To get my truck to ride a little smother? <O</O
Mainly for my very young kids, my 3 year old boy doesn’t seem to mind but my 8 month old girl does, she is great in my wife’s explorer but fusses/cry’s nonstop in my truck. It wasn’t until recently that my wife rode in the back and made the statement “seems more rough back here than the front”. <O</O
So replace the OEM shocks? Airbags? Any opinions would be great.<O</O
I have tried different air pressures, currently have all the tires at 50psi seems best for my rig.<O</O<O</O<O</O

 

I'd say new 5100 series Bilstein shocks.

 

You need to put some weight in the bed. 500 lbs. or prefererably more at the rear of the bed will help.

 

I agree with both of these, I know 500 in bed would be quick and cheap to try !! Just remember to secure it.

 

Just because the baby fusses in the truck doesn't necessarily mean it's because of the ride.

Could be some noise or smell or any number of other reasons that she doesn't like about it.

 

Might be its so big in there everyone is so far away from her. I doubt its the ride as well.

 

It's probably because she realizes she'll have to wait 15 more years before she can drive that awesome rig!

 

It he's running the stock Rancho's, I bet they are shot. He should at a minimum remove them and see if they are even functioning any more. There is enough evidence to suggest the stock shocks don't last. He could check that for free.

 

Check factory shocks, then put some weight in the bed... Mine runs really smooth with weight in the back, not so much empty.

Get 10, 40 lb bags of $1-$1.5 per bag of dirt to try it out. Will cost you $20 max to try this. If it doesn't workout I am sure you got a place the dirt could be used. If it does the trick there are plenty of cleaner, neater ways to add weight that won't effect your ability to put something in the back of the bed. They just cost a bit more.

Problem with smoothing out the suspension is then you are going to come back and ask how to make the truck pull well...

Having said that, my personal opinion after you make sure the shocks are ok or exhaust getting into the truck somehow, is to just let her get used to how the truck drives. (I'm a big safety first person - so all that stuff needs to be checked out and fixed if there are any issues) It could also be the sun getting in and it is too bright. Our trucks have huge windows....

IMHO, I have two children as well (a tween and a teen). When they were babies I didn't turn off the phone, make the place dark and quiet, shushed people when they came over to visit, etc... I also took them as babies on long cross country drives. We just dealt with it and fussiness. As babies they quickly learned that this was normal and routine. The phone would ring when they were sleeping, they stayed asleep....

 

I dont even think they are rancho shocks as my truck is an XLT just an all black shock. i had never really noticed before but until my wife said something it does seem to ride really rough.

kids are very much use to noise with my JD tractor running past the house all the time plus shooting clays out back, dogs barking at critters, i think a nuke could go off my son wouldent even move, i know what your saying though, however I do feel that the truck just rides rough for her, going to start with some weight in back see if that changes anything, thats why i had given the idea of airbags so i could change the ride, never used em though.

 

I was in the same boat as the op about 6 months ago. And I think it was due to ride quality. I have 3% tint in the rear and 12 % up front so it wasn't bright. I carried a blanket that would reach from driver to passenger's seat and would drape it over both to make a wall from the sun coming in through the windshield. And none of that seemed to help and my wife and I use thensame car scents. Now the kids are 4 & 2, and they lagh saying my truck is silly because it bounces more than my wife's f150. Since you already have the air bags would it be possible to remove all but 1 or 2 leaf spring from the pack. That way they can hold the axle in position and then you can get almost air ride like suspension. But I don't knoew if the removal of the extra leafs would compromise the integrity of the load capabilities of the truck. Or I looked into a kelderman 4 link rear air suspension and air suspension on the front but it was really expensive. Around 9K with instlal and buying an air compressor and all the extra that come along with that.

 

Air bags work with your shocks, not in place of them therefore they would do nothing for you running empty except make the ride stiffer.

 

I found bags made both my 2012 and 2013's ride more 'reactive' and rougher to me....

but the stock shocks were shot @ 10k miles - I know this because I waited for Rancho's 9000xl $100 spring rebates to install them and they actually made my truck TOO soft when I set them to the softest setting - even with the air bags @ 5 psi... but can be easily adjusted firmer if I want !


good luck !

 

Depending on your budget, get a Carli Commuter kit. Its a little more expensive than some options, cost $2130, but I'd put money on the fact that it'll ride better than any cheaper option.

 

You could downsize to an f150, ask cummins cowboy....



Sorry, couldn't resist