Air Ride Questions Please Help!

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Yonke

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I have a 2016 Tahoe LT with 150K. The compressor use to turn on and run for a while, now it doesnt turn on at all and the rear end sags. I believe the compressor has burnt out and I must have had a leak in the air shocks and thats why the compressor ran for so long. Im thinking of ditching the air ride and converting to regular shocks, Billsteins. This is a daily driver, no towing/ hauling. I see that is a common conversion for the previous generation Tahoes. But not a lot of information for my Generation Tahoe. Please help. Ive tried searching and cant find anything. This must be a common issue so I assumed there would be a sticky or mega thread about this. Is the air ride worth the extra money or would I be better off getting some quality billsteins. Thank you for any help.
 

Joseph Garcia

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First step is to check the fuse for the air compressor to confirm that it is still good.

The air ride is best, IMO, though lots of other folks would disagree. My recommendation to you is to replace the air compressor with an OEM or Dorman air compressor, and then check the rear shocks and air lines for leaks with a spray bottle with some soapy water in it.
 

B-train

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Agreed with @Joseph Garcia

Buy OEM stuff and be done with it. It's the best ride you'll get in my book. I'd also recommend jacking up the back of the truck by the trailer hitch, or whatever you decide, to lift the body and leave the axle on the ground. This will extend the shocks and you can inspect the boots for cracks or rips. A lot of time, the leak is in the folded under area and it's hard to soap and spot the leak when sitting in its normal stance. But, if the compressor has not been pumping up the shocks for some time, they are most likely toast. The friction caused while being deflated will wear them right out.
 

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