bypassing the ride control

[xxxscimitarxxx]

My 90 'service ride control comes on intermittantly and lm going to be pulling the actuators to check for plastic parts breaks....so a couple of Q's

l assume its ok to replace just a single defective one without there being any ride issues because thay arent all replaced

the 90 has the ride control unit in the rear access box behind driver l think...?...(sorry manuals not to hand)..how do you check for a bad control unit.

if one was to basically remove the ride control function (take off all actuators) can you hard lock the shocks into a fixed position by just manually turning the rotator on the top of the shock......just assuming clockwise hardest....somewhere in the middle being medium and anti clock wise for soft (or of course the complete opposite of that)....do all the shocks just settle at either soft medium or hard setting if ride control isnt present

[GOLDCYLON]

l assume its ok to replace just a single defective one without there being any ride issues because thay arent all replaced

Yes its ok

how do you check for a bad control unit. I beleive you need a GM Tech1 or Tech 1A tool to get beyond the normal codes you can get from a paperclip in the ALDL Port. http://www.captainzcnc.com/ is a good site in the diag section when you start testing the actuators.


if one was to basically remove the ride control function (take off all actuators) can you hard lock the shocks into a fixed position by just manually turning the rotator on the top of the shock......just assuming clockwise hardest....somewhere in the middle being medium and anti clock wise for soft (or of course the complete opposite of that)....do all the shocks just settle at either soft medium or hard setting if ride control isnt present

It would be a whole lot easier to just remove the shocks and go with another brand of regular non fX-3 shocks. Why would you want to ruin a set of working Bilsteins? The only way you could hardlock them maybe to set screw them or weld the gear so it doest not turn. I would suggest replacing with some non FX-3 shocks that are available anywhere. Just a suggestion

[gbrtng]

With the actuators off, you can set the shock adjustment manually and they will stay where you set them. Remember that the correctly operating system changes valving with speed, so no matter where you set them, it's a compromise. Full clockwise looking down on the shaft is hardest.

[xxxscimitarxxx]

Thanks for that guys

hard locking the shocks is a compramise if l find a bad one or two or a defective control unit so l can still drive while sorting it out

Just another Q ....lets say one doesnt work.....does the control unit cut out the other three or do you run the risk of having three working actuators and a one not working.....which sounds like a recipe for some unusual handling leading to a crash......

[gbrtng]

Just another Q ....lets say one doesnt work.....does the control unit cut out the other three or do you run the risk of having three working actuators and a one not working.....which sounds like a recipe for some unusual handling leading to a crash......
I don't know - but I did a track event with the RF actuator going bad.
I opted to remove the LF actuator too and manually adjusted both front shocks
to full hard. I left the rear actuators installed and set the control to "firm" or whatever the switch setting is. The vehicle handled OK, and I replaced the RF actuator and put the system back to complete several weeks later.