Truck Ride Quality

[mclainfarm]

My truck is a 99 f350, camper is now a palomino which weighs right around 4000lbs. This is the third truck camper I have had on this truck and probably the heaviest. I have never been satisfied with the quality of ride or the quality of driving. I also have nothing to compare it to because this is the only truck I have used for hauling a camper. I have replaced all the shocks with pep boys gabriel?. Not real quality but better than the factory shocks which were on it when I bought the truck. It now has 238k on the truck. I purchased the truck with 100k on it and thats when I replaced the shocks and drag link,tie rod ends,and added a factory steering stabilizer. My question is how much improvement do you think if I replaced the shocks with rancho, which seem to be a popular choice, and possible add a steer rite or higher quality steering stabilizer? How good does your truck ride if you own a similar truck? Is there something else I should be looking at?

[wintersun]

The stiff overload springs would only make for a harsher ride if they were engaged and there was no load on them and this is never going to be the case. A 4,000 lb. load in the bed along with the load from the trailer tongue is going to need stronger support.

Going to something that shortens the distance that the springs can travel is not going to make the ride smoother. Air bags may provide more shock dampening but then the truck's shocks are not going to work very well and overall handling is going to be compromised.

I don't understand why people expect a heavy duty pickup truck with a maximum payload and its heavy duty tires and heavy duty shocks, should have the ride of a sedan. I have a GM with the independent front suspension which helps but it is still a "heavy duty" pickup truck and it rides like one.

Want a smooth ride then get a 1/2 ton pickup and a popup camper or better yet an SUV and pull a trailer. There are always trade-offs and with any choice you have to take the bad along with the good.

[Hemi_Joel]

Got it, Super Dave, that is going in at the same time. Got one off a '99 D3500, that came on a Dana 80 I am swapping in. I kind of noticed the sway thing going on when the truck was off the overloads on the air bags.

[Super_Dave]

Hemi Joel,
Once you abandon the overload springs I think you'll be looking for a sway bar.

[Hemi_Joel]

mclainfarm wrote:
I think the timbrems might be part of the problem. My truck doesn't have the overload springs on top of the spring pack. I might try locating a set and installing those with some better shocks.

If you want a smoother ride, you definitely don't want your truck to be supported by those short stiff overloads. They are the worst for transmitting every bump into your seat.

With the deplorable state of our highways, I am also tired of getting beat to death just driving down the road with my TC. My truck has the tired out, original leafs, with the overloads mounted on top of them.
So I'm thinking, when a car is loaded with more passengers/cargo, it rides smoother, just floating over the bumps. Why should my 1 ton not ride better with all that weight? Looking closely, I saw that with the camper loaded, the frame brackets are sitting on the overloads. Those short, thick leafs are way too stiff to provide a smooth ride, I figure. So I put in air bags, and pumped them way up to get the frame brackets way off of the overloads. But it still rides like a lumber wagon because those little bags with 100 psi in them are too stiff! So then I dropped the air pressure in the bags until the frame brackets were barely above the overloads. And the ride got smoother! Not good enough, but an improvement. So my next step is to replace the old leaf springs with new, and I'm going to take the 2 longest leafs out of the old springs, re-arch them in my press, and add them to the new springs, and install them with NO overloads. The goal is to get the main leafs dialed in to support the weight on the longest leafs. Maybe I'll have to add or subtract a leaf to get it right, and I'm sure it will be rock hard when running empty. (that's OK because it never is) I will let you know how it works out.

[mooring_product]

egarant wrote:
Did you feel every bump in the road before you put on a set of Timbren's?

I know I did. I installed a set in the front and rear, took them off after one trip.

That is just my experience, others swear by them.

X2 I have the Firestone work rites (Similar product) and noticed it would jar the truck when going over large bumps. Sadly going to air bags.

[wintersun]

The shocks will only help if there is adequate load support from the leaf springs. If not there will be too great a range of motion for the shocks to be 100% effective. From the picture posted it looks like the rear of the truck sags down and the bed is not level. If this is the case I would go to a spring shop and have the factory leaf springs replaced or a new one added to support the load. It is not at all unusual for leaf springs to fatigue over a period of years and no longer support the load they could when new.

If your truck does not have an anti-sway bar in the rear then adding one would also be a good investment.

I would also put in as much air in the rear tires as Ford recommends as too little air and there will be more sidewall flexing which hurts both handling and fuel economy.

Although you do not have an extremely heavy trailer load it would still be advisable to have a weight distributing hitch to try to transfer some of the weight to the front of the truck.

[mclainfarm]

I think the timbrems might be part of the problem. My truck doesn't have the overload springs on top of the spring pack. I might try locating a set and installing those with some better shocks.

[egarant]

Did you feel every bump in the road before you put on a set of Timbren's?

I know I did. I installed a set in the front and rear, took them off after one trip.

That is just my experience, others swear by them.

[mkirsch]

Aren't you going to "feel every bump in the road?" It's a '99 F350 DRW, from when trucks still rode like trucks.

[Bedlam]

I upgraded to Rancho shocks after I went to the heavier 19.5" wheels. The wheels are more unsuspended weight than OEM and I wanted to keep them in control. If you are porpoising, it could be weak dampened shocks or it could be too much pressure in your air bags.

[sonuvabug]

mclainfarm wrote:
... snipped ... I have never been satisfied with the quality of ride or the quality of driving.

Can you be more specific as to what exactly are you not satisfied with? i.e. describe the unwanted/negative symtoms you are experiencing

[mclainfarm]

The truck sits level and I don't have any side to side or sway problems. I forgot to mention but I also installed timbrems on the rear. I have not had a chance to weigh the rig yet, but I imagine it will be more than I think. It just feels like you feel every bump in the road.

[Buzzcut1]

if it is side to side rocking look into better anti sway bars like Roadmaster. My stock bars were wet noodles in comparison. But yeah weigh the truck with the TC on and the trailer loaded to see how you are really loaded by axle then come back and let us chew the fat on possible solutions for handling issues.

[Farmerjon]

We have almost the same truck as you and are happy with the ride and handling.
We got our truck with 78,000 on it and replaced the worn out OEM shocks with Monroe Gas Magnums,They were a big improvement over the worn out shocks and we put on a set of Cooper discoverer S-Ts and I made some blocks to engage the overload springs sooner.
When the tires got about 6 years old we replaced them with Cooper Discoverer AT/3. The ride improved, same air pressure but the new tires must have a stiffer sidewall.
We now have 130,000 on the truck and the ride and handling is still good.
Have you weighed your truck and camper? Maybe it's heavier than you think.
Love your toad.