I'm wondering what you guys have done to get your Blackwood to ride softer? I've dropped the air pressure in the tires to 27psi, probably don't want to go any lower than that. But how about the shocks? Is there a softer shock available that will give a better ride? Thanks

Jim

 

Hehehehe, Ya should have bought a F-150 Lariet. Rides like a Lexus and a few bucks less out of the wallet. Interior is comparable.

 

Oh real funny. I guess if I wanted Lariot I'd a bought one. Some help you are.

 

I've made some progress on this. F-150 shocks will work. They have more travel, but they collapse far enough and bolt up fine. The lightest Gabriel's I could get (gas charged) are a little better than stock. The fronts are noticeably softer and the rears are softer on rebound, pretty close on jounce. Better choices may be out there, maybe in a hydraulic (non-gas charged) shock but so far I haven't found it.

The other thing I did which helped was to disconnect the upper link to the level sensor and position it to lower the rear suspension as far as it would go. Like this the truck sits pretty level, the gap between tire and fender matches the front closer and the ride is better. It just happens that the lower link is at an odd angle and a double bend in the rod could get things lined up at this level close enough to use the fine adjustment at the differential attachment point.

That's all for now. The ride is a good bit better, but still not what it can be.

Jim

 

I wrote to Monroe's tech department and got a reply. Though they don't even list this truck, they gave me some numbers to try: 32302 and 32303, these are f150 shocks with the softest valves they have. The only down side I can see for using these shocks is that on the rear if the truck is lifted with a frame lift it is possible that the air bags could over-extend. Or they might not. I haven't jacked it up to see, and am not likely to any time soon. When I do if I can I'll post the results but it might be 2-3 years or more.

In the mean time, I can't tell you how much of an improvement in the ride these shocks have given me. The jarring and harshness is gone out of the ride and except for a little jigglyness that remains for the most part it is smooth and comfortable, and it's now easy to overlook that minor flaw. As far as I can tell handling has not been compromised in the least. Changing to a more conventional wheel and tire would very likely cure the jigglyness as well and I may try that eventually, but for now I'm pretty happy with it.

In my opinion, this is the single greatest improvement that can be made to this vehicle, cost: $108 and some change. Chances are good that these shocks fit the LT as well.

Jim

Incidentally, I reconnected the ride leveler link first. I did readjust it to the lowest setting though, and the truck sits just slightly tail high. I did not bend anything, just hooked it back up as it was except for the adjustment. With it disconnected and positioned to let the suspension down it did let all the air out of the bags and like that the truck sat level. After driving like that for a while the brain figured it out that the sensor wasn't moving and turned on the idiot light but it reset with each restart. Now it stays off.

 

Jim, I am curious as to why you need a "softer" ride with your Blackwood. I have no issues with the way it rides. In fact, its' ride is comparable to my Continental and much better than my Mercury Marauder. No flames intended here, just curious I suppose.

 

Mercman, I'd like a ride in your truck to compare. But what year Conti? I've got a '94 and they are worlds apart. Like chalk and cheese you might say. It still isn't as smooth as that one and never will be, but it's better than it was. It was making my back hurt. I drive it a couple hours a day and the cumulative stress was wearing me down pretty quick. It could stand to have even softer shocks on it than the Monroe's but they'll do. The springs are really stiffer than they need to be too but it'd be difficult/expensive to do anything about that.

I've noticed that in the last 10 years or more the US auto makers have been on a handling kick. They've gradually stiffened up the suspensions of all their cars apparently to make them handle better but the ride has suffered a lot. My dad's brand new Town Car rides rougher than my old International 4 wheel drive truck. Now admittedly it'll out handle just about anything built back then, I'd happily take on a 70's Corvette with it on any curvy road. But is that really what you buy a Town Car for? How many people are going to be doubling the recommended curve speed in that or a Blackwood or an LT? I might occasionally but not on a regular basis and if I did it'd only be to test the limits of the vehicle. If the limits were lower I'd just be going slower, no problem there. I'd much rather have the comfortable ride back. I think the pendulum is due to swing the other way. In the 70's any car on the road rode better than the new luxury cars and that's just wrong on so many levels. You're even beginning to see it on TV. Mythbusters brought in a mid 70's Olds, an Omega or something small, and just raved about the soft ride, which had nothing to do with the show whatsoever. Called it a "Road Trip" car and said they were going to take it to Vegas. How do you think the Blackwood compares to say an Olds 98, a caddy, or a Lincoln of the same era? Like an oxcart compares to a down pillow, that's how. I'll take the ride, thank you very much. Deride it as much as you like for wallowing, bad handling or being a "boat", when you've got teenagers picking the biggest caddy available instead of a vette, or other cars geared towards new drivers because of the ride that tells me that they've gone too far. I'm sorry, but I really, really do not want my big American car to ride and handle like a small European sports car. I don't drive it in Europe.

