Air suspension replacement instructions
Air suspension replacement instructions
Just got a set of used air shocks for my 04 LS. I need instructions for replacing the front air shocks. The job looks very straight forward but don't want any surprise. Things like: do I need to bleed the air off the old shocks or unplug the battery or remove the air suspension fuse before attempting to remove the old shocks. Thanks in advance.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,188
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From: Texas
Here are steps:
1. Raise vehicle and remove front wheels.
2. Remove front shock absorber cap
3. Remove absorber control actuator: Disconnect electrical connector, rotate actuator counter-clockwise by 40 deg. and remove upward.
4. Separate front stabilizer link
5. Disconnect air tube from pneumatic front shock absorber cylinder assy.
6. Remove front shock absorber lower nut (leave bolt in place for now)
7. Remove 3 front shock absorber upper nuts and compress the shock slowly to clear the top mount.
8. Remove front shock absorber lower bolt and remove shock
Torque spec for re-installation:
1. 3 front shock absorber upper nuts: 43 ft.lbf
2. Front stabilizer link: 41 ft.lbf
3. 3 front shock absorber cap nuts: 43 ft.lbf
4. Front shock absorber lower nut: 116 ft.lbf
5. Front wheel lug nuts: 76 ft.lbf
Pulling the fuse for the compressor is applicable to either replacing the air shocks with regular ones or turning the car on while the air shocks are off the ground on the lift. Pulling the negative on the battery is usually recommended when doing electrical work but I have found that disconnecting electrical connections with a good connector has never been an issue.
Mods, can we add a link in the diy for the technical instructions? Good stuff. Thanks RKW.
Mods, can we add a link in the diy for the technical instructions? Good stuff. Thanks RKW.
Last edited by Lavrishevo; Aug 31, 2014 at 11:24 AM.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 31,944
Likes: 2,738
From: North Carolina
Pulling the fuse for the compressor is applicable to either replacing the air shocks with regular ones or turning the car on while the air shocks are off the ground on the lift. Pulling the negative on the battery is usually recommended when doing electrical work but I have found that disconnecting electrical connections with a good connector has never been an issue.
Mods, can we add a link in the diy for the technical instructions? Good stuff. Thanks.
Mods, can we add a link in the diy for the technical instructions? Good stuff. Thanks.
Well, this has the instructions for replacing the air shocks with factory air shocks. Not swapping them for springs or coilovers. Which deserves a link too. I don't remember seeing the instructions for this before. Especially the torque specs.
Last edited by Lavrishevo; Aug 31, 2014 at 11:25 AM.
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Thanks everyone for their input especially rkw77080 for the step by step instructions however without an air compressor I just wasn't able to losen the bolt that connects the lca to the shock. I was also replacing the whole lca. I'm getting too old to be weekend mechanic. I will have my friend's shop do the job. Nevertheless I did replaced the rear brakes, front and rear stabalizer bar links. I must say replacing the rear brakes was an easy diy since I didn't need to replace the disks.
Last edited by Zodiac; Aug 31, 2014 at 11:06 AM.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 31,944
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From: North Carolina
I took my car to my friend's shop to replace the front air shock however my replacement air shock is not raising meaning air isn't pumping into the shock. What could be the cause. We double check everything twice. I'll bring the other front shock and see it that will work or put the original back to see if it works. In the meantime can someone give some suggestion.
Pull the negative tomorrow. Do a soft reset if you have not yet. I don't remember seeing anything in my Techstream about air suspension calibration. There are no settings for height or anything. It's all done at the sensors at each wheel. Sounds like for whatever reason the compressor is not turning on. At least not pumping the front. It does control the front and back separately. Check the compressor and height sensors. Car has to be running to compress air.
Last edited by Lavrishevo; Sep 2, 2014 at 07:33 PM.
Pull the negative tomorrow. Do a soft reset if you have not yet. I don't remember seeing anything in my Techstream about air suspension calibration. There are no settings for height or anything. It's all done at the sensors at each wheel. Sounds like for whatever reason the compressor is not turning on. At least not pumping the front. It does control the front and back separately. Check the compressor and height sensors. Car has to be running to compress air.