Softer Ride - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

blaserman · 01-27-2005, 02:28 AM

would air shocks make my 86 k5 blazer ride smoother? right now when i run over a pebble i can feel it. can not play my cd unless the road is very flat and smooth.

**N2TRUX** · 01-27-2005, 09:28 AM

No, air shocks would make the problem worse. Give some details about your suspension. If it rides that rough you have other problems...

grnddwn · 01-27-2005, 03:40 PM

Air Bag your CD player

Come on like no one's ever thought about it

FLAGG · 01-27-2005, 05:19 PM

LIES! I've never thought about air bagging my CD player.

Now, putting my CD player on a hot water bottle full of corn syrup is another story...

Isn't the Edelbrock IAS shocks claim to fame the fact that they give a much smoother ride over rough roads than standard shocks?

GenIIIShorty · 01-27-2005, 06:38 PM

ok, that's unique, flagg. give some suspension details, i'm sure someone can help!

grnddwn · 01-27-2005, 07:32 PM

Now, putting my CD player on a hot water bottle full of corn syrup is another story...

Doesn't work unless heat up the CD player first

blaserman · 01-28-2005, 01:50 AM

My truck is a 1986 K5 blazer 1/2 ton. Lifted 4 inches. as far as the rest it is all stock suspension. tires are 235-75x16. Can not afford to buy airbags for it. was looking for a different was to make it ride softer. CD is no longer a problem it stoped working.

LONGHAIR · 01-29-2005, 08:29 AM

The lift springs are probably your problem. Some of the cheaper kits use a very stiff spring. 235/75/16 sounds pretty small for a 4" lifted Blazer, a taller tire with more sidewall may help too. That sounds more like a stock tire for a 3/4 ton truck....what is the load rating of that tire?

Fat Tom · 01-29-2005, 07:46 PM

You could swap out the 4" springs for stock springs, then do a shackle reversal that will get your 4" lift back. It should ride alot smoother with a stock spring.

GenIIIShorty · 01-30-2005, 01:35 AM

that might help in the back, but in the front, it's harder to get a soft ride. maybe longer shackles, and less lift springs? here's an idea.....2" lift springs, 2" longer shackles, and 1" zero rate springs from www.offroaddesign.com ? i dunno if you wanna shell out more bucks for a completely new front spring setup. if you do this, you are gonna need about 4* shims to correct the pinion angle, because the shackles are in the back on the front springs, so if you go with longer shackles, it points your pinion down, which is bad. just a thought. mebbe someone on here has better info about this than i.

GenIIIShorty · 01-30-2005, 01:37 AM

ummm, the shackles aren't on that site, everything else is, though. check out www.coloradok5.com for product reviews on longer shackles, i know they are on that site, thought they reviewed the offroaddesign ones. oh, and you can pick up the angle shims at your local 4wd shop, they are a pretty common buy. if you can't find 'em anywhere and you decide to go with this idea, i can get a set of 4* shims for about $15, and ship 'em to ya.

blaserman · 02-15-2005, 03:31 AM

Thanks for all the idea's but I found the problem. It is the shocks. Who ever had this prior pit on a set of el chepo's. I cleaned off one of them and I never heard of the co. going to but 4 good ones tha are rated for both off road and on road., that should help. Still trying to figure how to measure what kind of life I have on it. No names or numbers on the springs.

**N2TRUX** · 02-15-2005, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaserman

Thanks for all the idea's but I found the problem. It is the shocks..... Still trying to figure how to measure what kind of lift I have on it. No names or numbers on the springs.

I think your on the right track. Shocks can make or break your suspension.

One last shot at ID'ing the springs. What color are the bushings?

01-27-2005, 02:28 AM	#1
blaserman Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: glen burnie md Posts: 447	Softer Ride would air shocks make my 86 k5 blazer ride smoother? right now when i run over a pebble i can feel it. can not play my cd unless the road is very flat and smooth.

