Auto Ride Restoration? Is It Worth It? Edit - Installed Bilstein Delete Kit.

[Cadillacmak]

Our Yukon has Auto Ride, but somewhere along the line normal shocks were installed and the Service Ride something light stays on all the time. Is it worth restoring the Auto Ride feature? Anyone like it? I have noticed a lot of people bypass it when I do a quick search online. If its not a very good system that everyone hates, I will bypass the module and put air shocks on the rear.

 

[ORVietVet]

Do you need air shocks in the rear, why! Constantly loading and unloading it? There are some testimonials over at Tahoe/Yukon Forum about doing this and the results.

 

[Cadillacmak]

From what I have read, GM used a lighter rear springs in the back on Auto Ride. People suggest changing the spring or adding air shocks to regain load capacity.

 

[ORVietVet]

From what I have read, GM used a lighter rear springs in the back on Auto Ride. People suggest changing the spring or adding air shocks to regain load capacity.

Thats what I mean. I was gonna say a heavier spring and Bilstein shocks and call it good. I used a Moog spring #81069?, I think?

 

[stutaeng]

I have no experience with them. Same as you, just always read folks bypass them and swap regular shocks. I wasn't aware the springs were actually different on those models. My suburbans have leaf springs...

Aren't those AutoRide shocks Uber expensive also?

 

[ORVietVet]

I have no experience with them. Same as you, just always read folks bypass them and swap regular shocks. I wasn't aware the springs were actually different on those models. My suburbans have leaf springs...

Aren't those AutoRide shocks Uber expensive also?

Where I have seen the Autoride delete and changeover to different coil springs and Bilstein shocks, is at Tahoe/Yukon Forum and I look forward to the wider range of the GMT800 series trucks rear suspension set ups. My Tahoe is coil springs. When I recommended to @Cadillacmak, I was thinking of my Tahoe. But we are talking about a Yukon XL with coils. Still a 1500 series but a longer heavier truck. You only want to do the coil spring swap once, so do the research but IMO, I do not think the air shocks are the answer. I am not a fan of air shocks. I guess it all depends on the loads you may or may not carry.

 

[99Sierra2500]

People used to do HiJackers on musclecars to get clearance for big tires, terrible bump steer. I think nowdays there is better valving, I had air shocks on my wife's car that weren't so bad, though it wasn't sitting too high. I don't know though, interesting subject.

 

[Cadillacmak]

I have no experience with them. Same as you, just always read folks bypass them and swap regular shocks. I wasn't aware the springs were actually different on those models. My suburbans have leaf springs...

Aren't those AutoRide shocks Uber expensive also?

Yes, it looks expensive to restore the auto ride, but if its a good system it might be worth it. My thought on rear air shocks is to have the extra load capacity if needed, right now my wife likes the ride for daily chores so I didn't want to change it up too much unless that auto ride is the way to go.

 

[ORVietVet]

Yes, it looks expensive to restore the auto ride, but if its a good system it might be worth it. My thought on rear air shocks is to have the extra load capacity if needed, right now my wife likes the ride for daily chores so I didn't want to change it up too much unless that auto ride is the way to go.

I think if you have the right springs and shock combination, it will ride fine, like my Tahoe does.

 

[Cadillacmak]

The Yukon is riding splashy (front end does not rebound the same on both sides), so I started looked for new shocks. Was pleased to find that Bilstein has a kit replace the rear air shocks (edit - with new shocks and stiffer coils, non-air) at a great price. Here are the part numbers if anyone is looking.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Got this done tonight, very easy with the help of a 14 year old son. Fronts, no brainer, only issue was the shock bolt on the driver side was stuck and had to use kroil and a ball-joint c-clamp to assist it. The backs we simply jacked up and removed the shocks, pull the springs out by hand and install new springs, used floor jack to lift axle while holding spring in place. It appeared better to do driver install first and have the passenger spring set as best as possible. I think the driver side drops a little bit more is why.

 

[Marky Dissod]

was gonna say a heavier spring and Bilstein shocks and call it good. I used a Moog spring #81069?, I think?

My Tahoe is coil springs. When I recommended to @Cadillacmak, I was thinking of my Tahoe.
But we are talking about a Yukon XL with coils. Still a 1500 series but a longer heavier truck.

And yet, so far as I can find, Moog only recommends 81069 & 81071 rear coils for Tahoes/Yukons/Escalades, Suburbans/XLs/ESVs 1500, and Avalanches/EXTs 1500.
Moog has cleverly omitted spring rate info from many coil listings, makes it much harder to determine which other coils they offer that WOULD also work.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Just to update this, the ride is night and day difference. It handled to much like a boat before and now it drives like a truck should.