Best ride quality possilbe? Ideas?

[SubWarrior]

@ 225k the ride quality of the k1500 Burb is an echo of what I remember originally. I plan on keeping this truck and driving it forever and im starting to think about how I can best revive and improve her old joints.

On these trucks, what components seem to help ride quality and performance the most? Shocks? springs? body mounts? ball joints? bushings?

I am always in the resto-mod mindset and really like ideas that improve on what "stock" should be. Lifts? SAS? Stronger components in certain places? Strengthen the frame?

I am interested to hear peoples thoughts and experiences with making the optimal obs suspension set ups for a mix of daily driving & off road use.

 

[poncho62]

"On these trucks, what components seem to help ride quality and performance the most? Shocks? springs? body mounts? ball joints? bushings? "

All of the above.....Its a truck, its not going to ride like a Cadillac and not going to handle like a sports car. If you want to of road it, it will ride worse. You can only do so much with it.

 

[thz71]

I've heard that lifts decranked to have flat angles ride better than stock. Also you can set up a SAS to ride really well to.

 

[1997k1500Calvin]

Rear gmt800 cab mounts are supposed to work wonders

Live action!!

 

[SubWarrior]

"On these trucks, what components seem to help ride quality and performance the most? Shocks? springs? body mounts? ball joints? bushings? "

All of the above.....Its a truck, its not going to ride like a Cadillac and not going to handle like a sports car. If you want to of road it, it will ride worse. You can only do so much with it.

Very much agreed. Just looking for the best quality with in the scope of what is possible. I'd like to reverse the rattles shakes and looking for the best route to take.

 

[SubWarrior]

I've heard that lifts decranked to have flat angles ride better than stock. Also you can set up a SAS to ride really well to.

Good to know. I would like to lift in the future. I saw a member awhile back that had an SAS with coil overs. Looked like a wild set up.

 

[SubWarrior]

Rear gmt800 cab mounts are supposed to work wonders

Live action!!

This looks very promising. Any ideas on if/how this can be adapted to suburbans?

 

[michael hurd]

I replaced most everything in the front suspension and steering, save for the lower control arm bushings as they aren't an easy item to change, and it can be difficult on rust belt trucks. It rides and drives better than it ever has. The shocks were new KYB Monomax when I put it on the road prior to replacing the ball joints, tie rod ends, and such.

Once everything is replaced, you will need an alignment.