The air ride is nice but for whatever reason on my 2003 truck was not reliable and I elected to take the "easy" way out and just switch to the springs.
I don't haul/tow anything so I didn't need the self-leveling the air ride gives. The only "off-roading" the truck does is here around the house pulling stumps, moving brush and rocks around so I didn't need the extra 2" of lift you can get with the air ride. And I didn't need the compressor/hose to to air up anything. The ride to me is a little harsher but, hey, it's a truck and is just fine for us
If you can live with the above, switch to the springs, if you want what the air ride is suppose to be, fix it
A lot of times the problem is a simple fix at the dealership (mine was the leveling sensor twice and the airbag once then the inlet filter) and you can drive the truck many miles without any farther problems as have many here.
Side note.....
I have read your other post and can see why you would maybe want to change to the springs versus the cost of the new compressor with what you was told
Got my 2003 service manual out to see what the code is that you had and even though mine is the older compressor your problem could be as simple as a ground problem. Did the dealership just use the scan tool to check the code ? and made the decision that you should go with the complete compressor ? There appears to be several steps required to determine what the exact probelm is. Is it possible for you to get a second opinion ?
HUMTECH, you out there ? does replaceing the compressor for DTC C0716 seem normal or just a way to "generate cash flow"
Best of luck folks, Ed
