Softer Ride

[justinburnett]

Have a 3/4 ton 4x4. 1973. Wondering if there is anything I can do to smooth the ride out when it's unloaded. I still need to be able to haul heavy stuff, so i can't lighten the suspension, but I was wondering if there's any such thing as a progressive suspension, or some sort of ride softening device that would not affect weight capacity. Right now when I'm riding empty, I feel every bump, crack, dip, and hole. If I'm on a rough road I have to creep along or i get my head slammed into the roof (yes, I do mean that literally, it hurts). Thanks.

[N2TRUX]

The rear springs are your culprit. They are built to haul a load, not ride smoothly. The best solution I know of would be to remove some leafs and install a help bag. You can air it up when you need it, and ride softer when you don't.

[justinburnett]

The helper bag will provide enough if I fill the bed with rocks and such?

[tucsonjwt]

I have owned 3 squares that were 2WD 3/4 tons and never had that problem. I don't think the 4WD should make that much difference. Are you sure that you have good shocks? The best shocks I have had were Edelbrock IAS shocks, but they are very expensive. Bilsteins are also popular. Probably just stock heavy duty shocks would help. I had IAS shocks on a 2000 Silverado 1/2 ton and they improved handling and ride a lot - not so bouncy on rough roads as most 1/2 tons are. I did have one leak and Edelbrock replaced it no charge. I have read about progressive helper springs in the back if you have springs that are too stiff but I have never had them - Hellwig is one brand. I also had velvet ride replacement shackles on the 2000 Silverado but I don't think they helped very much, so I would not buy them again.

[justinburnett]

What if instead of removing leafs and installing an airbag, I was to put some light coil springs just to the inside (or right on top) of the leafs that would actually lift the rear just slightly (2"?) so that for that two inches of travel it would be soft and then the leafs would start to take up the tension after that? that way when there was a load, it would pretty much just squash the spring and take the weight on the factory suspension, but unloaded it would float a little bit. Would this work or am I just not right in the head?

[78 Chevyrado]

do you have the skinny tiers on it? I had some 7.50-16's on mine and had to run like 45 psi in them. Then i usized to some 265/75R16 (got free wheels) and was able to run 32-35psi in them. That air psi makes a lot of difference. My current tires are at about 42 front and 35 or so rear, 275/75R18. When I pump them up to over about 50psi, i can LITERALLY feel the paint on the road at crosswalks when I drive over them.

Also, do you still have the stocker bench seat in it? When I had mine, it bounced me all over the place, it was so springy and soft. After I got my burban buckets, that mostly went away. the buckets are firmer and not as soft. while that seems backwards, its better with the firmer seat.

You could maybe try some softer shocks, if you don't haul all the time. Most of these trucks have the HD shocks, but non-HD is available.

I found something funny about mine. It has the HD everything, but the absolute worst it ever rides it when theres about 300lbs in the back or an empty trailer back there. Get about 600 or 700lbs in the back and then the ride improves.

[justinburnett]

I have the bench seat, but I need it cause of my kids. Also I have some 10 ply tires that Have really high pressure so, I know what you're saying about feeling the paint on the road. With 1000lbs in the bed it smoothes out some, but it takes even more to really gentle it down.
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[Pyrotechnic]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

The rear springs are your culprit. They are built to haul a load, not ride smoothly. The best solution I know of would be to remove some leafs and install a help bag. You can air it up when you need it, and ride softer when you don't.

Ditto.

Originally Posted by justinburnett

The helper bag will provide enough if I fill the bed with rocks and such?

The helper bags can support more than the truck will ever be able to haul. Remember, air bags are used on 18 wheelers. The two axles on the trailer will have about 34,000 lbs riding on them.

[justinburnett]

I'll have to look into prices for that. It'd sure be nice not to be beaten to death when the road is rough. Thank you guys.

[cr34t3d_by_d4rkd3n]

remove some leaves, install firestones "riderite" system.... other than that, if its still too rough, buy a Cadillac.

