Self-Leveling Suspension

[ccorry21]

If you plan to just carry bikes, order the Telluride without the Tow Option and get the hitch and bumper plate only for $340 after purchase. (2020 Kia Telluride Tow Hitch S9F61-AU000 | Wholesale Kia Parts & 2020-2021 Kia Telluride Bumper Plate (AA022))

Again, wow, thank you for the incredible response!
I fall into the above category. Do you think those parts can be self-installed relatively easily? I do think I read some threads on that, but I don’t necessarily trust myself to install it perfectly, and also want to avoid the crazy labor that Kia would likely charge. Maybe I’m overthinking that, but I’ve seen others get quotes of around $800 to simply get the hitch installed...which doesn’t seem worth it given it’s more than the tow package.
So many decisions

 

[2020Telly]

Again, wow, thank you for the incredible response!
I fall into the above category. Do you think those parts can be self-installed relatively easily? I do think I read some threads on that, but I don’t necessarily trust myself to install it perfectly, and also want to avoid the crazy labor that Kia would likely charge. Maybe I’m overthinking that, but I’ve seen others get quotes of around $800 to simply get the hitch installed...which doesn’t seem worth it given it’s more than the tow package.
So many decisions

If you can handle a screwdriver and a torque wrench you can install it yourself. The instructions, YouTube videos and this forum are all the info you need. But I would bet if you called a camper dealer or UHaul and told them that you wanted to supply the parts and ask someone there to install the hitch and harness they would probably give you a flat rate quote. I can't tell you what the aftermarket suspension might run you, but you would have to find a truck accessory shop near where you live.

In my experience, I ordered my 2020 S very early on without the Tow Option that was advertised as a $395 MSRP. I spent $463.01 from getoemparts.com and had to buy the 4-pin harness for $137.49 because the better $40 Curt or Tekonsha harness were not out yet. So if I had been patient on the harness I could have gotten it all (Kia Hitch, Kia bumper cover, better 4-pin harness) for about $365. It took me 2 hours on a Saturday and it would have been faster if I had help getting the rubber attachment off the muffler mount. Lowering the muffler was honestly the hardest effort part. I wish my vehicle wiring was the 2021 to make a 7-pin install easier, but I'm still happy with my 2020 and when I'm ready I'll get a 7-way round added or do it myself and go with a Curt Echo Wireless brake controller. I also plan to try the air helper springs for $100 to give me better ride height when I add tongue weight and improve the life of my standard Mando shocks. If they don't work, I tried it for $100 and they are an easy removal and I will look into air bags. The self-leveling suspension looks like too much hassle to properly configure weight distribution and level hitch height and in the long run will cost more to maintain over just good quality shocks. If I'm trying to level my trailer and hitch and configure weight distribution, I don't want it to self-level, I want to level it where I want it and adjust it based on load and comfort.

 

[2020Telly]

Found this awesome video that does a great job of explaining weight distribution vs adding air to a rear suspension. The same concepts apply for self leveling shocks as it relates to the added stress put on the rear axle if you are towing a lot of weight.

Bottomline even if you fix sag, self-leveling suspension does not replace the need for proper weight distribution to avoid exceeding the max rating for the rear axle. But if you aren’t towing too much weight or perhaps just cargo and passengers the suspension leveling system can improve sag and the headlights pointing more level.

Based on the experiment and measurements in this video you might be damaging your Telluride’s rear suspension if without weight distribution you add the max tongue weight and tow capacity and cargo while it sits rested since the weight is just putting pressure on the rear axle. Even the self leveling suspension does not appear to increase the rear axle max weight rating so you really need to be mindful of when to use a weight distribution systems.

Pickup trucks have the added luxury of a frame and rear suspension that is meant for hauling and an empty truckbed that can be carefully loaded up for weight concerns instead of rear seats and the back half of the SUV resting on the axle that you can’t subtract from the equation.

 

[2020Telly]

do you have a photo of this?

I'm hard pressed to believe the self-leveling setup would be a poor choice on behalf of the Hyundai/Kia engineers. This isn't the type of thing companies just throw on a vehicle to try and squeeze extra profits out of (imo)

Here are my photos. Made another trip for the Labor Day mulch sale.

