Need Some Opinions on 2015 Tahoe LTZ Rear Air Ride Options

[RevealTheKraken]

I have been stalking this site about a week or two combing through the forums looking to find some sort of guidance so as to not have to make this post. It seem either my searching skills or my attention span has failed me. Anyways, I decided I may as well make the post and see if anyone with a better knowledge than me is willing to give me their opinion.

So to make a long story long, I recently bought my wife a new to us 2015 Tahoe LTZ with 94k with the Z95 suspension package. The z95 package was not really a selling point to me when we decided to buy the truck but more of a perk. The selling point was the cocoa interior and the A/C seats for me. The last Tahoe I had was back in 2008 and it was 1999 and it rode fine to me. We had the 2015 for a bout a week when I noticed the air compressor for the rear suspension was not operating as intended. I have a good friend that is very versed in the Yukon/Tahoe platforms having owned 6 in the time I have known him, and he advised me to pay attention to this before purchasing the vehicle. I can confirm it was functional when we bought it and the pump did not seem to be running non stop. I am assuming what happened is we have a leaky air shock and the pump was probably running more than it should while driving down the street. Funnily enough we do not have any service suspension message on in the vehicle. So I guess my question is should I pony up the money and just replace all the components or can I replace the springs with a stiffer coil spring/ shock combo. I do plan on towing my 18ft Bass Tracker (loaded maybe 2500 lbs.) in the summer months with and the occasional 16ft utility trailer but nothing crazy. I have perused rock auto for stiffer coil springs and there are a lot of options there and my understanding of RPO codes and what may and may not work is lacking to say the least. Shocks I would lean towards would be the Bilstein 5100s as I have had great luck with them in other vehicles. I should also mention I installed the rough country level kit in the front of the truck. I didn't like the mini van look with the nose looking down.

TLDR

Option 1: Pony up the money and replace pump and shocks

Option 2: Replace with passive suspension and bypass magneride with the resistors.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

If you are towing, pony up and replace the Z95 suspension parts that are not working properly. My 2 cents worth.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

Leaning heavily that direction at the moment. More so because it is less work on my end. I think my course of action will be to buy a pump first to identify if one or both air shocks are leaking. I have seen people mention the Arnott brand and on rock auto I see they have 2 models. One for $208 a piece and one for $260 a piece. one is mono tube the other is twin tube Anyone have any experience with either of these? I'd hate to install these and have that dreaded service suspension soon light on all the time.

 

[Thrust]

If the pump is running non-stop I would look at the lines going to each shock and the attachments at the pump and shocks. Spray some soapy water on them to see if bubbles form. Isolating the issue would help before throwing parts at it. Have the rear shocks ever been replaced? At 94k they maybe on their way out.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

If the pump is running non-stop I would look at the lines going to each shock and the attachments at the pump and shocks. Spray some soapy water on them to see if bubbles form. Isolating the issue would help before throwing parts at it. Have the rear shocks ever been replaced? At 94k they maybe on their way out.

That's part of the issue, the pump quit a week after we got it. It's about par for the course for me I guess. I mean there is a very high probability that at least one if not both of the shocks are leaking therefore making the pump run more than it should and grenade itself. I mean I guess there is always a slight chance the pump died before the shocks. I checked the fuse and it was good. Not sure if the 15s have a relay like my friends 13 or not but if it does I'll check that. He seems to think that if it was the relay or the fuse it would throw the service suspension message on the dash. I get no warnings other than Ice possible since we live in the frigid Northern NY.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

I'm sure someone has tried this before. Does anyone know of a way to air the bags up without the pump. I have a small pancake compressor and an air regulator that is adjustable down to basically 0 psi. Any way to pump say 10lbs into the shocks to see if they are leaking?

 

[Thrust]

You can always check the pump by removing it and if you have the equipment apply 12v power to it.
Otherwise yeah agree, pump is the place to start if you don't think it's working.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

I mean I have a few boat batteries in the house from winterizing the boat lol. I'll just have to locate a wiring diagram and see which pin to ground and which pin to add 12V to.