[donut]

Like 78 Chevyrado mentioned, air down your tires. There is a night and day difference doing that. I normally run 45psi day to day, but go up to 80psi if I need to haul anything heavy. (iirc I run a load range "E" tire, 80's not overfilled).

Another or added option is Timbrens. I've got about an inch of suspension travel before they contact. They're a rubber "spring" that bolts on in place of your bumpstops.
Then I don't see why you couldn't pull a leaf or so out of your spring pack.

[tucsonjwt]

For reference, here is a pic of my 83 C20 with stock 2.5" wide springs (8 leaf) with very old shocks (Monroe, I think). This setup rides fine when empty. I keep 60 lbs. of air in all of the tires (BFG commercial load range D), empty or not. Maybe it is your front leaf springs and/or shocks which are the problem. My 2WD has coils in front which ride softer, but I have never heard the guys I know who have 4WD 3/4 tons complain about a harsh ride.

[motornut]

i've gone from 50lbs to 40lbs just for that reason
i noticed a difference but wasn't sure about even lower

[BigBlocksRule]

Get a car.
If you drive a truck, you're supposed to expect to pee blood from time to time.
That comes with the territory.
These are rigs for real men, right?

[78 Chevyrado]

I just got used to mine, It's funny to watch someone riding in it for the first time. They make faces. Ha!

One thing I've found that makes my truck ride like a cadillac is riding on the tractor for an hour or two and then going off in the truck.

[motornut]

Yup funny faces for sure, ... Like somethings wrong lol
But quite a difference with a shorter wheelbase
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[justinburnett]

BigBlock, I have a car.

I'll try running a little less air pressure in the tires for now, and see how that works. Might look into those airbags too. Looks like that'd only take about $500 or so to do. Might soften the front suspension a little as well. Thanks for the opinions and ideas.

[BigBlocksRule]

Worst ride I ever owned was a dually that had 8-ply load rated tires. Sidewalls didn't flex at all. Once I swapped to a set of highwayl tires with much softer sidewalls, it was like a different truck.

[DetroitDan]

8 ply is low for a dually, should have 10 ply on them. I have run 8 plys because they were oversize and the bigger volume brought the load capacity up. But I also had 8 ply Intercos with a hard hard sidewall, then got a set of Remington Mud Brutes with a super flimsy sidewall, you could indent it with your thumb. And towing a trailer was scary because even with 8 sidewalls in the rear, fully inflated, the trailer could shove the rearend around. The Intercos towed like a dream.
Where was I? Oh, my truck rides terrible too, it has a huge spring pack in the rear. Thinking about pulling a couple out, to level the truck out and hopefully improve the ride, but I'm not sure where to take the leafs from. I don't think I need the capacity, not planning on loading a sander in it, otherwise all it hauls is 2000# pallets of wood pellets, which is nothing. I think if I did get a sander I'd rather add airbags anyway. Had them on my 97 and loved them. My 97 springs wore out, and instead of replacing them I just added 5000# airbags. Only paid around $230 on ebay from Arnott Industries. They are identical to the Riderites in every way, made by Conti tire. Then got a electric compressor and gauge for $99 from JC Whitney. Very slick setup. Empty I ran 20# and loaded never needed more than 60-70#. So do a search for Arnott before you buy.

Last thing I can think of is you could always load something heavy on the bed floor, like a flat sheet of steel. These trucks are designed to be loaded, and will ride much better with weight on. Downside is paying for fuel to drive a heavier truck.

[BigBlocksRule]

I don't haul anything other than an occasional truck on a bumper hitch trailer or a couple of complete big blocks, max 2000lbs in the bed. I hope to do some hauling in the future, that's why I'm building the 1-ton crewcab dually 4x4 with my own built 489 in it. I'll have rims mounted with hauling type tires as well as much softer daily drivers and helper bags.
I'm not looking forward to the times when I'm forced to drive it empty with haulers on it, that's tough on the kidneys

[DetroitDan]

I hear ya. I'm looking for 19.5s for it now, those things are like 14 ply. But they last forever.