Looking for comments from LTZ/autoride owners with lift/leveling kits

[01Konvict]

You can lift the rear and anything over stock height will mess up the ride height rods. When lifting it will cause the system to not activate to keep level under load. Any height over normal range will give "service suspension" message on dash. You have to get ride height rod extensions to correct the issue. I got 7" lift on my Denali with auto ride so ask me how I know to do it right

 

[dr58dmtp]

Ok, thanks for the replies! So if I leave auto-ride/auto-level in the rear without a spacer it will still work. If I use a spacer, get an extension for the system to work, right?

As far as the magnaride and ride height question, I have not done anything at all yet..Magnaride? I do not think I have that on this year model.

As far as the Ranchos versus Bilstein. I am a bigger fan of Bilstien, but have noticed I get more life out of the Ranchos up front. I think its the environment I drive in. I do run them on my current truck but the past Ranchos held up longer...I will be running the Bilisteins on the rear, just havent decided if the Arrnott/Bilstein autolevel ones or "true" 5100's with the auto-level delete. If I remove the rear auto-level and compressor, do I need different rear springs?

NOTE: When I say enviroment, I am meaning the "Haul" Dalton Highway in Northern AK. I run up that a way quite frequently. Its hard to describe unless you have done it. All lot of the commercial guys that run that road yearround reccomend Skyjacker shocks actually!

 

[01Konvict]

Yup it will work with or without a spacer just need to lengthen rod when adding a spacer.

Check to see if you have an electrical plug on top of the front struts. If so that's magneride. Whatever shocks you want go for them but I prefer 5100 over rancho.

 

[dr58dmtp]

Thanks for again for the speedy reply and advice. I will take a closer look at the top of those fronts.

 

[Drg4me]

So after a lot of debating and searching I'm about to pull the trigger on a leveling kit on my 2013 LTZ. The searching has been around autoride and will it cause issues or not. What I would love to see people post on is how long have you had a leveling kit on your autoride truck and have you had ANY issues with that system? Seen some try it but I can't find where the report back often once they get the set up they want. My goal is 1.5" in front (thinking readylift) and 1" spacer in the rear. Thinking I can play with rear links to get it back down a touch achieving 1/2"-3/4" net rear lift. I want the front 3/4"-1" lower than front to keep some rake which I believe appears level.

So what leveling kit did you put on your tahoe with autoride/autolevel, did you have to modify front or rear links, and most importantly how long have you had it installed and any issues? Thank you for your responses. Pictures welcome.

Yo. I have a 2013 ltz. 2 inch rough county leveling kit in front and a 1 inch coil spacer in rear. Allowed me to run 275-60-20 duratracs. Looks and rides awesome with 0 issues.

 

[fishingwizard]

I have a 2" spacer lift on my 07 burb. I replaced the original suspension front and rear with replacement kits for Arnott using their non-electric front shocks with plugs to disengage the front magneride and their direct rear replacement shocks and air compressor. I also went up 2 sizes in tires to 275/65/R20s. Because of this, my burb sits about 3.5-4" taller than stock. When towing my boat @ 4k lbs, my burb squatted quite a bit, the 4" back down to stock. I just ordered the shock bracket extensions for the rear and the ride height extensions. I talked to Mark @ Full Throttle suspensions and he said this combo will eliminate the sagging on my burb while towing and the system will work properly again.

I should have the parts next week and when I do the install i will take some pictures and post them up.

 

[01Konvict]

Yup the extensions will set the ride height rods at the stock height so the rear performs as designed. Do you have any shock extensions on the rear with those 2" coil spacers?

 

[fishingwizard]

Yup the extensions will set the ride height rods at the stock height so the rear performs as designed. Do you have any shock extensions on the rear with those 2" coil spacers?

No I don't and that is one of my problems. The other was the ride heigh extensions. Combined I should be back to where I want my burb.

 

[01Konvict]

Oh so you only have a front 2" with regular shocks. The arnott module fixed the computer for electronic dampening? No service suspension lights?

The rear should work just like stock since you just replaced them with like stock parts. But your saying the new stuff doesn't load level like factory?

