2003 h-2 air suspention 42000mls air bags starting to show small cracks. any pro/con, recommendations of R&R of air bags or go to springs, also any brand recomendations of either new air bags or spring replacements, and will the removal trigger a dash warning light, & how to disable

 

Most will disagree with me but I'd say just replace the bags if they are failing but everything else is working fine.... They are farily cheap and easy to replace.
I think (to properly replace them) you need a Tech2 or a shop who has one to deflate the suspension when replacing them is the only catch. Many auto service shops do have a Tech2 or the newer GM computer tools to communicate with the suspension module and of course any GM dealer will have on but they will be 4 times as expensive from a stealership.

 

thanks for the reply, i think thats what im going to do. ive had this vehicle for over 15 years now since new,and aft posting i got into and read a few of the old posts, so it answered a few of theques i had, mainly about the dash light in my face and the issues to try and disable it. I read one post pertaining to your sugestion about deflating in order to remove the bags. this post said that you could road side remedy a bad pump where the rear of vehicle had lowered, where he used a out side source of air to re-infle the bags through the air valve in the back used to inflate tires etc.., that made me wonder if you could take out the valve stem and releive or let air out ( that's if theres no check valve ). just a thought. also ill watch afew you tube vds on the topic.

 

also i like the ride the way it is and some say it would roughen/stiffen the ride, I havent heard any difinitive comments where someone has actually done the convertion to springs, also how it will affect towing, cant remember exactly but i think with the air susp. you have a max tounge weight of 600lbs or so ?

 

trying to put a pict on with my post, like you have havent been sucessful.

 

There are a number of video's about AB replacemen on youtube, not saying I'd go but this video is very simple and informative :-)

 

One thing in that video I'd strongly suggest against.... Jack stands are NOT, as their name literally implies, stands for putting your jack on top of like that. LOL

NEVER go under a vehicle that is supported by a jack. Jack the vehicle up and then lower the frame onto jack stands to support the vehicle and take the load off of the actual jack. The way he has the jack on top of jack stands to get extra height for the jack like that is very dangerous and unsafe. Just want to be clear about that in case someone is possibly not aware of this... If you need extra height for a jack then either use a jack with a tally capability or put a solid foundation under the jack like a stack of foot long pieces of 2x8 lumber (2x4 is too narrow and potentially unstable). Of course also use other safety measures like only do something like this on solid level ground and put chocks both in front and behind the wheels on the other end of the vehicle.

 

Indeed safety first, always of course, ESPECIALLY avoiding anything like the way its done in the video - death by H2 (not a bad way to go though)

The problem with cutting the bag is its one-way-ticket, so no going back should the replacement fail.

This shows things in more detail, but it looks like they snip/shorten the air-pipe, never a good idea unless its damaged. Both videos seem to miss showing the reconnection of the pneumatic pipe so its probably a little tricky.

I have a pair of new bags ready to replace mine when the time comes.

 

Just done a spring conversion, rides about the same, sits a bit high but I guess it will settle down a bit

 

thanks for the video, &replys