.

I did leave my stock springs when I first replaced my shocks and hated it. I was chasing a sway problem and other handling issues for awhile. Finally decided that the first set of shocks I installed should be replaced, and noticed that in less than a year they were toast. Those were Gabriel MaxControl Monotubes, their "top of the line." I decided to go with the tried and true 4600 bilsteins the second time around and swapped to trimmed moog "z71" springs since i wanted a higher spring rate. Huge improvement. Granted much of that was likely just replacing the crummy gabriel shocks. Anyhow my recommendation would be to replace the springs with the shocks. The price increase is negligible. I think I spent ~$45 on the moog springs on amazon open box. Super easy to install btw... no spring compressor was necessary. I also deleted the spring isolators (rubber pads on either side of the springs) and used some 3/4" rubber hose slipped over the first coil on the springs. That brings the ass end down a touch and doesn't squeak, and I trimmed a coil off of them.

Very cool...thanks for the reply! I really appreciate it.
I will order the Moog springs with the 4600 shocks, and report back as to the difference.
Thanks again to everyone!! Your a HUGE help!!!

 

[Storz]

Been driving on the Rancho/Moog combo now for a couple weeks, here in SE Michigan on our terrible roads and have to say I am pretty impressed. I am sure the Bilsteins are better, but for the money the Ranchos are pretty nice!

 

[01ssreda4]

Yeah if you have the auto ride suspension you'll want to do the springs as well. The stock springs are really soft as they rely on the auto ride shocks for support. Moog 81071 is the non Z71 spring

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

Thats was not my experience. Air ride was busted on mine when I bought it and towed a ton of times including my car hauler with zero issues. I would not replace springs until I tried the stockers first. It did not sag at all in the back, I felt the stock springs were fairly firm.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Thats was not my experience. Air ride was busted on mine when I bought it and towed a ton of times including my car hauler with zero issues. I would not replace springs until I tried the stockers first. It did not sag at all in the back, I felt the stock springs were fairly firm.

I'm sure that there is going to be plenty of variance between vehicle suspensions that are 20 years old. Mine had nearly 180k miles and likely the air ride had been blown for a significant amount of time. PO wasn't even aware that the vehicle was equipped with such a thing.

If you are doing the work yourself and your trying to save $ you can run it with the stock springs... they don't take much work to swap out. Seems silly to pay labor for it twice though.

 

[Shock guy]

Lots of great ideas on here.....when I try to open the links they didn't work for me....are the bilstein shocks rebuildable?

 

[pizzle]

i like the idea of the Moog springs and rancho shocks. How are you guys clearing the error code on the dash when you bypass the autoride system

 

[TheAutumnWind]

i like the idea of the Moog springs and rancho shocks. How are you guys clearing the error code on the dash when you bypass the autoride system

unplug the battery. remove the autoride relay. wait 10 mins. plug battery back in.

 

[pizzle]

unplug the battery. remove the autoride relay. wait 10 mins. plug battery back in.

so im currently getting "service ride control" because my compressor is burnt out. It burnt out because I have holes in my air shocks. So if i purchase the rancho shocks and the moog springs install those and the do the autoride relay trick your saying I should be good? No "service ride control" and no more autoride system?

 

[TheAutumnWind]

so im currently getting "service ride control" because my compressor is burnt out. It burnt out because I have holes in my air shocks. So if i purchase the rancho shocks and the moog springs install those and the do the autoride relay trick your saying I should be good? No "service ride control" and no more autoride system?

That was the same situation i was in. Yes thats how it works.

 

[pizzle]

That was the same situation i was in. Yes thats how it works.

what shocks and springs do you use if you dont mind me asking

 

[TheAutumnWind]

what shocks and springs do you use if you dont mind me asking

I was running (no longer have the denali) moog 81069 springs (z71/tow package springs) with two coils trimmed off and bilstein 4600's that are stock replacement for a non autoride suv

moog 81071 springs are standard springs and will ride a bit softer and an inch lower or so than the z71 springs.

 

[pizzle]

I was running (no longer have the denali) moog 81069 springs (z71/tow package springs) with two coils trimmed off and bilstein 4600's that are stock replacement for a non autoride suv

moog 81071 springs are standard springs and will ride a bit softer and an inch lower or so than the z71 springs.

that was just the rear end correct? you trimmed the springs because they made the rear end higher?

 

[pizzle]

I was running (no longer have the denali) moog 81069 springs (z71/tow package springs) with two coils trimmed off and bilstein 4600's that are stock replacement for a non autoride suv

moog 81071 springs are standard springs and will ride a bit softer and an inch lower or so than the z71 springs.

so you were using these?

https://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-Mon...rd_wg=0y4ur&psc=1&refRID=RPTYH8DGWPKDEBYXMAT6

 

[TheAutumnWind]

so you were using these?

https://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-Mon...rd_wg=0y4ur&psc=1&refRID=RPTYH8DGWPKDEBYXMAT6

those are for tacomas, but yes.

Specifically these ones:
http://cart.bilsteinus.com/product/24-143806/68306/RWD