09 F350 shocks?
- Thread starter dumprat
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pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Sounds like you need take apart shocks and some time tuning them. Proper shock valving is smooth, not stiff.
leelikesbikes
Adventurer
if you dont care about high speed handling bigger tires (35-37) with 15psi will make it ride like a cadillac. it is amazing what a difference properly valved shocks make though. i have carli shocks and springs on my dodge and their stuff is awesome, but the big squishy tires really help to soak up the washboards.
You really shouldn't run any tire at speed at very low pressure for very long. It will make them separate.
I have 315-70-17's on it and am at 65 front and 50 rear to get the "face" of the tire in contact properly. It handles fine. I am not racing Baja with it but pulling a trailer and with nothing in the bed other than bikes it needs some ride improvement.
I have 315-70-17's on it and am at 65 front and 50 rear to get the "face" of the tire in contact properly. It handles fine. I am not racing Baja with it but pulling a trailer and with nothing in the bed other than bikes it needs some ride improvement.
thethePete
Explorer
You need softer springs then. Shocks control the spring. If you have stiff springs, you need stiff shocks or they don't do anything. Shocks on their own won't give you a softer ride, the bottom end of that is limited by your springs.
An OE replacement, or something like a Bilstein 4600 would be adequate for you, by the sounds of it, but airing down is what will bring you real ride comfort on rough roads. Either that or sacrifice load capacity for softer springs.
You drive a 1-ton truck. Its suspension is designed to work with a load in the bed, so unless you put more weight in your bed, or get softer springs there isn't much you can do. There's always air suspension, but that's not a simple or cheap affair.
An OE replacement, or something like a Bilstein 4600 would be adequate for you, by the sounds of it, but airing down is what will bring you real ride comfort on rough roads. Either that or sacrifice load capacity for softer springs.
You drive a 1-ton truck. Its suspension is designed to work with a load in the bed, so unless you put more weight in your bed, or get softer springs there isn't much you can do. There's always air suspension, but that's not a simple or cheap affair.
Seriously? My 04 SD with leafs and OEM shocks was better than the 09 with coils. My father in laws 08 F350 on 20" rubber rides better than mine.
The 04 F250 with two moose, half a caribou, a boat on the rack and camp trailer was overloaded. The 09 F350 wont be. Softer springs is just dumb.
So what I am getting from this is all the miles you folks supposedly travel is all pavement. Or you are ok with a brutal ride.
The 04 F250 with two moose, half a caribou, a boat on the rack and camp trailer was overloaded. The 09 F350 wont be. Softer springs is just dumb.
So what I am getting from this is all the miles you folks supposedly travel is all pavement. Or you are ok with a brutal ride.
thethePete
Explorer
Then your shocks are whooped. The coil sprung trucks drive much nicer than the leafsprung ones. The 08 and 09 have essentially the same suspension. Do you have the plow-package springs in the front of yours maybe? There are different spring rates available from Ford depending on how the truck was spec'd. Either you have stiffer springs than your FIL's truck, or your shocks are no longer effective, and his are. If his rides well for you and yours doesn't, maybe try the shocks he has.
And yeah, 2 1000lb animals, half another one, and a boat with a camper trailer on the back would likely overload a 3/4 ton truck.
No need to start getting ignorant with people. I spend all day getting in and out of dozens of different superduties, I'm pretty familiar with how the different cab configurations and suspension types ride. The only one I've ever ridden in that would be considered "smooth" while empty was on a full Carli suspension set up, with tuned reservoir shocks and custom springs front and rear. They're heavy trucks. They ride as such.
Softer springs is not 'dumb' if you're not using the springs you have to their potential. You stated the truck doesn't haul and you don't want a stiffer ride... The only way to achieve that is to decrease your springrate. People add leafs to hold more weight, it's the same principle. If you never add enough weight for the springs that are in there, you have the option of removing some, or going to a thinner leaf.
Define "brutal ride". You can't drive a truck capable of carrying over a ton in the bed and expect it to ride like a car. Most vehicles on here are near or over Max GVW, that means they're adequately working the suspension. I don't think there are many on this site looking to figure out how to make their HD truck suspension ride softer.
I'll say it again; shocks only control the spring. The spring is what dictates how "soft" your suspension will be. Dampening stiffness is increased if you are running hard or fast, OEM shocks have adequate valving for lower speed use. So unless you find that you suddenly "have the time" for getting rebuildable shocks and spend some time getting them valved to what you are looking for, you're not going to find a suitable ride.
I always have a hard time with people driving a 1-ton truck complaining about ride quality while empty. That's not what they're designed for. It's like complaining that your family sedan squats in the rear when towing a trailer.
And yeah, 2 1000lb animals, half another one, and a boat with a camper trailer on the back would likely overload a 3/4 ton truck.
No need to start getting ignorant with people. I spend all day getting in and out of dozens of different superduties, I'm pretty familiar with how the different cab configurations and suspension types ride. The only one I've ever ridden in that would be considered "smooth" while empty was on a full Carli suspension set up, with tuned reservoir shocks and custom springs front and rear. They're heavy trucks. They ride as such.
Softer springs is not 'dumb' if you're not using the springs you have to their potential. You stated the truck doesn't haul and you don't want a stiffer ride... The only way to achieve that is to decrease your springrate. People add leafs to hold more weight, it's the same principle. If you never add enough weight for the springs that are in there, you have the option of removing some, or going to a thinner leaf.
Define "brutal ride". You can't drive a truck capable of carrying over a ton in the bed and expect it to ride like a car. Most vehicles on here are near or over Max GVW, that means they're adequately working the suspension. I don't think there are many on this site looking to figure out how to make their HD truck suspension ride softer.
I'll say it again; shocks only control the spring. The spring is what dictates how "soft" your suspension will be. Dampening stiffness is increased if you are running hard or fast, OEM shocks have adequate valving for lower speed use. So unless you find that you suddenly "have the time" for getting rebuildable shocks and spend some time getting them valved to what you are looking for, you're not going to find a suitable ride.
I always have a hard time with people driving a 1-ton truck complaining about ride quality while empty. That's not what they're designed for. It's like complaining that your family sedan squats in the rear when towing a trailer.
Shocks should only control rebound. Problem is most if not all heavy duty type aftermarket shocks are gas charged on the compression cycle to assist in handling on a lifted vehicle. This is absolutely not what I want.
And if I can get variable rate front coils for my SD I am going to. They should have been that way stock.
And if I can get variable rate front coils for my SD I am going to. They should have been that way stock.
thethePete
Explorer
Good luck on your hunt. Carli makes good suspension, but it's not cheap, and usually results in a lift.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Nope, I wheel the crap out of my truck in the desert. I got custom Atlas leaf springs on both ends, matched to the weight of my truck. As soon as I get the truck in it's final configuration, I will get some good shocks and have them tuned. There is no bolt on magic bullet. Sorry.
leelikesbikes
Adventurer
i thought you said you wanted to drive rough potholed gravel at slow speed, airing down your tires will help alot in that case, i run 25psi in my 37's on the street to keep from getting center wear, but my truck only weighs 5800
thethePete
Explorer
^ Yep, my 31s go down to 20psi on gravel and get run upto 70km/h no drama. Makes a world of difference on potholed FSRs.
thethePete
Explorer
60-70km/h is not slow speed. Shocks control compression and rebound, as they should. Look into Carli. Air down.