With no trailer connected my rear wheel well height was 32 1/4”. So normal ride height on a FWD S with standard shocks. (No self-leveling).

When I connected my trailer with no mulch, and just the trailer for tongue weight, I measure no drop it remained at 32 1/4”. Using a bathroom scale the downward pressure of the trailer by itself on the tongue stand read 28.8lbs.

When I measured with 65 bags of 2cu ft mulch at about 20lbs each, 1,300lbs on top of the trailer axle capable of 3,500lbs, the measured height was 31 1/2”. If my load added to tongue weight 15%, that’s 1,300 x 15% = 195 lbs plus the tongue weight of the trailer empty would be 224 lbs. If I shifted load on the trailer forward I dramatically change the downward force at the hitch putting more stress on the entire rear suspension and making the hitch height less than optimal in terms of being level with the trailer and vehicle.

Bottomline, hardly noticeable 3/4” drop with 1,300lbs on a utility trailer and standard shocks on the Telluride. No cargo and no passengers in the Telluride over the rear axle.

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[PassingTime]

Here are my photos. Made another trip for the Labor Day mulch sale.

With no trailer connected my rear wheel well height was 32 1/4”. So normal ride height on a FWD S with no standard shocks.

When I connected my trailer with no mulch, and just the trailer for tongue weight, no drop it remained at 32 1/4”.

When I measured with 65 bags of 2cu ft mulch at about 20lbs each, 1,300lbs on top of the trailer axle capable of 3,500lbs, the measured height was 31 1/2”.

Hardly noticeable 3/4” drop. No cargo And no passengers in the Telluride over the rear axle.

You are absolutely right. I have been using trailers and towing for nearly 50 years. It is always best to load with the weight slightly forward of the center of gravity of the trailer to provide a little bit of weight forward. Even though there is a maximum tongue weight rating that might be several pounds more than that, it is never a good idea to load like that. Stress on the towing vehicle rear axle and drive train, stress on the hitch, stress on the trailer tongue are all happening when you load forward with excessive weight. It makes a much easier pull for the vehicle too with proper weight distribution and less wind resistance plus it keeps the front wheels more firmly in contact with the road. I have load leveling on my current ride Mercury Grand Marque and towing or not it makes adjustments based on the weight in the trunk and the back seat to keep the car as level as possible. If I had my choice load level/self level system or not I want the load level every time.

 

[2020Telly]

You are absolutely right. I have been using trailers and towing for nearly 50 years. It is always best to load with the weight slightly forward of the center of gravity of the trailer to provide a little bit of weight forward. Even though there is a maximum tongue weight rating that might be several pounds more than that, it is never a good idea to load like that. Stress on the towing vehicle rear axle and drive train, stress on the hitch, stress on the trailer tongue are all happening when you load forward with excessive weight. It makes a much easier pull for the vehicle too with proper weight distribution and less wind resistance plus it keeps the front wheels more firmly in contact with the road. I have load leveling on my current ride Mercury Grand Marque and towing or not it makes adjustments based on the weight in the trunk and the back seat to keep the car as level as possible. If I had my choice load level/self level system or not I want the load level every time.

But isn’t the point of the upgraded leveling suspension to get you back close to normal ride height? It was previously reported that with just 160lbs and 350lbs in the rear with the self-leveling there was a drop even after riding for 8 miles. Beyond that it’s just not convincing me that there is a towing benefit with this type of self-leveling. Given that most people tow a travel trailer that adds tongue weight while they also carry cargo and passengers, that’s not good if the self-leveling suspension drops and doesn’t level front to back with just adding 160lbs and 350lbs. I feel like the tongue weight I have when pulling a trailer with normal shocks performs the same (or better) than if I had the self-leveling upgrade. The max tongue weight and max towing capacity is the same so it doesn’t appear to reduce any stress on the suspension with or without. But if there is more sag with self-leveling then there could be a safety issue when towing. This video shows that leveling systems do not address added hitch weight and in fact may actually hide problems with weight distribution being uneven.

