Q: Is it possible to change autoride air shocks from factory to conventional shock absorbers? 2005 Cadillac Escalade

asked by on December 28, 2016

Hi. I have a 2005 Cadillac Escalade 5.3L AWD. Is it possible to change the factory autoride air shocks to conventional shock absorbers. If so will I get any type of codes from the suspension, and will I lose ride quality. If I have to replace the air shocks with OEM ones, will I have to replace the compressor unit too.? I was thinking on buying belltech 2/3 drop shocks for it. Planning on doing a 2/3 drop to level it out and lose wheel gap. Any help, tips, and ideas would be nice thank you.

My car has 143061 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hello - yes, it is possible, and indeed a common modification, to swap out the air ride suspension on this model for conventional suspension. In fact, several auto suspension suppliers make conversion kits to do just this. As you have already discovered, the Cadillac owner forums have a wealth of information from owners who have made this conversion. I would defer to their experiences as to which conversions yield the driving "feel" you are looking for - ride height, ride stiffness, etc. As they say - your mileage will vary. Good luck with your conversion!

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Power windows do not work.
Check to see if you are getting power to the white wire to the driver's window switch when the key is on. If not, then check and replace the ignition relay 2 in the engine fuse box. The main circuit...
Carbon buildup on the intake valves.
Sent to CS for billing question on how much it will cost to remove carbon buildup on the intake valves.
My car revs by itself when idle sometimes the car jerks a little what is the problem?
It sounds like you may have a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/idle-control-valve-replacement) monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds...
2012 dodge charger and the service power steering and we cant figure out what's wrong
Hi there. Most of the time when the power steering light is illuminated on the dashboard, it is due to either a fault was found by a sensor or a sensor malfunction. The newer electric power steering systems tend to...
Does a turbocharger takes long to install
Hi there. The process of installing a new turbo can take quite some time - but only if your car has not had a turbo on it before. In many cases, when a car is taken to a 'mechanic shop',...
White smoke ticking not overheating
If you have white smoke out of the exhaust and are not getting low on coolant then you may have a cylinder that is low on compression or not firing. Have the misfiring cylinder compression checked on that side of...
Car shaking after Coil and Spark plug change
Hi Kevin. OBD-II error codes don't always tell the entire story or provide the exact reason for an engine misfire. In fact, most error codes have 5 to 10 possible sources, which can be misread or assumed is a specific...
fuel mixture is lean. must be adjusted
I'm guessing that you are getting a P0171 code (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/p0171-obd-ii-trouble-code-system-too-lean-bank-1-by-andrew-quinn) or something similar. Yes, its telling you that the engine is running too lean, but there is not an adjustment that you can make. When this happens it is because...
Both Of My Car Fans Keeps Running While My Car Is Off
If the fix consisted of disabling the automatic control of the cooling fans, it will actually be easier to just fix the original problem and restore the car to normal (intended) operation so that you don't have to use the...

Related articles

A Buyer's Guide to the 2012 Cadillac Escalade ESV
When When most people think of the Cadillac Escalade, two words generally come to mind: power and luxury. The 2012 Cadillac Escalade ESV is no different. However, with this model, you can throw in another word: efficient. This hybrid carries...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Air Suspension Air Compressor
If your car is riding lower than usual, making abnormal sounds, and its compressor won't start, you may need to replace the air suspension compressor.
How Long Do Air Shocks Last?
Your Your car suspension features shock absorbers to make your ride more comfortable. From the moment you press your foot on the accelerator pedal until the time that you take it off and park your car, your air shocks are...