 

[Thrust]

Yeah there is a YouTube video that shows which pins to hook up to.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

So after a few weeks of debating I got a good deal on a set of non Z95 LT rear springs. Good deal in they were free from a friend who is lifting his 15 Tahoe LT. I ordered a set of Rear shocks that fit the 2015 LT as well. Now it is down to the resistors/ level sensors. In the research I have done if I do not touch the level sensors and put a 3 Ohm 50-100 watt ( seems to be what others have used) that should keep the pesky service suspension light from coming on. Can anyone confirm this theory? I'm worried if I don't so something with the level sensors I may end up with issues later down the road. This truck will most likely never be lifted so again in theory the level sensors should see "no change".

 

[Thrust]

I think that is correct on the resistors. You might do a search on here.
You can also get them through https://www.xineering.com/

 

[RevealTheKraken]

I did see those, and I do like supporting small businesses. However, $260 (for one side) for what is in reality just a few resistors is a little steep for me. I'll try a few $10 resistors and if they work, great. If not, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

New update!

I was just at the local hardware store and loaded about 400lbs of material in the back of the Tahoe. Guess what happened? I hear a noise from under the Tahoe that I haven't heard since the first week I bought the truck, the air pump kicks on and airs the bags up. Reached under the Tahoe and sure enough the bags have air and the truck was level. Got home let it sit a few minutes and the pump never kicked back on and the bags were hard. Took the load out of the truck and went back under and the bags released the air and are empty again. I do not hear the pump do the "self test" when I first start the truck. I was under the impression that the bags should always have some air in them. Am I mistaken? My running theory now, and I apologize for the long winded update, is that all my experience and my good friends experience is on the longer Yukon XL and Suburban platform does not pertain to the shorter Tahoe/Yukons. The extra 4 feet of truck is actually enough to sag the rear suspension and the level sensors see that and the suspension module decides to air the shocks up to compensate for the 'extra" weight. Does any of this hold an weight or am I grasping at straws?

 

[George B]

I have a gmt900 suburban and my bags always have some air in them. It would be good to know what brand compressor is in your truck. If it was replaced with a Dorman unit I have heard they don’t self test like the GM ones.

I replaced the entire system on my truck with stuff from Arnott and I am happy with the performance of it all. Hauls a 3000# trailer of wood with ease.

 

[RevealTheKraken]

Good point. I am the 2nd owner and have no idea if the pump was replaced. I think tonight I'll have the kids sit in the way back and add weight again until it kicks in again to see if it was a fluke. It's a little brisk and snowy outside and unfortunately I don't have a garage to pull it into at the moment. I'll look into the dorman units and see if I can find anything about those.

 

[repairman54]

My shocks always have air in them also. You may not hear them bleed down when stopped but they can self-adjust once moving. Sometimes I hear air release when jacking a loaded trailer off the hitch, sometimes not.
Replacement Dorman pump in there right now with 2 new GM shocks.

 

[Autowholesale]

Leaning heavily that direction at the moment. More so because it is less work on my end. I think my course of action will be to buy a pump first to identify if one or both air shocks are leaking. I have seen people mention the Arnott brand and on rock auto I see they have 2 models. One for $208 a piece and one for $260 a piece. one is mono tube the other is twin tube Anyone have any experience with either of these? I'd hate to install these and have that dreaded service suspension soon light on all the time.

Suspension control module ?

 

[Autowholesale]

Leaning heavily that direction at the moment. More so because it is less work on my end. I think my course of action will be to buy a pump first to identify if one or both air shocks are leaking. I have seen people mention the Arnott brand and on rock auto I see they have 2 models. One for $208 a piece and one for $260 a piece. one is mono tube the other is twin tube Anyone have any experience with either of these? I'd hate to install these and have that dreaded service suspension soon light on all the time.

My 2016 Yukon Denali the compressor hardly ever runs but the truck has extremely hard ride as if no suspension. Any thoughts. I've got quotes from my shop of $2,225.00 all four from local GM dealer my mechanic can install, or $1,856 for Arnott but trying to figure out if this is what I need before throwing that kind of $ at it the vehicle has 103,000 miles