I’m becoming more and more convinced that self-leveling shocks are meant to level left and right which will not counteract sag. When towing, yes, you don’t want and uneven load side-to-side but it is more important to distribute the weight back to front in order to reduce rear sag and keep the car level front to back not just side to side.

Think about it this way, lean vs sag. If you have an anti-sway system on your trailer the fact that the trailer is connected at the hitch tongue which is centered on the bumper, why would you need to level side to side any further when towing? A towing package that raises the rear to ride height with air bags or more expensive actively triggered shocks will help you level the hitch height with the front of the vehicle (sag) when towing AND solve any problems side to side (lean). That’s doesn’t appear to be the same thing that Kia and Hyundai are selling with this upgraded self-leveling suspension system. I think this system corrects lean issues with weight over the rear axle but does little (or less) to help with sag when towing.

If someone with the towing package simply loaded up one side of the rear cargo area with excessive weight creating different height on the wheel well side to side then drove a couple miles to see if the lean was corrected, that might confirm what this system does. Presumably the towing package adds self-leveling shocks and also different coils. But if the coils aren’t as stiff as standard to allow the self-leveling shocks to work, that might be great for lean issues, but I can’t see how it benefits sag. And the towing package does not replace the need for a weight distribution and anti sway system on the trailer.

 

[WaxZ28]

As per Kia’s build site, it seems the standalone hitch option has started to slip, now being listed as “coming soon”, whereas I’m almost positive it was not listed this way a week or so ago.

Now it doesn't even show up as an option, only the $795 Towing Package. Maybe that's why my SXP AWD NFE w/Towing Package keeps getting delayed, original delivery ETA was 8/11 and kept getting pushed back and is now 9/22.

 

[PassingTime]

A true self leveling system is meant to maintain a level attitude of the car. If the sensors and the system are working the right way then it should do exactly that regardless of being driven or not. Maybe there is a reason that it is not functioning as a true self leveling system that has to do with all the other safety features of the system or its not really self leveling. Anyway I understand your point if it isn't doing it then either its a faulty design, incorrectly identified or there is something else going on. The ones in my current car and truck activate immediately, running or not. As soon as a load is applied you can hear and feel the adjustment, both Ford products BTW. I ordered the towing package on the Telluride so hoping that works as it should.

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[2020Telly]

A true self leveling system is meant to maintain a level attitude of the car. If the sensors and the system are working the right way then it should do exactly that regardless of being driven or not. Maybe there is a reason that it is not functioning as a true self leveling system that has to do with all the other safety features of the system or its not really self leveling. Anyway I understand your point if it isn't doing it then either its a faulty design, incorrectly identified or there is something else going on. The ones in my current car and truck activate immediately, running or not. As soon as a load is applied you can hear and feel the adjustment, both Ford products BTW. I ordered the towing package on the Telluride so hoping that works as it should.

Unfortunately I think you are paying for a system advertised to do one thing but you may be getting sold a system that was meant for an entirely different use case.

I totally see the merit in these shocks for a station wagon, minivan or motorcycle. But it escapes me on an SUV for towing.

Maybe the Telluride self-leveling upgrade has something different that I’m just not seeing that makes it vastly different from what comes with the Pallisade.

 

[PassingTime]

In doing some additional checking I see that there is just a self contained oil assist expensive shock system on the Telly. That is disappointing considering the additional cost. I am still glad that I have ordered it however it saves me the effort and cost of finding and installing a separate tow bar that is made exactly for the T with the appropriate wiring harness. For the price its expensive considering there is not a compressor to assist in leveling and maintaining that adjustment until the load is released. I added a receiver to my Grand Marque and by the time I had it mounted, added the wire harness it was over $500. In my younger days I would have self installed but my body doesn't tolerate that any more. So yes, this is overpriced but its something I will use on occasion and it's ready do pull a small trailer if I want to haul my motorcycle or other smaller load right away. If I want to go for a bigger pull I'll probably get out the F150. Sadly I think it's mislabeled.

 

[bruesjoh04]

Maybe the Telluride self-leveling upgrade has something different that I’m just not seeing that makes it vastly different from what comes with the Palisade.

