The cold broke my shocks??

[PNWguy]

We had a cold snap here on the East side last weekend and it got down to -5 at my house.

Vehicle is a 2005 Yukon with 90k miles on it and had newer OEM shocks.

Drove it to town and noticed the back end was bouncy and felt weird. Parked and checked and shocks are attached and look fine, but they no longer work.

Never seen shocks fail completely due to the cold, but I've also never seen shocks go bad overnight. It warmed up today to near freezing, but step on the rear bumper and the back end just keeps bouncing. Weirdest thing...

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[Stomper]

The cold just makes mine shrink a bit....

 

[hatchj]

Probably were on the way out anyways? If they had leaked or had condensation in them, I could see that happening maybe?
How many miles were on them?

 

[TTSX]

The cold does stupid junk to everything. We had a water truck have all it's brakes lock up just because. No air leaks, all the cans in operating order, brakes no movie. Can't wait for summer to come back so I can return to coolant leaks by the bushel

 

[EPS]

The cold does stupid junk to everything. We had a water truck have all it's brakes lock up just because. No air leaks, all the cans in operating order, brakes no movie. Can't wait for summer to come back so I can return to coolant leaks by the bushel

You never set trailer brakes in the cold they will freeze up .
But in your case a water truck
You probably don't have a choice.
Or you might have to put something in the air lines because the compressor will create moisture.then ice will build up in the lines .
When the brakes frezz to the drums you have to use a heat gun or a tortch to defrost them.
But with a propane tortch be careful not to burn the air lines .

 

[EPS]

-40 degrees in Montana last week we had two trucks . break down .fuel jel .
Or the fuel was freezing in the lines and fuel water separater

 

[PNWguy]

Probably were on the way out anyways? If they had leaked or had condensation in them, I could see that happening maybe?
How many miles were on them?

No idea.

Apparently, my Yukon has some ZW7 suspension option and the replacement shocks are ungodly expensive...

Yeah, going to redneck engineer my way around that...

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

We had a cold snap here on the East side last weekend and it got down to -5 at my house.

Vehicle is a 2005 Yukon with 90k miles on it and had newer OEM shocks.

Drove it to town and noticed the back end was bouncy and felt weird. Parked and checked and shocks are attached and look fine, but they no longer work.

Never seen shocks fail completely due to the cold, but I've also never seen shocks go bad overnight. It warmed up today to near freezing, but step on the rear bumper and the back end just keeps bouncing. Weirdest thing...

are they air or regular shocks in the rear?

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

only reason i ask is because i work for GM as a tech and might be able to put some rhyme or reason to it.

if they are air shocks its possible that any moisture in the airlines could also be in the shocks,in the compressor or both and froze since you said it was -5 out. when that happens, it can ruin a compressor or shocks. it also can restrict the air compressor air intake and exhaust causing the rear shocks not to fill up...or even relieve pressure if the exhaust valve is restricted or even stuck closed(really common for the compressors to go out but you will see "service suspension system)

the air shocks can also develop a leak in the air bladders too.

 

[The Heretic]

Probably blew a seal

 

[hatchj]

No idea.

Apparently, my Yukon has some ZW7 suspension option and the replacement shocks are ungodly expensive...

Yeah, going to redneck engineer my way around that...

Generally, they say shocks are good for somewhere between 50,000, and like 90k depending on who makes them.
Between miles, wear and tear, cold weather, and how those shocks work, it was probably just their time.

"nivomat" shocks make things a little tough. In order to not replace with the same thing, you'll probably have to buy new coil springs as well. I bet a set of bilstein shocks and z71 springs would set you straight. Might be just as expensive as new nivomat shocks though..

 

[hatchj]

if it helps, I went to rock auto's website. Assuming you have the 5.3 liter motor....

BILSTEIN 24143806 which is the shock absorber costs about $69 each. Rock auto's website states you need their springs which is part #199021 which costs about $67 each.
So to go with a standard setup, you're talking about $280 in parts.

 

[PNWguy]

if it helps, I went to rock auto's website. Assuming you have the 5.3 liter motor....

BILSTEIN 24143806 which is the shock absorber costs about $69 each. Rock auto's website states you need their springs which is part #199021 which costs about $67 each.
So to go with a standard setup, you're talking about $280 in parts.

