Is there a good way to make the ride of my 4x2 Reg Cab smoother? It feels a little too bouncy, even drivin' down the freeway.

Pete

 

If your shocks are worn out, try some new ones. Even with the Edelbrock shocks, mine is bouncy, but they did help. The stock shocks have very little rebound dampening, even when they are new. If the truck is loaded down you don't get as much bounce, but without a load, the shocks just don't do much to resist the body moving upward. If you really want to stop the bounce, put 500 pounds in the bed, but that will cause you some other handling problems.

I also think part of the bouncy feel is the seat. When I first got my truck, I thought about taking a spring out, cause I felt like I was gonna get thrown threw the roof when I crested a bump.

I'm going to try a rear anti-sway bar, too. Probably won't help the bouncing much. Overall, these trucks handle pretty good, but the bouncy ride a pet peeve of mine.

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1999 XLT S/C, 4.2 V-6, auto, 3.55 rear, dark torreador red/harvest gold, bed liner, Sony 10 disc CD, Edelbrock IAS, K&N filter, Superchip

 

Well, Dave, my shocks aren't worn. It's a brand new truck. Do you think it's worthwhile to try those Edlebrock shocks and throw out the new shocks? I mean, did you notice a significant reduction in bounce?

Pete

 

Lowering shackels made a big difference for me.
I can't explain why but it did.

 

The main improvement from the Edelbrocks was less body roll in the corners, and they were slightly to moderately better than the stockers (I had 11k on mine before the replacement) at handling bumps. They handle bigger bumps with more control and less bottoming, while allowing the shock shafts to move on sharper pot hole impacts without locking up.

However, they don't totally transform the truck. While I'm pretty happy with the Edelbrocks, if I were doing it again I might look for something a little stiffer or more adjustable. The IAS are also pretty expensive. Check back a few months for 'Edelbrock IAS Review', a thread I posted in September or so.

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1999 XLT S/C, 4.2 V-6, auto, 3.55 rear, dark torreador red/harvest gold, bed liner, Sony 10 disc CD, Edelbrock IAS, K&N filter, Superchip



[This message has been edited by dirt bike dave (edited 01-23-2000).]

 

My personal opinion is save some money and purchase KYB or Bilstein shocks. I purchased a set of KYB for my truck and it cost including shipping $125. Bilstein's run at about $175 for a set. Although the Edelbrock's are good I have a hard time paying that much for a set of shocks from a manufacturer who I have had some problems with. I know things have changed the down there, but back in the 80's, most of his intake manifolds and cylinder heads produced less performance than the factory parts. This was caused because of poor machine and casting which was done mostly outside of the United States and the testing was all done on paper.

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Member: Never trust a person over 40 who drives a Chevy club
Flatheads ain't so bad!
Certified backyard mechanic I & II

 

I too noticed that my 2k f150 reg cab has a very stiff bouncy ride. I would suggest maybe a different shock to help smooth it out. For mine I just bagged it so the ride became much smoother.

 

This may seem a bit ridiculous, but have you expiremented with different tire pressures?

It seems strange, but just a few pounds extra can make for an extremely bouncy ride.

 

Hey CptReKaHo, when you say you "bagged" it, are you talking about weighting down the truck? If so, how much weight and where did you put it?

Spyder207 suggests checking the tires. I'll give 'em a look. It's a new truck. I don't don't know how much they put in.

Pete

 

pete,
I had the same problem with my 97 f150 2wd and i got rid of the problem by lowering the air pressure in the tires by 3-5 psi this solved my rough ride by 60% and i'am not seeing any tire ware problems with the orignal tires and 26 k miles.

 

Hey, Rpm9001, when you say you lowered the psi 3-5 pounds, are you saying 3-5 pounds beneath the recommended number?

Pete

 

Pete,

Changing shocks, if yours are new, want make that big of a difference. I think added weight is the key. Someone said a while back that Ford added a 'beam' near the rear bumper to control the truck bounce on undulating highways. The 'beam' weighed around 100 pounds. There is a TSB for it I beleive. If you have the towing package, its about the same thing. I also added a Eurolid Hard Tonneau that weighs about 150pds. My truck is very stable, no bounce.

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The Truck: 1997 Black F-150 Flareside. Regular Cab ORP and Towing Package
The Mods: K&N Filter, Eurolid Hard Tonneau, Profile Windstream Side Deflectors and Ford Bug Deflector.
The Site:
Triton's 4.6 Liter Web Page
www.mindspring.com/~acbradley/index.html

 

Pete,

I think when CptReKaHo said he bagged it, I think it was air bags for suspension instead of springs. I'm thinking of adding the Air Ride system to mine, but the whole kit decked out is like $2K, so might be awhile....

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2000 F-150 XLT, Deep Wedgewood Blue/Silver,4.6L,3.55LS,Class III Tow, Keyless w/alarm, soft tonneau. Basically a Lariat w/o the Leather!
Mods:
Line-X Spray Bedliner,GTS Headlight Covers and Bug Shield (Carbon Fiber), Airaid Intake, Superchip (Whatta RUSH!), Borla Anniversary Edition CatBack, JBA Headers

Future Mods:
Eaton Supercharger
Roll Pan w/ Hidden Hitch
2"/4" Drop
teksec01@hotmail.com




[This message has been edited by TekSec (edited 01-27-2000).]

 

Ford puts the recommended tire pressure for your truck on the driver door jamb or l/r door. Most of the time tire pressures aren't set properly during the predelivery inspection at the dealer. Proper tire pressures can make a big difference. Good luck.

 

TekSec, where can I find out more information about this Air Ride system. Who sells it?

Pete