So my CCR hasn't been working for a while with both lights lit on the center console. I suspected the compressor was bad and was told by the dealer that was the case. Rather than go the junkyard route I decided to install a rebuilt compressor from Arnott (see link).

http://www.arnottindustries.com/part_PO ... id111.html

After installing the compressor the next problem arose, one of the rear struts was leaking. So here's where I'd like some advice. Overall the suspension is not that bad, especially considering it has 210k miles. My main concern is that the compressor now kicks in much more than it should due to the leak in the system.

Option #1
Replace the rear struts only with AC Delco #503364 from RockAuto. These are specifically for the CCR and are about $60 each. Total $120.

Option #2
Replace front & rear struts & springs with Monroe Quick-Strut. Front part #171822, rear #171798, hardware #AK43. Total all around ~$430, again from RockAuto.

Option #3
Replace front & rear struts & springs with Monroe Sensa-trac and AC Delco springs. I won't go into all the details on the part #'s but about $475 total but labor may cost me more in the end.

Option #4
Replace front & rear struts & springs with AC Delco parts. This is by far the most costly with parts only coming in around $730 from RockAuto.

BTW, I've listed the options in order of preference. With reading some of the other posts regarding the Quick-Struts not having the proper spring rates I'm wondering if that's the way to go. Or should I just go Option #1 and see how that turns out?

TIA

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

Personally, I'd go with option 2 if your wallet can afford it.

There was just a $100 rebate when you buy 4 quickstruts (I just ordered some not long ago). Not sure if that's still going on?


With that many miles, I would replace all the struts if your wallet can afford it. It will have a great improvement in ride quality.

_________________
Clay
1997.2 40th SLE-138k
1968 Bonneville 400ci w/TH-400-40k
1999 GMC Suburban SLT-191k
2005 Escalade 253k-GINA

The advantage of going with option #1, besides the price, is that I'd maintain the CCR (assuming there's nothing else wrong in the system). Despite what others have said I did feel a noticeable difference between the sport and touring modes.

With option #2 do I need to buy separate springs for the rear since it's not a coil over setup like the fronts? If so that will add more to the total. And it doesn't look like that rebate is still going on although I think I remember seeing when I first starting pricing all this stuff out.

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

I am not so sure those cheap struts will actually retain the functionality of the CCR. Last I knew those struts were no longer in production and were ridiculously expensive IF you could find them.

They may state specifically for CCR, but that only means they will bolt up, not necessarily that they will still work like a factory CCR strut with different settings.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Here's the description of option #1 direct from the AC Delco site.

STRUT ASM,RR SUSP
Part Number: 503-364
Product Notes:
Premium Gas Charged Rear Suspension Strut
4DR; Air (RR spring type), computer command ride; Does not incl; springs due to vehicle design
4DR; Air (RR spring type); Does not incl springs due to vehicle design; ; Except Auto air lvl cont (G67)

Per Vehicle: 2; Years: 1997-1997

It is also listed as GM #88945844

Maybe someone can tell me if these numbers jive or not.

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

I'm in the same boat. Rear Bladder has hole . Would like to keep CCR functional. From what I have read, no replacements are available that keep the CCR function.

What happens to CCR function (front) if you just replace the backs with a non CCR shock.?

_________________
1997 SSEI 3.8 L67 149,000 miles Moonroof, Polished Gen V w/L32 intake, 3.5 mod. Pulley, SD Headers, Intense Stage 1 tune, MagnaFlow Cat 94109, Catco catback, Autolite 103s, 180 stat, Intense FWI, 1995 OEM trans cooler, Cleared corners. KYB Excel G struts and shocks.


2006 Malibu SS 3.9 60 degree V6, Variable Valve, Tap shift Trans, 100,000 miles Bone stock

SOLD - 1992 SSEI FWI PEM Catco Cat NGK TR55 180 stat Original owner 209,000 miles Original Engine and Trans - Still strong when she left

I may be wrong, but the air compressor has nothing to do with the CCR. The compressor only works with the load leveling in the rear, and the inflator outlet in the trunk. CCR is all electrical valving in the strut, I thought.

_________________

WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

Yup. I'm pretty sure that's how it is.
Struts I just bought have nothing air to the front.

_________________
Clay
1997.2 40th SLE-138k
1968 Bonneville 400ci w/TH-400-40k
1999 GMC Suburban SLT-191k
2005 Escalade 253k-GINA

Ok, so has any purchased the rear struts I described in Option #1 and do they have electrical connectors for the CCR? AC Delco part #503-364, GM part #88945844. I just spoke with my local dealer and the GM part # they gave me, which is discontinued, is #22189459 which is for both rear struts but non-electrical meaning no CCR. The price is also completely outrageous being somewhere north of $800.

