Airlift Bags clunking/creaking — 21 Telluride

[mshe]

Hello—hoping someone can provide some advice. I recently had my local 4x4 place install the Truxxx 2” lift kit and at the same time a pair of Air Lift 1000’s. My invoice indicates they installed a 60901 as opposed to the 60904 I have seen referenced on other threads here. It looks like the difference is the 01 has a 3” diameter and the 04 is 3.5”. Comparing pics to what I have (below) to others, I can see where mine does appear to be narrower.

With that said, the issue is now whenever my rear suspension engages (can even just be making a turn), I hear it clunking/creaking. The original 4x4 place claims this is just the cost of putting in an aftermarket lift it. I got a second opinion and they are convinced it is the air bags rubbing, but as they had never worked on a Telluride, they weren’t sure whether I had the right size installed or not.

Logically, I would think slightly under sizing would cause less noise, but more (??). But I haven’t read of anyone else here complaining of suspension noises after installing a combination of the 2” lift kit and the Air Lift 1000 60904 (3.5” diameter).

Any thoughts on what I can do to troubleshoot from here? Anyone know if the model numbers are somewhere on the bags themselves in a place I can see them already installed so I can confirm what was actually installed?

Below are a few pics if that helps anyone do some armchair diagnoses. Really appreciate it!

 

[WhiteSX]

Why not go back to the installer to have them diagnose?

 

[mshe]

Why not go back to the installer to have them diagnose?

Unfortunately, I tried... they claim they can't hear anything and want nothing to do with any remedy -- without saying it directly, their attitude was clearly 'this is what you get for doing work on a Kia'. They were blaming the Truxxx lift kit, but had no solution other than to remove everything they installed. I got my second opinion at another 4x4 shop and they were the ones that indicated it was definitely the air bags causing the noise, not the lift kit.

I reviewed the installation instructions last night for the Air Lift 1000's and, interestingly, they indicate the bags *should* be touching the coils (just not sized bigger than the outside of the coils), as part of the lifting power comes not just from the up/down force, but also that outward pressure against the coils.

So perhaps this is as 'simple' as just having undersized air bags...