Disable Air Shocks 2001

[base11]

This may have been mentioned in the past but I cant find that thread.

How would i go about disabling the rear air shocks. Just getting old and acting up, sometimes the pump runs for a long time and will get worse this winter. They are munroe shocks, replaced a few years back.

1) My thought is, park somewhere flat with equal weight have the air shocks adjust.
2) Find and pull the fuse out? Not sure where. Can someone help?

any other ideas or heads up.

thanks

[roadrunner2]

Originally Posted by base11

This may have been mentioned in the past but I cant find that thread.

How would i go about disabling the rear air shocks. Just getting old and acting up, sometimes the pump runs for a long time and will get worse this winter. They are munroe shocks, replaced a few years back.

1) My thought is, park somewhere flat with equal weight have the air shocks adjust.
2) Find and pull the fuse out? Not sure where. Can someone help?

any other ideas or heads up.

thanks

1&2 both.

I did this with my van too.

Since I got rid of my Silo I don't have the manual anymore.

The fuse is in one of two boxes.

Either at the right end of the dash (fuse panel, cover shows which fuse does what and the other is underhood, overtop the battery, also marked inside the cover.

['97ventureowner]

IIRC the fuse is in the box inside the van as that is also the way I disabled my system many years ago.

[gearhead514.2008]

I have a 99 Montana with the same air shock system. If you pull the fuse, you will not be able to use the air compressor for inflating tires and other things. What you should do is go to Advance auto parts for they have a gas shock that is available for your van. Simply throw the air shocks away and put in the new gas shocks. Now, follow the air lines up to the first fitting and cut them off right before the fitting. Now, find a little black box that has a rod that attaches to your rear axle. It has an electrical harness that plugs into it. This is your ride level sensor that tells your air compressor to stay on because your ride height is too low. Unplug the harness from this box and just tuck it or tie it up somewhere. Now your compressor will not stay running and you can still use it by pressing the ON button to inflate tires and stuff.

[Cressidaadr]

I put on the Monroe aftermarket air shocks less than 5,000 miles ago.

I took a family trip and parked in a hotel lot and went out side to enjoy the evening. I heard this car alarm going off and looked around to see no one in the area. I walked toward the sound to see what were it was originating from and was shocked to find it coming from my own the van. The darn alarm started going off and there was no one but me in the area. It turns out the air compressor was coming on and this was causing the alarm to set off from the vibration and/or noise from the air shocks and compressor. I had to pull the fuse or the alarm would have been going on and off all night with the compressor.

This makes me wonder if these aftermarket shocks are a problem since they do not seem to be able to hold the air charge whenever you have something extra in the back of the van. Anyone else having this type of problem? Why can't these shocks hold air after they are pumped up at least for a few hours?

[bighank]

Originally Posted by Cressidaadr

I put on the Monroe aftermarket air shocks less than 5,000 miles ago.

I took a family trip and parked in a hotel lot and went out side to enjoy the evening. I heard this car alarm going off and looked around to see no one in the area. I walked toward the sound to see what were it was originating from and was shocked to find it coming from my own the van. The darn alarm started going off and there was no one but me in the area. It turns out the air compressor was coming on and this was causing the alarm to set off from the vibration and/or noise from the air shocks and compressor. I had to pull the fuse or the alarm would have been going on and off all night with the compressor.

This makes me wonder if these aftermarket shocks are a problem since they do not seem to be able to hold the air charge whenever you have something extra in the back of the van. Anyone else having this type of problem? Why can't these shocks hold air after they are pumped up at least for a few hours?

I have a 99 Montana with leaky rear shocks. Was looking at Monroe vs OEM as a replacement. Since my OEM lasted 11 years maybe I am better off using them. How do you remove the air line fitting from the old shock without damaging it. See a metal pin on the plastic connector.

[gearhead514.2008]

That is odd. The air compressor should not even turn on if your van ignition switch is off. Was that a factory alarm or did a alarm shop put it in. The non-factory shops tend to use unreliable pinch connectors that damage wiring. Maybe they wired something up wrong and your ignition stays in accessory mode. Is your battery going dead frequently? Just wondering. The air compressor should not turn on when the van is off. That is a fact.

[gearhead514.2008]

Its up to you which one you pick. The gas shocks are much cheaper and should last just as long depending if you buy a good one. I replaced the rear coil springs with a heavier rate spring because the oem ones keep breaking. Then I threw out my air shocks and put a set of monroe gas shocks on. Runs great and handles great. No more bouncing around in the back end on the lovely country roads. To remove the air lines, you have to remove that metal pin and then grab the plastic connector and try to twist it back and forth to break it free. They don't move to well when they have been on for a long time. Eventually it will break free and it just pulls off. If you do it carefully, you won't break it.

[Cressidaadr]

Originally Posted by gearhead514.2008

That is odd. The air compressor should not even turn on if your van ignition switch is off. Was that a factory alarm or did a alarm shop put it in. The non-factory shops tend to use unreliable pinch connectors that damage wiring. Maybe they wired something up wrong and your ignition stays in accessory mode. Is your battery going dead frequently? Just wondering. The air compressor should not turn on when the van is off. That is a fact.

The air compressor most certainly turned on with the van off and it is all factory - no aftermarket. Anyway thanks for pointing out that it should not be doing this. I don't know exactly what that means though.

I have not noticed it running at all the past few months and I assumed that was because I had taken out two of the back seats. However I just went out to check and it does not turn on at all. I tried to turn it on with ignition both on and off. I guess the reason I didn't here it running anymore is because the compressor no longer works.

The shocks seem to be doing OK without the compressor but I haven't had a full load of people or anything in a while.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Cressidaadr

The air compressor most certainly turned on with the van off and it is all factory - no aftermarket. Anyway thanks for pointing out that it should not be doing this. I don't know exactly what that means though.

I have not noticed it running at all the past few months and I assumed that was because I had taken out two of the back seats. However I just went out to check and it does not turn on at all. I tried to turn it on with ignition both on and off. I guess the reason I didn't here it running anymore is because the compressor no longer works.

The shocks seem to be doing OK without the compressor but I haven't had a full load of people or anything in a while.

i would stay with the air it's probably a line that was leaking or cracks in the rubber boot on air shocks. but now your air pump is not working at all? but you can get a set of plain strust for the back it comes in a kit from monroe. i doubt those shocks will last long with no air in them may even cause handling problems before long.

good luck......

[dewaynep]

Originally Posted by gearhead514.2008

That is odd. The air compressor should not even turn on if your van ignition switch is off. Was that a factory alarm or did a alarm shop put it in. The non-factory shops tend to use unreliable pinch connectors that damage wiring. Maybe they wired something up wrong and your ignition stays in accessory mode. Is your battery going dead frequently? Just wondering. The air compressor should not turn on when the van is off. That is a fact.

I know for a fact that the compressor will come on and pump up the air shock with the van off. I'm not sure why, but they do...

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by dewaynep

I know for a fact that the compressor will come on and pump up the air shock with the van off. I'm not sure why, but they do...

it's just leveling it out before it kicks off.

[dewaynep]

It will also do it after the van has been off for a while.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by dewaynep

It will also do it after the van has been off for a while.

some do that but now it sounds like you have a leak or someone wired it direct.