Rear suspension travel - is this normal?

[beaterku]

Morning everyone, I installed a Ridetech streetgrip kit on my project truck and I finally nearing the end. I put the truck back on the ground yesterday and noticed the rear suspension allows for a lot of movement. Since the truck was originally a leaf truck, I am not sure how much movement a stock truck has.

All new everything in the rear. New bushing in the trailing arms and torqued to spec.

You Tube

[Stocker]

I assume you're referring to the extra couple bounces after you take your hands off. Looks to me like it needs new shocks.

[beaterku]

I’m curious of how easy it is to bounce the rear end. All brand new components and Ridetech shocks.

[4carbcorvair]

Those shocks look waaayyyyy too soft.

[beaterku]

Originally Posted by 4carbcorvair

Those shocks look waaayyyyy too soft.

My thoughts as well. I put in an email to Ridetech to see what they think as well.

[AussieinNC]

As the rear of the chassis drops, the angle of the shocks lays over, casuing a softening of the shock action....

There are shock relocators available....

Show us a pic of the rear of the truck showing the rear axle and the shocks at rest.

[beaterku]

It has all of the right parts in it. It's just really soft.

[68is4me]

What are the shock dials set at? Maybe You just need to stiffen them up.

[rjs53]

Can't see your video, but if the beds off of it it'll be springy until you get the bed on.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by rjs53

Can't see your video, but if the beds off of it it'll be springy until you get the bed on.

The bed is on the truck in the video.

[rjs53]

WOW! Couldn’t see the video on my tablet, can only phone. I would say the wrong springs

[Steeveedee]

What angle are the shocks at with respect to the suspension? Like AussieinNC says, increasing angle from vertical between mounting points can cause a softening. This is because of mechanical advantage. But bouncing more than once is not right. Valving on shocks is such that what is called "critical damping" is achieved. If they are gas shocks, did you cycle them before installation? Any shock laying on its side for some amount of time needs to be put vertical and cycled until they have no "easy" portion of their travel.

[AussieinNC]

Take the rear shocks off and hold them vertically,,,,

open the dial on each shock to 0 and pump the shock tube up and down 10 times....

now wind the dial up to 5 (mid point) and repeat the ten pumps...

now wind the dial all the way up and perform the ten pumps again....

You should be feeling a substantial difference in effort to get the shocks to move as you increase the dial load...

If you dont, you could have faulty shocks...

The springs supplied are known as dual rate springs, giving a softer ride under low load conditions, plus factory load capacity once the low rate coils are bottomed out....to test...put a load of around 350 lBS in bed then try your bounce test....

let us know your results

[garyd1961]

How does it drive? You may be trying to fix a non-problem.

[beaterku]

This is a complete kit from Ridetech with shock re-locators, shocks, springs, lower shock mounts etc...

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Take the rear shocks off and hold them vertically,,,,

open the dial on each shock to 0 and pump the shock tube up and down 10 times....

now wind the dial up to 5 (mid point) and repeat the ten pumps...

now wind the dial all the way up and perform the ten pumps again....

You should be feeling a substantial difference in effort to get the shocks to move as you increase the dial load...

If you dont, you could have faulty shocks...

The springs supplied are known as dual rate springs, giving a softer ride under low load conditions, plus factory load capacity once the low rate coils are bottomed out....to test...put a load of around 350 lBS in bed then try your bounce test....

let us know your results

I'll pull them off and see what they do. These are definitely dual rate springs. They are installed correctly as well. My gut is the shocks are faulty, but we will see.

[beaterku]

Reporting back, I cycled the shocks vertically and they stiffened up quite a bit. Also heard back from Ridetech that the springs are fairly soft so it will allow for a little motion.

Thanks everyone. When the truck has leaf springs, it was hard as a rock. Quite an adjustment to the softer coil springs.

[Astro-Balls]

Yours is a short bed fleetside, how would the softer springs work on a C20 longbed?
My truck rides like a TRUCK.. and could use a softer ride..