 

[fishingwizard]

Oh so you only have a front 2" with regular shocks. The arnott module fixed the computer for electronic dampening? No service suspension lights?

The rear should work just like stock since you just replaced them with like stock parts. But your saying the new stuff doesn't load level like factory?

Yes, the front shocks are regular passive gas shocks. The module Arnott tricks the computer system that everything is ok. The 2" spacer goes on top of the coil over so the shock is still stock length. The rear shocks are not coil overs so the shocks are extended too much. Because of that, I needed the shock extender @ 2" and the ride height sensor extensions, probably set them @ 1.5-2".

With the 2" lift and going up to 33" tires, my burb sits about 3.5-4" higher than stock but I still have the .5" rake back to front, mainly for level towing. Hind sight I should have just deleted the damn airride but I loved it when towing. The OEM system is just such a pain in the ass when it craps out.

 

[01Konvict]

Ok so the front end is all good with the regular gas shocks and module. The rear is a standard style shock that has air leveling and electronic dampening. You are planning on installing a 2" coil spacer in the rear to match front height so you need shock extenders and rod spacers? Just trying to follow where your going and what you need to setup.

I've been searching for some lower shock spacers for autoride and found that rough country and skyjacker make some for there 3-3.5" kits that should work fine on a 2" coil spacers retaining air shocks. Will have to special order those parts only from them directly or a supplier like summit racing or 4wheel parts.

 

[fishingwizard]

Ok so the front end is all good with the regular gas shocks and module. The rear is a standard style shock that has air leveling and electronic dampening. You are planning on installing a 2" coil spacer in the rear to match front height so you need shock extenders and rod spacers? Just trying to follow where your going and what you need to setup.

I've been searching for some lower shock spacers for autoride and found that rough country and skyjacker make some for there 3-3.5" kits that should work fine on a 2" coil spacers retaining air shocks. Will have to special order those parts only from them directly or a supplier like summit racing or 4wheel parts.

The rear 2" spacer lift sits under the coils on the rear axles and is already installed. Because of this, the shocks are over extended. I purchased the 2" shock bracket extender that mounts on the bottom shock bolt to bring the shock back to normal length to function properly. The ride height extenders will allow the air shocks to function when towing and the rear end squats.

Again, I wish I would have just done an airride delete that Arnott offers with the plugs to trick the computer system. Hind sight is always 20/20

 

[01Konvict]

Ok I'm following you now don't why my brain was so lost haha. Yeah with the 2" coil spacers in and no shock extenders that's a bad scenario. How did you even get the shocks back installed that stretched? What extenders did you buy?

 

[wreedps]

I am curious at the shock extenders you bought also.

 

[fishingwizard]

I bought the ones from Full Throttle but they didn't send me the damn bolts for it and no one in town has a set!?!?!?!?!?! I'm at least going to fix the sensor arms today but until I find some damn bolts my shocks are still over extended.

Slightly frustrating considering I bought them from FTS before doing some research and paid twice what a pair from Ready Lift has... Link is below to basically what I got but again I didn't get the bolts... Waiting on a call from FTS but they are 3hrs behind me in Cali vs VA.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ReadyLIFT-6...Tahoe-/121213282824?fits=Model:Silverado+1500

 

[01Konvict]

Yeah mine came in the extenders. Go to true value or fastenal and get the set screws. I can almost guarantee that there some standard thread

 

[fishingwizard]

I got the shock bolts from another dealership in town. Installed everything and the damn compressor still won't turn on. I'll start another fix thread on it.

 

[01Konvict]

Got pics of the shock extenders installed and the ride height sensors with rod spacers?

 

[fishingwizard]

Pics -

 

[01Konvict]

Were you able to rotate the air shock or did you use two extenders per side (1 top, 1 bottom)? Reason I ask is I've never had a pair of air shocks that can spin for alignment. Those shock spacers are generic and can find them on ebay cheap. Really only need to get FTS ride height rod spacers.

Looks like the ride height sensors are in the correct position to activate compressor. Have you verified power to the compressor and fuse under hood in panel? Once verified it should all communicate with the suspension module and BCM.