09 F350 shocks?

[dumprat]

Having built a bunch of different trucks, cars and lots of different suspension designs shocks Do not control compression!

My four linked Jeep LJ rode great. It had variable rate coils and shocks that were very easy to compress. My 54 M37 had shocks that did nothing on compression and were very very difficult to pull out.

So if anyone other than Pete has some insight please stand up.

 

[thethePete]

Cool. You built a couple vehicles. I work on them all day, professionally... Good luck on your hunt. Once again, sounds like Carli has what you're looking for.

Just because you're not getting answers you want to hear, doesn't make them wrong.

 

[pappawheely]

Having built a bunch of different trucks, cars and lots of different suspension designs shocks Do not control compression!

Wow, I guess Bilstein, King, Fox and Sway-A-Way all have it wrong.

 

[kris]

OP asks question.
Answerers answer.
OP doesnt like answers. Tells answerers he knows more than them. :lurk:


Listen.
I drive an '05 f350. Other than the possibility of a different spring up front depending on how yours was spec'd, my front suspension is the same as yours.
1. You need more than just a different shock.
2. I dont care what you felt pulling on the shock in your jeep, many shocks employ "velocity sensitive" dampening. Shocks do control compression dampening. Thats why its called "compression dampening".
3. Carli makes the best products for current Super Dutys. Go to their website and educate yourself on what they offer. Call them up with any questions, and although they probably wont tell you their secret recipe for compression and rebound dampening as that comes from their R&D, they will assure that all the shocks they sell do control compression.

Their front leveling kit with progressive springs, track bar, and Bilsteins is a bolt on and will improve the ride of your truck on and off road without sacrificing much if any hauling capability.


Now.
I dont mean this rudely, but you came here asking a question. Take the advise given or dont. Many on this forum have way more experience driving in all sorts of conditions with many more vehicles than you ever will. Telling those taking the time to answer your questions that they arent correct and you know better makes you look like an idiot and you will be ignored in the future.

Enjoy your truck.
k.

 

[pappawheely]

Doesn't king build the shocks for Carli? I remember seeing him a lot when I worked for King.

 

[dumprat]

Actually Kris I would very much like to hear about your set up. As I would Papawheelie's impressions once he gets shocks on his truck.

I am going to do a set of variable rate springs and a four link. The front needs more caster adjustment and the pinion angle is poor and will only get worse with lift. The truck has less than 2" of up travel now and needs that corrected.

 

[thethePete]

Doesn't king build the shocks for Carli? I remember seeing him a lot when I worked for King.

Yes they do.

 

[Raylan Givens]

I had the King coilovers on my 2010 F350. I am not sure it qualified as a soft ride, but it was better than my GMC 2500HD

 

[Buliwyf]

Actually Kris I would very much like to hear about your set up. As I would Papawheelie's impressions once he gets shocks on his truck.

I am going to do a set of variable rate springs and a four link. The front needs more caster adjustment and the pinion angle is poor and will only get worse with lift. The truck has less than 2" of up travel now and needs that corrected.

Then your front springs are shot. Even my F250 has 3-4" between the axle and bumpstops. And the bumpstops are rubber, not concrete, so they compress 2 more inches, at least, as well.

As mentioned, the Carli kits are the best. I run a 2.5" Bilstein front spring, Bilstien 5100 shocks, a 5" rear block, Carli track bar, and haven't done the 2 degree caster bushings yet. I'll do the ball joints at the same time. IMO, the stock rear springs are fairly soft. I have air springs to help them.

 

[dumprat]

It wouldn't surprise me at all that the springs are shot. I will have to compare them to the 11 F350 we have at work.

I am curious why somebody would put coil overs on the front of a 1ton.

 

[dumprat]

Looked this morning. The work truck has less up travel than mine, and it has never hauled more than 800lbs.

 

[pappawheely]

Because coilovers are awesome! It is very easy to add or subtract preload or change the coil out for a different spring rate. When used with an adjustable shock, the amount of tuning available is amazing. Coil springs have a much simpler constant spring rate. Leaf springs are progressive so they really need position sensitive damping in rebound to make them work well.

 

[dumprat]

Coil overs are slightly old news. Lots of crawlers are running ORIs now. Having wheeled with a few rigs on ORI struts coilovers belong on the scrap pile. Lol

And yes leafs are progressive. As are good variable rate coils. I am still on the hunt for some. ICON's are dual rate, hardly ideal in my opinion. Carli has variable rate but not in a 2.5" spring not sure why.

 

[thethePete]

Because Super Duties don't run a 2.5" spring? Have you tried looking directly to Eibach or Bilstein or one of the spring manufacturers and speccing it by coil size and spring rate?

I'm assuming those ORI struts are some type of air shock? And you're questioning using coilovers on a SD? FWIW a traditional strut is a coilover. Any assembly with the spring and shock as one unit, with the spring surrounding the shock is a coilover. Air shocks DEFINITELY don't belong on a SD. Adjustable coil overs with a dual-rate set up is more than enough to accomodate a smooth ride at any speed. I'm not sure what you're looking for out of a "variable rate" spring.... It sounds like you're looking for some type of atypical set up just for the sake of it. You've been provided with many viable options to achieve the ride you want, and yet you find a fault with any of them with little basis other than it's not "what you want".

Also, the coil-sprung F-series trucks only have 3" or so to the bumpstop from new. They're meant to carry weight, not bomb through whoops.

 

[pappawheely]

Coil overs are slightly old news. Lots of crawlers are running ORIs now. Having wheeled with a few rigs on ORI struts coilovers belong on the scrap pile. Lol

And yes leafs are progressive. As are good variable rate coils. I am still on the hunt for some. ICON's are dual rate, hardly ideal in my opinion. Carli has variable rate but not in a 2.5" spring not sure why.

Air shocks are limited by the properties of nitrogen gas. It expands when it heats up. The harder you push them, the stiffer they get. Air shocks may be used by slow speed rock crawlers, but not rock racers. You won't find any at King of the Hammers. Washboard roads would be brutal with ORI struts. Not new technology.