Hello, I purchased a 2004 Suburban that has low miles. The Suburban needs a new suspension system. I’m interested in doing the Air Spring to Coil Spring Conversion Kit. My mechanic recommended the ARNOTT C3183 conversion kit. Also, I’m interested in a 2in leveling kit, so I would prefer a kit that would do the conversion and possibly lift the front end of the truck an inch or two. However, if the Arnott kit is my best bet, I can live with factory ground clearance. I greatly appreciate any recommendations. Thank you.
2004 Suburban Air Spring to Coil Spring Conversion Kit
- Thread starter ehughes86
- Start date
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Personally, think their are better options on replacements (both cost and performance)
I would do bilstein 5100s all round and Moog 81069 coils. And if you want to level.... grab a key like the rough country or any other one.
Trey Hardy
8” fabtech icon coilovers uniballs 24x14on35/15.50
I second that.
For the price of anotts you could get a nice set of foxs or kings just about and have a way better ride
adventurenali92
Full Access Member
First off there’s no such thing as “air spring suspension” on a GMT800 suv. Standard shocks front and rear with coils on the rear axle. If your truck is autoride equipped, option code Z55, that means your front and rear shocks are electronically dampened via the trucks computer. If it also has the auto leveling function, which I believe will be option code G69, then your rear shocks have an air bladder attached to the top of the shock that inflates when the ride height sensors attached to the shock and the frame of the truck detect weight being added to the rear such as a trailer. If that’s the case there is a small air compressor that’s part of this system mounted to the frame rail of the truck right behind the rear drivers side wheel. You need to determine if your truck has these options or not. If it doesn’t, the arnott shocks will not be compatible with your truck. There are several different configurations for the autoride system that came on these trucks out of the factory. There’s also autoride with self leveling nivomat shocks as well that are not an air assisted shock. You need to determine which system you have if in fact you have an autoride equipped truck. If you do have these options more than likely the air bladders on the shocks are torn and and as a result the compressor burns out when it tries to constantly keeping the waking air bladders filled. That’s what makes replacing the autoride suspensions setups pricey as it’s not just the shocks but replacing the compressor as well.
With that being said the conversion from the electronically dampened shocks to standard shocks and springs is well documented here. There are tons of threads with guys that have done it that have all the necessary information on what parts are needed to complete the conversion. There also tons of threads detailing how to level the front with leveling keys in place of the factory torsion keys under the front steering and suspension components. Use the search function and specifically look in the street suspension section of the 2000-2006 subforum. But knowing what your usage on the truck is a helpful factor in deciding which direction to go for suspension refresh. If you leave pavement regularly and want more ground clearance for that purpose the standard shock conversion can be good. If you tow at all or regularly carry lots of people or stuff in the truck the autoride setup with the rear auto leveling air assist shocks are actually a really good setup for those purposes. In which case the arnott shocks are absolutely the way to go for that. Well
Worth the price tag that those parts run. I decided for my Z55 optioned setup to stick with air assist shocks for replacement as I tow several boats up and down the mountains I live in regularly and the auto leveling air assist shocks just can’t be beat in my opinion. Unloaded they ride very comfortably and keeping the truck level when loaded up or towing keeps the truck so much more stable. I ended up going with arnott replacements for my shocks. They make two, a passive shock that has a resistor wired into the electrical connection to make the truck think it has electronically dampened shocks, and then a direct replacement electronically dampened air assist shock like the factory shocks. Both are good options but I think the electronically dampened shocks are better. I have passive shocks and they work great completely as designed but I almost wish I had ponied up and grabbed the electronically dampened versions. But I got a steal of a deal from another member here a few years ago on a virtually new set of arnott shocks, and OEM front replacements, and the deal was too good to pass up so that’s why I went the route of the passive shock.
Again all this info is well documented in the street suspension section of the 2000-2006 subsection. Including the info on the arnott shocks and the conventional shocks.
With that being said the conversion from the electronically dampened shocks to standard shocks and springs is well documented here. There are tons of threads with guys that have done it that have all the necessary information on what parts are needed to complete the conversion. There also tons of threads detailing how to level the front with leveling keys in place of the factory torsion keys under the front steering and suspension components. Use the search function and specifically look in the street suspension section of the 2000-2006 subforum. But knowing what your usage on the truck is a helpful factor in deciding which direction to go for suspension refresh. If you leave pavement regularly and want more ground clearance for that purpose the standard shock conversion can be good. If you tow at all or regularly carry lots of people or stuff in the truck the autoride setup with the rear auto leveling air assist shocks are actually a really good setup for those purposes. In which case the arnott shocks are absolutely the way to go for that. Well
Worth the price tag that those parts run. I decided for my Z55 optioned setup to stick with air assist shocks for replacement as I tow several boats up and down the mountains I live in regularly and the auto leveling air assist shocks just can’t be beat in my opinion. Unloaded they ride very comfortably and keeping the truck level when loaded up or towing keeps the truck so much more stable. I ended up going with arnott replacements for my shocks. They make two, a passive shock that has a resistor wired into the electrical connection to make the truck think it has electronically dampened shocks, and then a direct replacement electronically dampened air assist shock like the factory shocks. Both are good options but I think the electronically dampened shocks are better. I have passive shocks and they work great completely as designed but I almost wish I had ponied up and grabbed the electronically dampened versions. But I got a steal of a deal from another member here a few years ago on a virtually new set of arnott shocks, and OEM front replacements, and the deal was too good to pass up so that’s why I went the route of the passive shock.
Again all this info is well documented in the street suspension section of the 2000-2006 subsection. Including the info on the arnott shocks and the conventional shocks.
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I leveled my 05 Denali by raising the front about an inch (as compared to lowering the rear.) It is my understanding that you will lose shock absorber "travel" when you lift or lower the vehicle if using factory length shocks. I need a front shocks and was disappointed Arnott does not make a fully capable (active electric). Their SK-3062 is not active electric)
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