And another thing. Saying the Blackwood should ride like a truck because it is a truck is just wrong, wrong, wrong. The only truck thing you are going to use it for is towing, (except /w and even she's not going to carry more than a yard of dirt) and it has air bags for any extra load for pete's sake. Why couldn't softer springs and shocks have been spec'ed out? Answer is that they could have. They just didn't because they're on this handling kick. When you think about what this truck actually is, and what it's used for, it's not a truck at all. It's a huge 4 door luxury cruiser with an enormous trunk. And it should ride like a cruiser. With that much weight you ought to be able to drive over curbs and barely feel it, but instead you get your teeth rattled by every expansion joint. It doesn't have to corner flat at .7G, but it should at least pamper my back. I'm a "baby boomer" and can't take the wear and tear any more like I used to.

Finally, if they really have made the advances in suspensions that they claim every year it should be possible to have the ride and the handling too. Well surprise, it is. But not from the big three. From my big cruiser, I expect the ride.

Jim

 

Jim, how wierd is it that I too have a '94 Continental? I admit that the car does ride better than the truck, but as usual, it is a personal preference. I find as I get longer in the tooth that the cushy "soft" ride of the car is fine, but for a long trip I like the tighter suspension of the Blackwood. Now there is less of a difference between the Continental and the Blackwood than the Blackwood and the Marauder but then you are talking performance vs luxury. In an emergency situation IE: sudden stop, quick change of lanes etc, I will take the stiffer suspension. The Blackwood (IMHO) still rides better than most new "luxury" autos made today.

Thank you for your reply. I am just glad to be able to "talk" with another owner. I have had this truck for 3 yrs and still have yet to see another one on the road.

 

Mercman, are you telling me that the Marauder is stiffer than the Blackwood? Frankly I find that amazing. Makes me wonder if it's possible that two different suspensions were fitted even. Do you have the trailer hitch?

Jim

 

Yes, the Mauarder had a much stiffer suspension than the Blackwood. I have the trailer hitch on the B/W. The Marauder has the air suspension, but the entire chassis is much stiffer than the truck. BTW they both have 18 inch tires

 

Wow. Guess the Marauder must be more like my MG in terms of ride then.
http://www.britishv8.org/MG/JimBlackwood.htm

I'd only take it on a long trip if I was going to a meet or had no other choice. Wasn't always that way though.

I've got big 35" tires on the I-H running 25-27psi and that makes a big difference. When I first got it there were these serious Goodyear tires that ran really high pressures, something like 65psi and they were like iron wheels. Changing to softer tires made all the difference in the world. So I'm thinking in a couple months I'll look into whether a 15" rim will clear the brakes. If it will, I'll start looking for a low profile tire with the same diameter as the ones on the Blackwood now and that should give a large tread area with plenty of cushion.

When you go over sudden bumps like expansion strips or pavement changes does your BW have a kind of jiggly feeling?

Jim

 

Not at all, I can barely feel them. Everyone who rides in it compliments me on how quiet and smooth it rides! I wonder what the difference is between our trucks? The only complaint I have is an annoying tire whine that starts about 45MPH and goes away about 55 to 60. 5 am thinking about taking it into the dealer and letting them have a look at it since it is still under warranty.

 

When it comes to traveling my Wood is the vehicle of choice. I've taken it on MANY multi-hour trips, including a trip to Columbus for a car show. In fact I will be taking it on a trip to Nachville with some schoolt mates in a couple months. I have 2 people who have designated themselves in my vehicle whenever we travel.

rdy2rac with

We have also been towing his Lightning with the Wood lately. I can't really tell how it is as he's been driving it on those occasions.

 

you'll have to look for a 16 inch tire and wheel combo.

are you saying that your driving the truck without the air suspension being hooked up? that right there will give you a harsher ride. the mono leaf spring alone is not designed to do much more than help locate the rear axle.

my daily driver is a 05 Mustang gt and the blackwood rides so much smoother(floatier).

Rob

 

Makes me wonder if the wrong parts got in the bin somehow. No /w, I hooked the air ride back up. It actually rode a little better without it though, and a tad bit lower although it did still sit level. On mine at least, the monoleaf is strong enough to hold up the truck without any assistance from the air bags at all.

Now I know I had the stock shocks on it because I compared the stamped numbers and they match the replacements. The monroe shocks help a good bit.

I think the springs are too stiff. Has anybody ever had the air ride go down, or left switched off long enough to lose pressure in the bags? Did the truck sit level?

I don't know. Got to be some reasonable explanation. I've got a buddy with a spring shop, maybe I should get some new leafs and coils made up. I'm sure I could do better than this. Be awhile before I can do that though, maybe in the summer.

It rides maybe just a smidgen better than my wife's 4x4 Jeep Liberty, but weighs nearly twice as much. Go figure.

Jim