Ride quality

[454cid]

Yeah, that's not likely. If anything, a more flexible frame would make you feel LESS vibrations...

An undampend spring will oscillate and that's what it feels like my tuck does. There have been reports of people having issues with much newer trucks doing it too.

 

[stutaeng]

An undampend spring will oscillate and that's what it feels like my tuck does. There have been reports of people having issues with much newer trucks doing it too.

Yes, that's correct. I've read what you are talking about. I think it's related to vibrations from the road coinciding (and, subsequently amplifying) the vibrations from spring/shock damping. I've seen a video on YT that shows this on a pendulum and I think it has to do to natural frequency. The Tacoma Narrows bridge self-destruction is one famous example that comes to mind.

I would guess it's more prevalent on newer trucks with lighter frames? These GMT400s are pretty heavy and rigid, but I'm not expert on the subject.

Side story: my coworker and I have been alternating taking a 24' extension ladder to the jobsite every month or so. He has like a 2017 Silverado 1500 CCx5.5' bed. My truck is the '99 I mentioned. Last time he was upset because the foam pads we put over the cab dented his truck. He probably ratcheted the straps way too much? He was showing me how flimsy all the body panels were...Definitely more flimsy than his old '03 Tahoe. He has that $2500 bed cover and I told him now he needs the headache gizmo attachment

 

[Wilecoyote]

My 2wd with new bilsteins, no torsion bars to crank, stock suspension wise, load range c tires at 35 psi, rides like ass. I don't think there is anything else I can do besides live with it or MAYBE a set of leaf springs off a new truck. That's a stretch, but it's the last thing I can think of.

How many miles on it? have you replaced the sway bar links and the sway bar frame bushings? I did them on my 4wd friday and my truck rides smoother. It also handles potholes better. Do you have larger tires from stock? I would think a larger tire would ride smoother unless it's too big/heavy for the suspension to handle.

 

[Baighn92]

I replaced everything in my front end: Bushings, sway bar, sway bar bushings, tie-rod ends, shocks (bilsteins) and i actually think it rides just as bad if not slightly worse. HUGELY disappointing.

I set my "Z-Height" as instructed by the Factory service manual for 6.180" and torqued everything at "Z-Height" as recommended. Frustrating. I hit some hard railroad tracks at 80kmh and it hit so hard it threw the truck into neutral lol.

I even reconditioned the torsion bar mount (rubber, bracket, bolts) to make sure it wasn't f'd up.

These trucks ride rough, that's all I can say.

 

[SUBURBAN5]

I replaced everything in my front end: Bushings, sway bar, sway bar bushings, tie-rod ends, shocks (bilsteins) and i actually think it rides just as bad if not slightly worse. HUGELY disappointing.

Frustrating. I hit some hard railroad tracks at 80kmh and it hit so hard it threw the truck into neutral lol.



These trucks ride rough, that's all I can say.

There no cadillac I agree but 49/50mph on train tracks seems fast plus throwing it into neutral ima guess you had some crazy bumpy tracks. That doesn't even seem normal lol. And I normally go fast over bumps lol. Most that happened to me was shake the doors and dash to a point I was like I better stop going fast over bumps or ima break something....

 

[94K3500PROJECT]

These trucks ride great.
Including in comparison to other trucks up to the newest trucks available.
Cranked bars or worn components are the likely issue.

Any suspension can be tuned to perform better but it’s going to be baby steps on these trucks.

 

[Hipster]

They’re cranked up a little and what’s a height

If it's the truck in your avatar it looks cranked way up. Not much you can do for ride quality at that point except back it off. New shocks don't help because you've changed the dynamics of how the suspension works to almost zero compresssion and maximum rebound. Cranking also accelerates front end component and cv boot destruction.

You can ask 100 times, as many before you have, but the answers are all going to be similar. Deal with the bounciness or back off the bars if a proper lift or dropping the back is not an option.

And as stated in another post, any time the ride height is changed you need a full front end alignment.

 

[_nickjoseph]

If it's the truck in your avatar it looks cranked way up. Not much you can do for ride quality at that point except back it off. New shocks don't help because you've changed the dynamics of how the suspension works to almost zero compresssion and maximum rebound. Cranking also accelerates front end component and cv boot destruction.

You can ask 100 times, as many before you have, but the answers are all going to be similar. Deal with the bounciness or back off the bars if a proper lift or dropping the back is not an option.

And as stated in another post, any time the ride height is changed you need a full front end alignment.

I have a 6” RCX lift on it

 

[Hipster]

I have a 6” RCX lift on it

Well that would have been worth mentioning from the get go. lol Try backing it off 1/2 inch or so on the bars. It can make a significant difference.

 

[_nickjoseph]

Well that would have been worth mentioning from the get go. lol Try backing it off 1/2 inch or so on the bars. It can make a significant difference.

Lol sorry ab that. I’ll give it a try