bouncing wheels on cracks

kboozy · #1 09-11-2006, 07:36 PM

My 2005 4x4 f-150 22450 miles seems to bounce bad over cracks, bumps and small patch jobs on the Michigan roads.. The truck feels like its out of control so i bought new tires for the truck.. toyos 285/70/17 and its real bad now..dose anyone know whats going on??? Bad shocks??

Lakeport Loafer · #2 09-12-2006, 07:33 AM

kboozy, is the bounce a stiff and rigid bounce like there is no cushion in the ride or is it a soft cushiony bounce. did your truck have this condition from new or did it just develop? my 2006 has a very stiff and rigid ride across such cracks and road imperfections and i was hoping to improve..

Psiclone · #3 09-12-2006, 08:12 AM

Front or rear end? I would guess that it has to do with the fact you have a 4WD. The 4WD's have a stiffer suspension than a 2WD does (I believe anyway, I may be wrong about that). You also have a live rear axle coupled with rear wheel drive. All of those factors contribute to what you're feeling. In my experience, all 3 of my F-150's have behaved this way, but only on bumps that were large enough to cause the rear wheels to lose traction. If I hit a bump large enough or sharp enough for that, I can feel the back end slip to the side a bit as the rear wheels come off the bump. It's a very unnerving feeling, but I've come to expect it.

allrsdup · #4 09-12-2006, 08:49 AM

my truck does this as well but i thought it was do to the larger tires strange to hear a tock truck doing it.

kboozy · #5 09-12-2006, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakeport Loafer

kboozy, is the bounce a stiff and rigid bounce like there is no cushion in the ride or is it a soft cushiony bounce. did your truck have this condition from new or did it just develop? my 2006 has a very stiff and rigid ride across such cracks and road imperfections and i was hoping to improve..

Hey lakeport it seemed more soft and cush but still wrong. That is with the old tires. The new tires made it worse witch i new it would being a harder tire ..The thing is this truck is very new and should not ride like that...This is my third ford truck so I'm familiar on how they should drive..So their for I'm lost on what to do..

kboozy · #6 09-12-2006, 09:10 AM

My BIG concern is winter is coming and the roads here in MI seem to have ice or snow on them at most times... So that means when I'm taking a small corner or stop with a pot hole or a imperfection I'm screwed!!! (out of control).and that sucks i have to find a way to fix this. I need go to my dealership and let them take it ridddde.. I did call them, they said come-on-in witch is hard for me because in Michigan dealership are usually close on weekends and i work all the time

**Bluejay** · #7 09-12-2006, 09:27 AM

I have the 4x2 and it did this from day one. Just feels loose when you go over bad roads. The new tires softened the bumps considerably, but the shake is still there when I hit a bump.

kboozy · #8 09-12-2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluejay432000

I have the 4x2 and it did this from day one. Just feels loose when you go over bad roads. The new tires softened the bumps considerably, but the shake is still there when I hit a bump.

I wonder why some trucks do this ????

Got to be somrthing

Lakeport Loafer · #9 09-12-2006, 01:38 PM

Kboozy, If it is a soft and cushiony bounce, I would assume it is worn or ineffective shocks not dampening the springs. You never clarified if you had the problem from new or if it developed after your shocks had some wear. I have a bit of the problem some of the others have complained of which seems more like a stiff bounce like I am skipping across the bumps and like the suspension has little or no movement. This is my situation and I have no explanation for it other than the possibility of the 20" factory rims and the short tire sidewall making the tires too stiff. I am only running 33 psi in my tires. If it feels like your suspension has too much travel up and down or if it feels like your truck just keeps bouncing up and down long after you have hit the bump, then your shock probably are dampening the spring action enough. Just my thoughts.

If any one has any comments on the too stiff of a ride in my 2006, 4x4, I would be open to same. By the way, I have owned 4 other Ford 4X4 and nothing ever felt as stiff or rigid and what I currently experience. I think the springs are the same on 4x4 and 2x4 but shocks may be different. Does anyone know for sure about the different shocks and springs for 2wd and 4wd??

**Bluejay** · #10 09-12-2006, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluejay432000

I have the 4x2 and it did this from day one. Just feels loose when you go over bad roads. The new tires softened the bumps considerably, but the shake is still there when I hit a bump.

Mine feels like the suspension is worn out, yet, when jacked up and checked everything seems fine. I was concerned when it was new, but have gotten to where I ignore it. The tires wear true, (the factory Continentals had 32,500, never rebalanced), and it rides very smooth on a good road.

kingfish51 · #11 09-12-2006, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluejay432000

Mine feels like the suspension is worn out, yet, when jacked up and checked everything seems fine. I was concerned when it was new, but have gotten to where I ignore it. The tires wear true, (the factory Continentals had 32,500, never rebalanced), and it rides very smooth on a good road.

I feel that the OE shocks don't recover quick enough. Ride totally changed, especially the rear skip, once I put on Bilsteins.

**Bluejay** · #12 09-12-2006, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfish51

I feel that the OE shocks don't recover quick enough. Ride totally changed, especially the rear skip, once I put on Bilsteins.

I have been thinking that was my next upgrade. Altough, I need to do rear brakes soon. When they were putting the tires on the other day, I was shocked to see the wear on the rears. They should never wear that fast.

kboozy · #13 09-12-2006, 03:37 PM

when i put my new toyos 285/70/17 on at bell tire they put 55lb of air in the tire. thats what it calls on tire, except the f-150 only needs 35lb per specs for that vehicles weight.. Rides much better but now, bell tire says it will ware funny and could make the tire last half as long...cant win, Drives better now

Lakeport Loafer · #14 09-12-2006, 05:46 PM

Kboozy, that the too stiff condition that I was referring to. If you have 55 psi in the tire it will definitely bounce and it will feel stiff as a board and little bumps in the road will feel like they will snap your neck. The 35 psi should be fine. Just watch your tire to see if it is wearing oddly or normally. If you see wear on the outside edges but not in the center of the tread, that is normally a sign of too low air pressure. If you see wear only in the center and not on the edges, that may mean too high air pressure. Your tires should wear evenly across the entire tire surface. As long as they are wearing evenly, they should not wear out prematurely.

Let me know how you like the ride in your new tires. I was thinking about getting some 305/55/20's to replace the factory pirellis. I think the taller sidewall in your tire might give a bit softer ride on the little road imperfections and bumps. Let me know.

kboozy · #15 09-12-2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakeport Loafer

Kboozy, that the too stiff condition that I was referring to. If you have 55 psi in the tire it will definitely bounce and it will feel stiff as a board and little bumps in the road will feel like they will snap your neck. The 35 psi should be fine. Just watch your tire to see if it is wearing oddly or normally. If you see wear on the outside edges but not in the center of the tread, that is normally a sign of too low air pressure. If you see wear only in the center and not on the edges, that may mean too high air pressure. Your tires should wear evenly across the entire tire surface. As long as they are wearing evenly, they should not wear out prematurely.

Let me know how you like the ride in your new tires. I was thinking about getting some 305/55/20's to replace the factory pirellis. I think the taller sidewall in your tire might give a bit softer ride on the little road imperfections and bumps. Let me know.

I will keep you informed, It ride nice now, plus ford dealer told me they found my rear shocks were messed up so they are going to replace when they come in....thanks for your help