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

I wish I could have chimed in earlier lol. When I get the funds up I would like to do away with the CCR as mine is also bad. I plan on going with Strutmasters rear conversion kit http://www.strutmasters.com/Pontiac-Bon ... -r2-pb.htm
and Monroe Quick struts up front. IIRC in the Rockauto catalog there is a rear air ride/CCR delete strut, been awhile since I looked at RA. But anyways thats my opinion.

You don't need any kit to remove CCR. You need new struts, none of which come with CCR.

What you need the kit to remove and still retain full functionality, is ELC, Electronic Load Control, which is the air suspension. Removing it isn't really the best, if you can repair your ELC and get it to work again.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Well, looks like I'm going to go with my original choice then, option #2. I'll call RockAuto tomorrow to see if the quick-strut number for the rears includes springs or not.

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

It won't, the rear struts will come with the mounts, but no spring. The strut and spring are separate on the rear of your car.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

So if I go the option #2 route then should I add the AC Delco springs to the rear? Here are the choices I see on RockAuto.

AC Delco part #45H3080 {#88913841} Sold In Pairs, SPRING SET,RR -; 4 DOORS; VARIABLE RATE $67.79
or
Moog part #CC653 Sold In Pairs, Rr Susp; Variable Rate Springs $64.79

Is there anything else I need to order or just the Quick-Struts, new hardware, & rear springs?

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

Moog would be fine, save you a little bit of money.
Just quick-strut for the front, nothing else
Rear= struts, upper strut mounts, springs, upper and lower spring seats. x2 of each and that should do it.

Well if you strut bolts are bad, might pick up the AK43 kit.

I'm assuming the upper strut mounts are included with the rear Quick-strut assembly. But I don't see any spring seats for the rear. They have 2 categories listed, coil spring insulator and coil spring seat and both only list parts for the front.

_________________
Ron
1997 40th Anniv SSEi (sold)
2009 G8 GXP

Yes the front is a "plug and play" unit pretty much.
Yeah the rear coil spring seat for the bottom, where the control arm is and the insulator for the spring pocket (top) that is in the rear subframe/ body part. This maybe Vise Versa on how I'm saying it, but it's for the coil spring. The strut will just need the upper strut mount kit x2 and depending on the condition of your lower strut bolts, the AK43 kit will work.

EDIT: aah I see now, just use your existing one, when you replace your rear coil springs, just inspect the upper and lower "insulator", I know RA isn't showing them, and try and make sure to get the new coil spring in the exisiting coil springs insulator mark/seating indentation, This isn't a "have to" thing, just a good rule of thumb.

ok . Want to get this straight. Better to replace all 4 struts at same time. Front is plug and play. but the rear will need struts, upper strut mounts, springs, upper and lower spring seats? Can you reuse old springs? Can you just replace the rear and not the front. What will this do to CCR? ELC is back only.

_________________
1997 SSEI 3.8 L67 149,000 miles Moonroof, Polished Gen V w/L32 intake, 3.5 mod. Pulley, SD Headers, Intense Stage 1 tune, MagnaFlow Cat 94109, Catco catback, Autolite 103s, 180 stat, Intense FWI, 1995 OEM trans cooler, Cleared corners. KYB Excel G struts and shocks.


2006 Malibu SS 3.9 60 degree V6, Variable Valve, Tap shift Trans, 100,000 miles Bone stock

SOLD - 1992 SSEI FWI PEM Catco Cat NGK TR55 180 stat Original owner 209,000 miles Original Engine and Trans - Still strong when she left

ELC is basically an air bag of sorts built into the rear strut. There is a level sensor on one of the rear control arms and when it senses that the rear is sagging, it pumps air into the bag and lifts the rear of the car back up to level it out. ELC is ONLY on the rear struts and has nothing at all to do with the fronts.

CCR is an additional option with which you can select different settings to have a firmer or softer ride, this is for all four struts. These struts are basically no longer made and IF you are lucky enough to find a set, be prepared to spend probably double what the car is worth for all four.

There really is no reason at all to replace the springs unless they are broken, sagging (front only, rear sag is taken care of by ELC so you would never know anyways) or you want a firmer or softer spring rate.

Most of the quick strut kits are generally built for the softest suspension setup, FE1 in our case. Putting these on an SSEi will likely give it a soft ride like an SE.

Since you will basically not be keeping the CCR functional, all you really should need is a rear strut with ELC option, and any regular front strut. Monroe Sensa-Tracs seem pretty common and well liked around here, as well as the KYB GR2 struts.

Best to get all new mounts for any strut you are replacing, they are a pain to do after the strut install if they fail because then you have to remove the strut and spring (for the front) to replace the bushings. Just replace with new if you can afford it when you replace the struts.

The front struts will have a strut bearing between the spring and top plate, before everything goes back together, make sure that bearing is good or you will get a clunking / spring noise when you turn.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one