And that's just for the back...

Apparently, the fancier suspension uses softer coils, so if you put in "regular" shocks, then the coils need replaced with something stiffer.

Figures. Stupid GM...

 

[hatchj]

yea, but from my reading, that should set your ride height to what it should be. So you could do just the rear if you wanted.
and yup, you need standard, more stiff coils, which was included in that 280 i stated. I was actually surprised it wasn't more expensive. I figured just the standard shocks would be close to 280 alone.

At least it's not a lexus or land rover where you're stuck with airbags and solenoids that like to go bad.

 

[PNWguy]

Found out that Bilstein makes a "kit" to replace the coils and shocks for $260. Will probably go that route since I ran Bilstein 5100s on my last rig and really liked them...

https://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-46-...Yukon+nivomat&qid=1551844181&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

[PNWguy]

Got all the parts ordered and spent $115 total. Got Moog replacement coils part #81069 which should give me an extra inch of ride height. They were $55 delivered. Then a set of Monroe Gas Magnum shocks which WalMart Online was having a special on for $25 each. They were $44 each on Amazon, so saved a bunch.

Now I just need to see what a shop is going to charge to install it all since my shop is unreachable due to all of the snow.

 

[PNWguy]

Got all the parts in a week or so ago and was just waiting for the snow to recede enough to get to my little shop. Finally able to today.

Local shop wanted $338 and said it was three hours of work. I told them it was 6 bolts and I could do it in a couple of hours in my driveway. They said it might take them less time, but they had to go by the book rate.

Decided to do it today with my limited tools. Took 2 hours, and that included vacuuming out the vehicle and doing some other light PM work. Hardest part was getting the vehicle high enough in the air, safely, to pull out the coils, using a Hi-Lift jack and a bottle jack. My old floor jack gave up the ghost and wouldn't go more than a few inches without losing steam.

Unbolted the shocks, the rear stabilizer bar, and jacked the vehicle up until the tires were just barely not touching. Old coils popped right out. Put the new stuff in and bolted everything back up and I was done. A shop with a proper lift could have done it in 45 minutes.

Super happy with the new coils and shocks. Ended up lifting the rear about 2" and now it rides so much better. It is a bit stiffer, but it handles so much nicer.

Before:



After:



Old vs. New:



Little higher in the back... Front was lifted about an inch and a half and was barely higher than the back. Now the back is a bit higher...

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Generally, they say shocks are good for somewhere between 50,000, and like 90k depending on who makes them.
Between miles, wear and tear, cold weather, and how those shocks work, it was probably just their time.

"nivomat" shocks make things a little tough. In order to not replace with the same thing, you'll probably have to buy new coil springs as well. I bet a set of bilstein shocks and z71 springs would set you straight. Might be just as expensive as new nivomat shocks though..

Our land cruiser shocks lasted 200k miles.
Oh what a feeling! Toyota!!

 

[PNWguy]

Our land cruiser shocks lasted 200k miles.
Oh what a feeling! Toyota!!

Really wish Toyota would make a 3/4 ton pickup... Love their stuff!

Used to be a Nissan fanboy. Owned three Nissan Pathfinders from `97 to 2006 and the only thing that broke was the Bose stereo CD player; American made, lol.

But, Nissan started going bad in the mid-2000's and were junk the last time I checked.

My girlfriend has a 2016 Nissan Juke with 25k miles on it and the tires were bald at 20k miles, the driver's seat is tearing, and her rear brakes are almost to the metal.

Looks like a vehicle with 125k miles on it. She bought it brand new. Sad.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Really wish Toyota would make a 3/4 ton pickup... Love their stuff!

Used to be a Nissan fanboy. Owned three Nissan Pathfinders from `97 to 2006 and the only thing that broke was the Bose stereo CD player; American made, lol.

But, Nissan started going bad in the mid-2000's and were junk the last time I checked.

My girlfriend has a 2016 Nissan Juke with 25k miles on it and the tires were bald at 20k miles, the driver's seat is tearing, and her rear brakes are almost to the metal.

Looks like a vehicle with 125k miles on it. She bought it brand new. Sad.

Damn!!
Yea Nissan suck.
I'm on my 4th tundra. They are great. We need a 3/4 Toyota. With better gas mileage!! Love my 77 FJ40 also