The self-leveling suspension in the Telluride and Palisade is identical. Only minor difference is that the Palisade’s version is tuned to mimic the feel of the standard Palisade suspension (which is different than the standard Telluride suspension).

Also note that the self-leveling suspension comes with all of the high-end Palisade trims. It is not tied to a towing package.

This is similar to how Kia of Canada has their Telluride trims set up as well. Getting a higher trim gets you self-leveling, again, not tied to any towing package.

 

[2020Telly]

In doing some additional checking I see that there is just a self contained oil assist expensive shock system on the Telly. That is disappointing considering the additional cost. I am still glad that I have ordered it however it saves me the effort and cost of finding and installing a separate tow bar that is made exactly for the T with the appropriate wiring harness. For the price its expensive considering there is not a compressor to assist in leveling and maintaining that adjustment until the load is released. I added a receiver to my Grand Marque and by the time I had it mounted, added the wire harness it was over $500. In my younger days I would have self installed but my body doesn't tolerate that any more. So yes, this is overpriced but its something I will use on occasion and it's ready do pull a small trailer if I want to haul my motorcycle or other smaller load right away. If I want to go for a bigger pull I'll probably get out the F150. Sadly I think it's mislabeled.

Have you considered just swapping the tow package for just the tow option and then upgrading the shocks after? I wonder how many people with a Telluride on order realize that is a choice.

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[2020Telly]

The self-leveling suspension in the Telluride and Palisade is identical. Only minor difference is that the Palisade’s version is tuned to mimic the feel of the standard Palisade suspension (which is different than the standard Telluride suspension).

Also note that the self-leveling suspension comes with all of the high-end Palisade trims. It is not tied to a towing package.

This is similar to how Kia of Canada has their Telluride trims set up as well. Getting a higher trim gets you self-leveling, again, not tied to any towing package.

I have noticed this as well and one of the reasons that I have concluded that the self-leveling suspension is mislabeled as a towing package.

 

[wr250f]

Here is my 2020 Canadian SX-Limited with self leveling suspension with Curt #13420 hitch.
Well height of 32.50" without trailer and 31.50" with 3500 lbs boat and trailer attached. I drove only 2.5 km from boat ramp to home so most likely not enough for the Nivomat shock absorber to build pressure in the accumulator. I should also have measure the well height right away and not 3 hours later as the vehicle will lower when not in motion. Will do more testing next time.

 

[PassingTime]

Have you considered just swapping the tow package for just the tow option and then upgrading the shocks after? I wonder how many people with a Telluride on order realize that is a choice.

I can't rethink this and reorder as it is a done deal and supposedly in KFOS. Ultimately it is not the best solution for towing on a regular basis but in my case it is a done deal. If I need more capacity i'll have to pull with my 2003 F150.

 

[2020Telly]

I can't rethink this and reorder as it is a done deal and supposedly in KFOS. Ultimately it is not the best solution for towing on a regular basis but in my case it is a done deal. If I need more capacity i'll have to pull with my 2003 F150.

Oh I didn’t realize you had a VIN. So you should be fine. I thought you were one of the folks that was delayed because of the tow package.

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[PassingTime]

Oh I didn’t realize you had a VIN. So you should be fine. I thought you were one of the folks that was delayed because of the tow package.

Just to be clear, I have been told my order has been accepted, no VIN yet.

 

[Silverman]

So is this self leveling system a sales pitch and we are paying 795 bucks for install? Very interesting.