01-27-2005, 09:28 AM	#2
N2TRUX Happy to be here Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 39,023	No, air shocks would make the problem worse. Give some details about your suspension. If it rides that rough you have other problems... __________________ Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @N2trux.com Articles- "Jake" the 84 to 74 crewcab "Elwood" the77_Remix 85 GMC Sierra "Scarlett" "Refining Sierra"

01-27-2005, 06:38 PM	#5
GenIIIShorty JUNK COLLECTOR!!!!! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 514	ok, that's unique, flagg. give some suspension details, i'm sure someone can help! __________________ baby The dark side! 2000 XLT PSD F-250 4x4! Offroad package 1970 C10 Short-step soon to be short fleet, maybe? Corvette in truck's clothing in work! Corvette IFS, IRS, TPI and Doug Nash 4+3

01-28-2005, 01:50 AM	#7
blaserman Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: glen burnie md Posts: 447	Softer Ride My truck is a 1986 K5 blazer 1/2 ton. Lifted 4 inches. as far as the rest it is all stock suspension. tires are 235-75x16. Can not afford to buy airbags for it. was looking for a different was to make it ride softer. CD is no longer a problem it stoped working.

01-29-2005, 07:46 PM	#9
Fat Tom Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Maple Ridge, B.C., Canada Posts: 42	You could swap out the 4" springs for stock springs, then do a shackle reversal that will get your 4" lift back. It should ride alot smoother with a stock spring. __________________ 69 GMC 2wd 350cid 82 Toyota 4wd, 3.8L V6, 6" lift, 35's, locked and loaded 76 Datsun F10 1.4L *FOR SALE* 04 Honda Shadow 750

01-27-2005, 03:40 PM	#3
grnddwn belly dragger Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: sherwood park AB. Canada Posts: 696	Air Bag your CD player Come on like no one's ever thought about it

01-27-2005, 05:19 PM	#4
FLAGG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: St. Albert, Alberta, Canada Posts: 89	LIES! I've never thought about air bagging my CD player. Now, putting my CD player on a hot water bottle full of corn syrup is another story... Isn't the Edelbrock IAS shocks claim to fame the fact that they give a much smoother ride over rough roads than standard shocks?

01-27-2005, 07:32 PM	#6
grnddwn belly dragger Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: sherwood park AB. Canada Posts: 696	Now, putting my CD player on a hot water bottle full of corn syrup is another story... Doesn't work unless heat up the CD player first

01-29-2005, 08:29 AM	#8
LONGHAIR just can't cover up my redneck Join Date: May 2004 Location: Columbus OH Posts: 11,414	The lift springs are probably your problem. Some of the cheaper kits use a very stiff spring. 235/75/16 sounds pretty small for a 4" lifted Blazer, a taller tire with more sidewall may help too. That sounds more like a stock tire for a 3/4 ton truck....what is the load rating of that tire?

01-30-2005, 01:35 AM	#10
GenIIIShorty JUNK COLLECTOR!!!!! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 514	that might help in the back, but in the front, it's harder to get a soft ride. maybe longer shackles, and less lift springs? here's an idea.....2" lift springs, 2" longer shackles, and 1" zero rate springs from www.offroaddesign.com ? i dunno if you wanna shell out more bucks for a completely new front spring setup. if you do this, you are gonna need about 4* shims to correct the pinion angle, because the shackles are in the back on the front springs, so if you go with longer shackles, it points your pinion down, which is bad. just a thought. mebbe someone on here has better info about this than i. __________________ baby The dark side! 2000 XLT PSD F-250 4x4! Offroad package 1970 C10 Short-step soon to be short fleet, maybe? Corvette in truck's clothing in work! Corvette IFS, IRS, TPI and Doug Nash 4+3

01-30-2005, 01:37 AM	#11
GenIIIShorty JUNK COLLECTOR!!!!! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 514	ummm, the shackles aren't on that site, everything else is, though. check out www.coloradok5.com for product reviews on longer shackles, i know they are on that site, thought they reviewed the offroaddesign ones. oh, and you can pick up the angle shims at your local 4wd shop, they are a pretty common buy. if you can't find 'em anywhere and you decide to go with this idea, i can get a set of 4* shims for about $15, and ship 'em to ya. __________________ baby The dark side! 2000 XLT PSD F-250 4x4! Offroad package 1970 C10 Short-step soon to be short fleet, maybe? Corvette in truck's clothing in work! Corvette IFS, IRS, TPI and Doug Nash 4+3

02-15-2005, 03:31 AM	#12
blaserman Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: glen burnie md Posts: 447	Thanks for all the idea's but I found the problem. It is the shocks. Who ever had this prior pit on a set of el chepo's. I cleaned off one of them and I never heard of the co. going to but 4 good ones tha are rated for both off road and on road., that should help. Still trying to figure how to measure what kind of life I have on it. No names or numbers on the springs.



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