Alright put brand new shocks on truck and new bushings. Truck rides a little better but still rides like crap. Rear end is smoother by a lot but the front still feels like I'm catching air on any potholes. Everything is tight from what I can tell. Any ideas at all?
93 7.3 idi rides like crap
- Thread starter aaronr19
- Start date
Waystro
No Class
Maybe go down to a smaller tire every truck I've driven with oversized tires has had the floating feeling
do you have a steering damper? That might help.
do you have a steering damper? That might help.
no, he shouldnt. he should chalk test his tires to determine the pressure.
That being said, i also have D load tires, they say they can handle 3650 lbs at 50 psi. The sidewall is definitely soft.
They were the best 37" tire i could find..and was too cheap to pay the extra 100$ per tire for toyo MT 37" in load E...next time though.
I didnt like the way the sidewall looked when i had 2500 lbs in the bed on an 8k lb truck. Technically the tires could handle alot more..but it sure didnt look like it.
Getting back to chalk testing, unloaded I run 38 lbs front and 30 lbs rear. tire is a 37x12.5x17. The wider and bigger the tire, the less pressure it requires to support the same amount of weight due to its increased surface area.
OP..i still dont understand what you mean it feels like it "catching air: over every bump. Does it wander? When i go over washboard dirt roads quickly the truck is definitly floaty feeling. I blame my monroe magnum shocks. I dont think they cna handle the big tire and quick articulation. On a new fresh paved road, if it is a little wett and sun shines on it, you can see it has very small "washbaords" you cant feel it in a normal car. But my truck will go into a small shaking/bucking motion over this road, while normal cars sail by. i know it feels butter smooth in the Lexus.
Bilsteins next time..
It doesn't wonder it's like riding with no suspension in front end a pothole is like jumping a go cart that has no suspension at all. I believe I have the tires at 35 psi but I'll double check when I'm home and I'll try some bald ass 33s i have from when truck was stock and see how that rides. And I still have a poping in front end and can't figure out what It is but it rarly pops and only on turns and I don't feel the pop at all just the sound
Runningaford
Registered User
My truck came with D rated, and my brother's came with the 37" D rated military tires. I don't like the fact both sets are D rated, but it is what is, and what came on the truck; till they were out, or I'm forced due to load to change them, they stay. We run them at max air; there's less flex in this range. So far there's no, uneven wear, but a much more stable ride.
homelessduck
Full Access Member
I think you are focusing too much on the tires. I don't know why they would all of a sudden , after 8 months of riding fine decide to be stiffer.. Unless you changed the pressure drastically. There is also a huge difference between a "floating" feeling and feeling like you have no suspension.. What springs are you running? I'm sure you have already checked, but I would make sure nothing is binding or interfering with the suspension travel.. Maybe your springs are just shot and your are bouncing off your bump stops? You said it pulls like crazy to the right and you have sloppy steering... Sounds like something is worn out. You could try rotating your tires to see if the problems move with them, like it then pulls to the left..
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I just had a tire shop but balance beads in tire and rotate them about 2 weeks ago it helped a little tires were out of balance. Stock springs that came with the Dana60 believe it was out of a 89 f350 gasser but not 100% sure about that I just put a new pitman arm on I still had the Dana 50 one but it helped s little with the slop not to worried about sloppy steering I believe it's the steering box everything else is tight with no play at all other then some in the trac bar but I just bought new heavy duty heims for it just need to put them on. But I never lowed my bump stops basically way it would be bump stops with a 5 inch rsk. Would shot springs cause it to ride to hard? And how do I tell if springs are shot?
Waystro
No Class
Sounds like it's time to take it to a front end shop.
asmith
Full Access Member
well I am not exactly sure what the problem is because as homelessduck pointed out you have used two completely opposite terms to describe the ride. but if it is floating all over the place It may have to do with using gasser springs. I dont think they are stiff enough to handle the weight of the IDI, especially they way you are describing driving and road conditions. one other thing to check is the popping noise could be where the front cross member ties into the drivers side near the steering box. those rivets have been know to work loose and can actually tear away. just something else to look at.
to the OP, please post a pic of your front suspension as you have it today. I had a guy come through my shop with the wrong springs. He had a D60 conversion with a RSK kit install but he reused his D50 springs. you can do that if you don't care about your spine, but most other people will opt for the correct springs. This guy wanted me to fix the last shop's **** up for less than my parts cost alone. I told him to get lost immediately.
Matt_INW
Full Access Member
Les Schwab will usually go over your front end for free to tell you what needs replacement.
Andertusa
Full Access Member
Bad shocks, worn or damaged or incorrect springs, NO steering stabilizer, and quite possibly a WHOLE LOT of worn parts in your suspension, maybe including suspension bushings and broken shackles/torn mounts.
Honestly, I'm not really trying to sound like a COMPLETE **** here, but you say you can't afford $100 an hour for what could amount to maybe $800, but you can afford to waste tires by beating on them and those things ain't cheap at around like what? $250 a tire.
P.S. - Not to mention sidewall flex from cornering, the sidewall trying to fold under the tire during hard cornering, which is amplified by taller than stock tires, also worn out ball joints/kingpins and even destroyed steering rod-ends being shot.
Honestly, I'm not really trying to sound like a COMPLETE **** here, but you say you can't afford $100 an hour for what could amount to maybe $800, but you can afford to waste tires by beating on them and those things ain't cheap at around like what? $250 a tire.
P.S. - Not to mention sidewall flex from cornering, the sidewall trying to fold under the tire during hard cornering, which is amplified by taller than stock tires, also worn out ball joints/kingpins and even destroyed steering rod-ends being shot.
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You couldn't pay me to take one of my trucks to Les Schwab. I've never had a good experience dealing with them, ever...