You need the Tow PACKAGE, not the Tow OPTION. I have the Tow Package (7-pin) on my Nightfall EX (all options). The self leveling works fine. I've had approximately 400lbs in the rear, and it was level and solid. The guy with the all the pics in this thread has a 4-pin on his hitch, which I believe doesn't come with self leveling...meaning he only has the Tow OPTION. Since he only has a 4-pin, he's limited to towing under 1,900 lbs.; that 4-pin doesn't handle trailer brakes, and anything over about 2k will put massive stress on the vehicle's brakes (among other things). The Tow PACKAGE gives you a 7-pin, which allows for trailer brakes, and THAT'S what allows this to tow 5,000lbs. A 4-pin puts too much stress on the vehicle's brakes. So, regardless of whether you choose a 4 or 7, the SUV will still pull 5k, but is dicey as hell without those trailer brakes...and it's highly unadvisable, as it can casue injries and fatalities because the vehicle has poor handling and stopping capabilities. You're begging for a wreck if you haul 5k without the 7-pin and brake controller. Keep in mind: the 7-pin Trailer Package doesn't come with a trailer (brake) controller - you have to install it yourself in your garage, or have an RV shop, or Uhaul do it for you pretty fast and cheap. Just having the Trailer Package with 7-pin and self leveling doesn't allow you to pull 5k until you get that controller installed. Cheap as hell to do, easy to use. Hope that helps a bit.

Does anyone have experience with the self-leveling suspension yet? Does it have benefits for those not towing but hauling lots of people? If you don't have it does the rear end sink with a lot of weight (cargo and/or passengers)?

 

[rbfromma]

You need the Tow PACKAGE, not the Tow OPTION. I have the Tow Package (7-pin) on my Nightfall EX (all options). The self leveling works fine. I've had approximately 400lbs in the rear, and it was level and solid. The guy with the all the pics in this thread has a 4-pin on his hitch, which I believe doesn't come with self leveling...meaning he only has the Tow OPTION. Since he only has a 4-pin, he's limited to towing under 1,900 lbs.; that 4-pin doesn't handle trailer brakes, and anything over about 2k will put massive stress on the vehicle's brakes (among other things). The Tow PACKAGE gives you a 7-pin, which allows for trailer brakes, and THAT'S what allows this to tow 5,000lbs. A 4-pin puts too much stress on the vehicle's brakes. So, regardless of whether you choose a 4 or 7, the SUV will still pull 5k, but is dicey as hell without those trailer brakes...and it's highly unadvisable, as it can casue injries and fatalities because the vehicle has poor handling and stopping capabilities. You're begging for a wreck if you haul 5k without the 7-pin and brake controller. Keep in mind: the 7-pin Trailer Package doesn't come with a trailer (brake) controller - you have to install it yourself in your garage, or have an RV shop, or Uhaul do it for you pretty fast and cheap. Just having the Trailer Package with 7-pin and self leveling doesn't allow you to pull 5k until you get that controller installed. Cheap as hell to do, easy to use. Hope that helps a bit.

Incorrect. For 2020, the tow package was identical to 2021 with the exception of the 4 pin vs 7 pin. In other words, the self leveling is in both 2020 and 2021 with tow package. The 5000 lb tow rating is also identical from 2020 to 2021. You are correct that the 7 pin should really be used and many had to upgrade to safely tow with their 2020 models.

Take a read through the thread and specifically posts by @NCTelly. Some very good insight on proper towing setup and the self leveling shock setup.

 

[2020Telly]

You don’t NEED the tow package to tow safely. You just need proper weight distribution by using a weight distribution hitch system and and trailer sway bar. That applies no matter what shocks you have. The 2021 tow package includes the tow option. And the tow option on the 2021 comes with a 7-pin harness to connect trailer brakes. But truth be told you don’t even need that if your trailer uses surge (non electric brakes). The self leveling shocks have nothing to do with towing they are purely for adding cargo inside the telluride. But if you really want to solve the rear sag by getting to normal ride height when loaded with cargo AND/OR when towing then self leveling shocks are not what you need. For that you need an air bag system. Adding 400lbs OVER the rear axle is direct pressure over the shocks and they should activate after driving a little and then settle when you park. Adding 400lbs at the hitch tongue is behind the axle and it is questionable whether this will activate the shocks without weight distribution system.

Bottomline, the tow option with brakes and weight distribution is the same whether you spent extra with the package or not.

To tow safely you want to move weight from the rear off the rear axle and distribute to the front axle. Simply raising the backend with expensive shocks doesn’t lessen any weight (in fact it may hide a problem). If you have the tow package and add air bags for towing you overspent on a feature you can’t use and will have to spend more money to replace in the future. But if you do occasional towing and care more about cargo when not towing then the self leveling shocks might be a nice option for you.