blackjack

I am hoping for a little advice on what I can do to make my beast a little more pleasant when it is empty. I have the camper pkg. on my 01.5 SRW and the susp. is pretty tough. In particular I drive on some pretty tough roads and some are dirt with lots of pot holes. At times when I hit these holes the truck feels like it is going to go sideways on me. I like the ability to tow about anything I want to but what can I do to the suspension to make it a little more managable. I don't like that stiff ride when she is empty. I am willing to spend a little to get a little comfort. Thanks

ranchoazul

Try this
http://www.keldermanairride.com/
It turns your suspension into a two stage system (like an eighteen wheeler).
Hope it helps, I will be installing one in the spring.

Bart Timothy

Roadmaster Active Suspension avialable here http://www.mrbobsdistributing.com/RoadMaster.htm

bulabula

In the interim, reduce the air pressure in the tires and put at least 500lbs of sand (or tools etc.) in the box to preload the suspension. If you "forget" the sand bags are back there, the truck is empty. Plus the extra weight helps keep the rear planted better on the washboards (slowing down helps to keep her straight too).

yonimax

Word is that removing the rear sway bar that comes with the camper package makes a big difference in ride quality. And Chris is right: with a few hundred lbs. in the back and the rear tires down to 45 or so, the truck skitters a lot less.

induchman

I carried eight sixty pound bags of sand in my old 3/4 ton short bed and that worked just fine. On the flatbed I sometimes carry a couple of railroad ties.

blackjack

Thanks for the feed back
I have 500lbs secured in the back over the Axle. If I reduce the rears to 45lbs what should the fronts be? Now I have 62 front 57 rears.
In removing the sway bar what will I lose I do not load the bed with much and I don't tow very heavy 6300 lbs a few times a year. I noticed the huge sway bar that I haven't seen on too many other trucks. I have also considered taking the overload spring out but I don't want to get carried away just tame it down some.

phox_mulder

I removed both my swaybars in an effort to make the ride less kidney destroying.

It did make it a little better, not as much as I had hoped.

I don't tow anything, but don't see the swaybar doing much for that,
it is there for tall loads like slide in campers not low weight, such as a trailer.

I know I'll probably catch some flak for removing the front, but as stiff as the Diesel coils are, I have little if any body roll in turns.
And since I know it isn't there anymore, I tend to take turns slower than I did with it there.

I know the ride improves in the winter when the bed gets full of snow, I just haven't gotten around to putting some weight back there.


phox

SuperGewl

OK don't get me wrong, but these TRUCKS were bought for Hauling lots of weight
Trucks designed to carry this kind of weight don't exactly ride soft and if it did then you would be driving a Ferd or Cadi.
Let alittle air out of the rears when not hauling and maybe put a set of bags on it but don't go and start removing things such as sway boars because you will affect handling and carrying ability. If you really won't a SOFT ride then trade it on on Escalade or Ferd

pappyman

I agree with SuperGewl these are trucks and ride like trucks...dont start pulling suspension components off to make it ride soft.....weight in the rear will help (or buy a country Cadillac).....playing with tire pressure mite get you into trouble too if you go too low your tire mite blowout if the sidewall flex to much you will weakin the casing of the tire

Goood luck in your quest to find a softer ride just remember to keep it safe

Hoss

Or you can just do whatever you want. It's YOUR truck after all. Putting weight in the bed would be the first place I'd start...but it sounds like you've already done that. Put more weight.

moterhead

Your owner's manual will have tire pressures listed for both empty and full load conditions. You can run much less air in the rear empty than full. My '04 suggests 45 rear empty, 70 with full load. Front is 55 empty, 60 loaded. When empty, you need the higher front pressure to hold up that heavy hunk of cast iron called a CTD. Not a lot of rear weight when empty.

blackjack

As far as I know the sway Bar at least in the rear is a feature that is an add on for the camper pkg. I guess my question is if I remove that sway bar am I making the truck like all the others that do no have this option, Or is something else there to take the place of the sway bar. The same with any other part that is an option. I am asking if these items are removed then does it make the truck like other factory trucks that do not have these options. If removing these items is bad then are all the CTD's that were purchased without rear sway bars un-safe.

blackjack

I removed the rear sway bar yesterday and wht a difference. not so noticeable on the pavement but it sure helped on the dirt roads. The wheel hopping is much less now than before. The job was not too bad only one area when unbolting from the drivers side it is tight between the gas tank and brake lines and of course the design of the bracket won't allow the use of a rachett 0n one side sooooo a 1/8 turn at a time with a boxed in untill finger loose. Thanks for the feed back and the help.