Air shocks

Anyone replaced the OEM air shocks?

I'm thinking of ordering the OEM shocks for both sides since the pump and level system still work.

My shocks are leaking, but the rest of the system seems to work fine.

I have, the problem is unless you can find some NOS shocks, all the new shocks have a threaded fitting while original is pretty much a rubber boot held on by a metal clip.

also you will only have a single line running to the driver side rear shock then a line from that shock going over to the passenger, new shocks only have one fitting each, so you will have to splice, the new shocks should have the whole kit included, you just have to be careful as the fittings on the lines are all plastic so if you tighten them too much you will strip them.

Another thing I did I got a quick fit T adaptor from Grainger to fit on the main line to split it for both shocks, it's much simpler and quicker, and also it's less likely to come apart like the T fitting that comes in the kit did twice on me.

The ones I can order from GM look like the original OEM part, and GM part number, so I'm assuming it's NOS.

There's also a refit kit by AC-Delco, but I think I'd have better luck with the OEM part from GM.

if one shock has two air fittings then their NOS, but if they both only have a single fitting then their new design.

I ordered acdelco 504110 {#19178430 } from rockauto, it has the hose kit and everything needed for the new design

I used the same AC Delco shocks and hose kit as goldwolfnhn from Rock Auto on a 1996 Fleetwood, and it worked perfectly. On all my Roadmaster and Caprice wagons, I have simply replaced the stock rear shocks with Monroe coilovers and a Hotchkis rear swaybar, and have been very pleased with the outcome. Good ride, handles heavy loads well, and much better in cornering.

Also the air line splitter is separate or the T fitting, but now Monroe AK16 is a brass pushfit adaptor, so you just push one end of each line into it and it clamps down and seals, it used to be crappy plastic that would let the lines blow out of it under pressure.

The last OEM shocks with different part numbers for left and right were manufactured many moons ago and have parts that deteriorate with time. Unless you have a trailer queen, you are probably better off ordering the superseding GM part number, which has everything you need for both sides.

He was right about Ac Delco 504110. It shows that it replaces the old part (which is the same that is listed on the GM site as OEM)

so then you will need to get the AK16 adaptor if the system is untouched, as I don't think the T adaptor comes with the shocks, but it has been awhile since I did the shocks on mine.

The ACDelco 504-110 comes with all the air fittings, and includes the different style mounting studs you need.

I just had Ac-Delco 504-110 kit installed on my 1995 Buick Roadmaster. Fittings were different then OE air hose, yet this kit says it is an OEM replacement.

I had to disconnect it from the system and put a valve under the bumper to manually fill. They should say in the description of this that it's NOT OEM replacement.

"Fittings were different then OE air hose,"

What was different? The fittings supplied in the kit are compression replacement fittings that are used on the factory nylon line.

If the auto level system was working with your original shocks, it will continue to work with the ones supplied in the 504-110.

The old hoses were on the original shocks were on the original shocks with clips.

I brought it to my mechanic who does shocks and exhausts mostly and he said they wouldn't hook up to the original lines on the car because these were threaded and the others clipped on.

Are you saying that you can put a threaded fitting on the old lines and hook them up?

I think I know how it should have been done now. The main line coming down the body should have been spliced into, and lines ran to each shock.

I wonder if I could just reroute the new hose going to the air valve on the bumper back to the original line.

The shocks should have come with fittings that you just connect your factory air lines to. They are called compression fittings. You slide a nut and a compression sleeve (ferrule) over the factory line. Put the plastic line into the fitting on the shock and tighten up the nut which compresses the sleeve and holds the plastic line in place.

Yeah, I thought they would notice that and see that it came with compression fittings.

They said it was made to be hooked up and manually inflated and couldn't couldn't attach to the lines.

They probably just didn't want to deal with the old lines and just get it done, kind of disappointing.
The extra fittings and stuff are probably all in the trash now.

You are most likely correct.

When I pulled my factory system off it had standard sized plastic lines running along the frame rail. If yours were still connected to the factory shock swapping them over would have been pretty simple.

If your factory lines are still there you can easily connect them to the shocks. Just shorten up the lines they installed and connect them to factory lines with a union.

You might consider a different mechanic.

This is a pretty straightforward replacement. If your auto-level system is working, reconnecting it to the inflation fitting you had installed would just require a tee fitting available at NAPA. You could then keep the external inflator as backup. You might have to purchase some of the small air line and a compression union if your "mechanic" cut the factory nylon line.