Magneride replaced - ride height seems off

[Hystiker]

2016 Sierra Denali, 4wd w/5.3

 

About 6 weeks ago I had the front Magneride coilovers replaced with reman assemblies, including springs and sensors. 

 

When I picked it up, the tires squealed anytime I turned, like they were under-inflated and I noticed there seemed to be a lot of negative camber. 

 

Lately I've noticed I'm hitting a lot of parking blocks/curbs/sidewalks on the front air dam when I park. I've never had this in the 5 years I've owned it. 

 

I measured front tires to fender is 3" (seems low) and rear is 9" (seems high). 

 

I called the shop, and told them it seems low in front and he told me to get an alignment... He said there is no adjustability and they're just mechanical, with adaptive shocks. 

 

What should the stock ride height be? Is the front low? Is the rear high? Is there any impact to ride height with the magneride (e.g. If the sensors are faulty) 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Hystiker
Add pic

[CamGTP]

Your front is lower than the factory for sure. It looks like my truck does and I installed parts to lower it.

 

Saying to get the truck aligned is just some bullcrap, they should have done a full alignment when they replaced the struts in the first place. Any shop that doesn't do that shouldn't be a shop at all. Also a smart mechanic would have put the struts side by side to make sure they are the correct length before installing them too.

[stu_pidasso]

Yeah, thats weird for sure. GMT800 & 900, and K2 have a pile of different suspension options that demand direct replacement and no retrofit or deletion. I bought a Suburban from auction and some doofus before me replaced the rear struts with non Premium Smooth Ride struts which caused the whole truck to handle effed up. I bought AC Delco struts for the ZW7 option on RockAuto and that made the truck a lot safer. I wonder if these MagneRide struts are like the transmission pan gaskets, just better to get right from GM and not use an aftermarket equivalent? So perhaps someone ordering the parts had no idea how dependant these trucks can be for a direct replacement. As goofy as it sounds, I'd check to make sure the struts are connected first, then I'd check to make sure these are the exact struts needed for your RPO codes/VIN. 

Edited July 19, 2022 by stu_pidasso

[Hystiker]

2 hours ago, stu_pidasso said:

Yeah, thats weird for sure. GMT800 & 900, and K2 have a pile of different suspension options that demand direct replacement and no retrofit or deletion. I bought a Suburban from auction and some doofus before me replaced the rear struts with non Premium Smooth Ride struts which caused the whole truck to handle effed up. I bought AC Delco struts for the ZW7 option on RockAuto and that made the truck a lot safer. I wonder if these MagneRide struts are like the transmission pan gaskets, just better to get right from GM and not use an aftermarket equivalent? So perhaps someone ordering the parts had no idea how dependant these trucks can be for a direct replacement. As goofy as it sounds, I'd check to make sure the struts are connected first, then I'd check to make sure these are the exact struts needed for your RPO codes/VIN. 

According to this shop, these were original GM units that were rebuilt, not aftermarket.  It's almost sitting like it's 2WD now.

 

I've been looking online to see if I can find any reference to stock ride height, fender clearance, bumper height but nothing concrete.  I figure if I can show specifically what the stock height is supposed to be, that should be irrefutable evidence that something is off.  

[Hystiker]

14 hours ago, CamGTP said:

Your front is lower than the factory for sure. It looks like my truck does and I installed parts to lower it.

 

Saying to get the truck aligned is just some bullcrap, they should have done a full alignment when they replaced the struts in the first place. Any shop that doesn't do that shouldn't be a shop at all. Also a smart mechanic would have put the struts side by side to make sure they are the correct length before installing them too.

Maybe I should just lower the rear and call it good  Although I'd still need to fix the front camber or I'll wear out the inside shoulder of those tires.

[stu_pidasso]

It almost looks like the stock regular suspension set up, nose down so the truck is level when towing. 

[JimCost2014]

1 hour ago, Hystiker said:

According to this shop, these were original GM units that were rebuilt, not aftermarket.  It's almost sitting like it's 2WD now.

 

I've been looking online to see if I can find any reference to stock ride height, fender clearance, bumper height but nothing concrete.  I figure if I can show specifically what the stock height is supposed to be, that should be irrefutable evidence that something is off.  

I do not think they rebuild the Magnaride shocks. Shop is not telling you the truth?

 

Front end is way to low, did they make sure all of the sensors were hooked up correctly? It looks like they are already compressed, how does it ride?

[newdude]

18 hours ago, Hystiker said:

2016 Sierra Denali, 4wd w/5.3

 

About 6 weeks ago I had the front Magneride coilovers replaced with reman assemblies, including springs and sensors. 

 

When I picked it up, the tires squealed anytime I turned, like they were under-inflated and I noticed there seemed to be a lot of negative camber. 

 

Lately I've noticed I'm hitting a lot of parking blocks/curbs/sidewalks on the front air dam when I park. I've never had this in the 5 years I've owned it. 

 

I measured front tires to fender is 3" (seems low) and rear is 9" (seems high). 

 

I called the shop, and told them it seems low in front and he told me to get an alignment... He said there is no adjustability and they're just mechanical, with adaptive shocks. 

