Hi all, first post here and I'm looking for some input on my issue. I have an 06 Navigator with 149K miles and for the past few weeks I have noticed a clunking in the drivers side front strut, so I figure it is probably time to go ahead and replace the shock.

I have noticed since the clunking started that the air compressor is quick cycling more and more, not too horrible yet but getting worse by the week. So my questions are:

1. Could the compressor quick cycling be from the worn out shock allowing the truck to sag on that wheel which would cause the sensor to think it is low and try to level it?

2. If the air spring itself has no leak in it, do you think I could get away with just replacing the shock on both front wheels until I can afford to purchase two new air strut assemblies?

3. How difficult is it to remove the shock from the air spring itself then reattach? I have only ever worked on traditional shock/coil over spring setups.

TIA,
JC

 

So I ended up having a small leak in my passenger front airbag causing the compressor cycling. I did not have to bother trying to find the leak because as I was pulling in the garage to start looking the crack got bigger in the airbag and you could literally hear the air rushing out LOL.

I bought an after market air bag and was fairly easy to install, no real issues. Took me 5 hours but that is because it was my first time and I was working slowly to make sure it was done correctly.

I think it is much easier to work on these vs. a traditional spring strut since you do not have to compress a spring to remove it.