2025 LT vs Premier and HC

[LtTahoe]

My window sticker says Premium Smooth Ride Suspension what do I have?

 

[Antonm]

My window sticker says Premium Smooth Ride Suspension what do I have?

Look at the pictures in post #6 of the linked thread below. If you have the little raise/ lower icon, you have air ride; if you don't have that icon, you have the magnetic ride control. The air ride system is also noticeable as it'll occasionally vent a hiss of air that can be heard.

A compressor?

If my high country has a compressor, where is it? I know it has mag ride, but anything else?

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

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[fondupot]

Our 2021 Yukon SLT has the standard shocks suspension (but the truck does have the trailering package). It has the 20" wheels and Firestone tires. It rides pretty good. But over rough roads it can be a little jarring. I'll be looking to swap out the shocks at some point over the next year or so. The truck has just about 68,000 miles, we are the 2nd owner. I test drove another truck before we got our current one, it had the Air Ride, I coudlnt tell much difference in ride comfort between that and our standard suspension. In fact I'm glad we went with the standard shock vehicle because the air rides are known for having compressor issues as they age.

PROs: Standard shocks are easier to replace and less expensive.
CONs: Standard shocks don't ride as nice as magnetic ride.

 

[Antonm]

Our 2021 Yukon SLT has the standard shocks suspension (but the truck does have the trailering package). It has the 20" wheels and Firestone tires. It rides pretty good. But over rough roads it can be a little jarring. I'll be looking to swap out the shocks at some point over the next year or so. The truck has just about 68,000 miles, we are the 2nd owner. I test drove another truck before we got our current one, it had the Air Ride, I coudlnt tell much difference in ride comfort between that and our standard suspension. In fact I'm glad we went with the standard shock vehicle because the air rides are known for having compressor issues as they age.

PROs: Standard shocks are easier to replace and less expensive.
CONs: Standard shocks don't ride as nice as magnetic ride.

Ride quality is the job of the shocks, not the springs (be those air springs, coil springs , or leaf springs).

Assuming you have the same/ correct spring rate, air springs, coil springs and leaf springs will all ride exactly the same (within each suspensions range of motion, which coils do tend to have a broader range of motion compared to leaf's).

Its the job of the shock to control the suspension. Hence why they make so many adjustable dampening shocks for literally every form of motorsport. You can DRASTICALLY change the way a vehicle rides and reacts with a few clicks of compression and/ or rebound dampening on adjustable shocks without ever touching the spring.

The one and only advantage that an air spring might have in terms of ride quality is they tend to not transmit NVH (noise ,vibration and harness) as much, but really the difference is extremely minor and probably not perceivable by most.

The real reason for air ride is adjustability in ride height on the fly.
-Load a heavy tongue weight trailer on the back, no problem, the air ride self levels.
-Want to do some mild off-roading and not drag your expensive power deploying running boards on the ground, no problem , raise the ride height a little by pushing a button on the dash.
-Grandma having trouble getting in the car because she's short and 100 years old, no problem, drop the car so she can step in easier.
-Want ever so slightly better highway fuel economy, no problem, slightly lower the car to reduce wind drag at highway speeds.
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