 

What should the stock ride height be? Is the front low? Is the rear high? Is there any impact to ride height with the magneride (e.g. If the sensors are faulty) 

 

 

I think you've got an issue with your "new" shocks.  They either got the wrong parts or they are no good.  

 

What brand are the new shocks?  Just from some quick googling, I can't find anyone that's doing remans.  

 

Sometimes its worth going OE so its done right...

[Hystiker]

18 minutes ago, newdude said:

 

 

I think you've got an issue with your "new" shocks.  They either got the wrong parts or they are no good.  

 

What brand are the new shocks?  Just from some quick googling, I can't find anyone that's doing remans.  

 

Sometimes its worth going OE so its done right...

I offered to buy the Delco direct units, he said he's got a local shop that rebuilds them. He said he buys them as a complete coil over assembly and that it'd cost less for him to swap the coilover, versus transferring over the springs and swapping separate sensors. 

 

All-in-all it wasn't cheap. It cost me $2,200 but that was still something like $800 less than the dealer. 

[Hystiker]

1 hour ago, JimCost2014 said:

I do not think they rebuild the Magnaride shocks. Shop is not telling you the truth?

 

Front end is way to low, did they make sure all of the sensors were hooked up correctly? It looks like they are already compressed, how does it ride?

It seems smoother (but one of the old shocks was siezing up, so it was quite choppy before). 

 

I definitely notice the camber though, the steering wheel snaps back to center and the tires squeel like I'm in a parking garage. 

[stu_pidasso]

23 hours ago, Hystiker said:

I offered to buy the Delco direct units, he said he's got a local shop that rebuilds them. He said he buys them as a complete coil over assembly and that it'd cost less for him to swap the coilover, versus transferring over the springs and swapping separate sensors. 

 

Well, there is your problem. 

 

I don't mean to sound like a dick here but you should've trusted your instinct on it buying the Delco struts. Sounds like he just didn't want to do work, period, especially considering he didn't align the truck after. There is also no core charge on AC Delco MagneRide components so there is clue one that this sounds like a bad idea. 

 

On 7/19/2022 at 1:31 PM, JimCost2014 said:

I do not think they rebuild the Magnaride shocks.

 

 

I didn't think so either. Arnott is the only suspension component manufacturer that I know of who will take a core charge on parts and rebuild. The only trucks I know that have Arnott brand shocks are Z55 AutoRide equipped Burbs, Yukons, etc... Arnott will also take back German car struts on Benzes with an air suspension. 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by stu_pidasso

[Hystiker]

On 7/19/2022 at 10:18 AM, stu_pidasso said:

It almost looks like the stock regular suspension set up, nose down so the truck is level when towing. 

The stock does have a F/R differential but from what I'm reading online it should be about 4" and I'm seeing 6"+

[JimCost2014]

23 hours ago, Hystiker said:

It seems smoother (but one of the old shocks was siezing up, so it was quite choppy before). 

 

I definitely notice the camber though, the steering wheel snaps back to center and the tires squeel like I'm in a parking garage. 

I would take it elsewhere, have it checked out before you destroy your frontend and tires.

 

Those shocks are bad, are installed incorrectly, or maybe a cheap knock off that has already failed. I bet your truck did not sit like that when you first bought it.

 

We paid $1600.00 at dealer for the rear two on our Tahoe, and it looks just like it did from the factory.

Edited July 20, 2022 by JimCost2014

[Hystiker]

1 hour ago, stu_pidasso said:

 

Well, there is your problem. 

 

I don't mean to sound like a dick here but you should've trusted your instinct on it buying the Delco struts. Sounds like he just didn't want to do work, period, especially considering he didn't align the truck after. There is also no core charge on AC Delco MagneRide components so there is clue one that this sounds like a bad idea. 

 

 

 

I didn't think so either. Arnott is the only suspension component manufacturer that I know of who will take a core charge on parts and rebuild. The only trucks I know that have Arnott brand shocks are Z55 AutoRide equipped Burbs, Yukons, etc... Arnott will also take back German car struts on Benzes with an air suspension. 

 

 

I called the shop and he said he used Arnott and claims they make units inclusive to Silverados and Sierras (as well as the SUVs).  He's going to call Arnott and get some guidance on what could be causing the low ride height.  

 

He previously told me he recently changed out the Magnerides on his own Denali, but when I pressed him about it today, he said he owns a Yukon and not a Sierra.  

[stu_pidasso]

28 minutes ago, Hystiker said:

I called the shop and he said he used Arnott and claims they make units inclusive to Silverados and Sierras (as well as the SUVs).  He's going to call Arnott and get some guidance on what could be causing the low ride height.  

 

Hmm... MagneRide isn't air and Arnott makes air suspensions. Could it be this guy put air struts in a vehicle that take electronic struts? That would certainly explain the low nose. I always thought GM only had air suspensions in the SUVs, Ill check up on that as I could be way off. 

 

Did a little googleating here, Arnott now makes aftermarket MagneRide struts but for Z95 suspension option cars. There is one front strut for GMT900 SUVs, not trucks. Magnetic Ride Shocks | Arnott (arnottindustries.com)  And they also make them for K2 SUVs but not trucks... Front Coil-Over Shock - Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC SUVs (K2xx) w/Magneride (arnottindustries.com)

 

The plot is thickening here...

 

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by stu_pidasso