Originally Posted by whoops

Because it's a forum and I can throw back my opinion.?.?.?.?

Originally Posted by DirtEater

No, for suggesting he might be a pain in the butt customer......remember?
Maybe you were one of those complaining, pain in the butt customers. Sometimes the company has to say "screw him" as a customer.

Originally Posted by Mexstan

As so many of you know from your jiggled kidneys and sundry other body parts, our trucks are not exactly renowned for their comfort level on rough roads. I daily travel on concrete roads and that is probably the worst ride condition. In fact, when it is known that I am going on those roads many of my passengers refuse to ride with me as it is so uncomfortable. Some of the other roads, even the paved ones in my area are very uncomfortable with my truck.

In desperation I researched different modifications to the suspension. I had pretty well settled on throwing out all four springs and going to a full Kelderman suspension when I heard about Carli and had chats with them. They persuaded me that by changing all four springs and all four shocks to their “special” springs that my truck would ride nicely on my rough roads and was the best solution. They prefer that the modification be done in one of their approved shops, but the closest one to me is north of Houston, so that was not an option. However, I did call them and ask for a quote, but they told me that they did not send out quotes by email and in fact were quite rude and bery unbusinesslike. That should have alerted me to my coming problems. Carli agreed that it would be OK to have the installation done at a closer shop in Texas that I selected and that they would call the shop just before the job was done and provide full instructions.

I would have preferred to do the job myself but that would have meant bringing the full kit across the border and I was not prepared to get into a fight with the Mexican customs and end up paying about a 30% duty. Figured the duty would be close to paying to have it done by somebody else.

I have been riding in my Carli modified truck now for over two months and have to report that while the ride is minimally improved on some road conditions, the slight improvement in the ride is NOT worth the expense. Driving on concrete roads still rattles my kidneys and teeth. Still no passengers as they still find the ride too uncomfortable, especially in the rear seat. In desperation I have now installed air suspension seats in the front and now the ride is passable, but not near what I was expecting from the Carli modifications. Air seats on top of the Carli suspension should not have been necessary if the ride was what they led me to believe. Carli never did call the shop that did the change over, and in fact, we had to call them halfway through the job to resolve a problem. The ride feels as though the rear springs should be about 50% less stiff.

Communications with Carli about my rough ride problem have not been satisfactory as they tend to blame the installation for the rough ride. They have totally ignored some of my questions, including asking them to be specific about what part of the installation could result in the bad ride I have now. They did offer to take a look at my truck if I brought it to them in California. That is a three day ride one way for me, so is not very practical. Twice I suggested to them that for R & D purposes they send someone to me to check out the truck and the actual situation I am complaining about. In fact, I even offered to pay some of the expenses. They have ignored this just like they have ignored my other questions.

In short, I am bitterly disappointed with Carli, the resulting rough ride and the lack of decent after sales service. Ignoring a customers concerns is no way to resolve problems. In no way can I recommend this company or their product to anyone. I acknowledge our trucks are heavy duty trucks and sure ride like a heavy duty truck, but was hoping that the full Carli modification would make it ride less like a heavy duty truck. Boy, was I wrong! I have wasted my money and in retrospect, should have gone with the Kelderman.
Caveat emptor!

Originally Posted by Mexstan

Let me put my ride problem in another perspective. Sometimes a friend of my wife rides with me and she is um , er, shall we say, rather well endowed. When I drive on the concrete roads she has to cross her arms firmly to prevent said endowment from shaking (jiggling) around too uncomfortably.
BTW, I have never mentioned the expansion joints on the roads as a problem, because they do not cause a problem here, even on the older roads.
Some of the newer concrete roads here in Mexico are amoung the nicest roads I have driven on anywhere in world. It is the older concrete roads and the cobblestone roads that are causing a problem.

Originally Posted by THURENfab.

Ever wonder why the factory manual even suggest adding weight in the bed to get a better ride?

Originally Posted by THURENfab.

I have a feeling that the truck actually rides great for what it is. Thing is, an expectation of what you want beforehand, is way different than reality. These trucks axles are so freaking heavy you CAN NOT make them ever ride like a Toyota SUV on sharp square edge bumps, no matter what you do to the suspension. On top of that, even if you did get the truck to suck up all the road chatter, you then have the weight carrying capacity of a car, and a very top heavy feel when cornering.

Air ride is not going to fix it to what you want either.. It's all in the shocks..

Shock valving can maybe make it a bit better, but then you have other problems that arise..

I suggest putting some weight in the bed, as the shocks are valved expecting that you do carry weight sometimes as it is a heavy duty truck. Have you loaded it up a bit to see what the ride is like?

Ever wonder why the factory manual even suggest adding weight in the bed to get a better ride?

If you never tow heavy I'm sure the rear shocks can be lightened up a bit..

Originally Posted by bob4x4

The Carli 2.0 system is probably the nicest riding of any on the pavement.If it doesn't work for you perhaps your roads are more of an off road type surface that will demand more damping than the 2.0 is capable of.Your description of what the truck is doing is not clear enough to make a call on.Maybe you should get some one local with some suspension knowledge to drive the truck and give a better explanation of what it is doing.

Bob

Originally Posted by THURENfab.

Does the front of the truck ride better than the rear?

I'm curious to know if you have driven these same roads in any vehicle which gave you an exceptable ride. If so what vehicle was impressive to you on these roads? I'm mostly curious if any trucks, with a normal truck bed, unloaded, have even ridden what you would call "non kidney busting" on these same roads..