Suspension question ....
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2016
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Suspension question ....
How's it goin FTE crew!! I have a 02 F250 CCSB. Now I know as a truck it's supposed to ride stiff like a truck, i've owned trucks in the past. However anyone have any recommendations on what I can do in my case. My PSD drive super stiff, I feel everything the road has to offer, I have a turn **** on my kenwood head unit, and to turn the volume up/down it's a task lol...Now, I'm running a 4" BDS lift all leaf springs. BDS shocks all around, just replaced my rears with BDS 5500 series. Running 17s on 315/70r17 Cooper Discoverer A/T3. Any recommendations on what to change to make it run a bit less stiff. Dual shocks up front, in the rear, different brand shocks ??? Truck is great when I take off the pavement, but on it, oh man. Have to sip my coffee before i put in the holder if you know what i mean.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 10,750
Likes: 1,065
From: Douglassville, PA
The answer is in your lift, all springs. When I bought mine it had 6" lift, blocks in the rear and all springs up front (I believe that blocks are not permitted up front). The front stack had about 11 leaves in it and I couldn't even drive it holding a cup of coffee, let alone drink one. Ditch the lift and enjoy the ride or keep the lift and it is what it is.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,425
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Please do not ever put blocks in the front, not to mention that in most states, it is illegal. Can you get away with it? Sure you can, but it's not worth the risk. It's a major safety hazard. I've seen mini packs recently pop up, and from what I can tell they do spread or distribute the weight thru out the springs very well, and you also retain the stock ride as well. You have a couple of options, either change out or upgrade the suspension system to the newer coil spring type, or bag the truck all the way around, or an airbag assist kit, but as Walleye mentioned and the cheapest route is to put it back to stock. I currently have a 6" procomp system and I'm done with it too. It's coming off soon. I'm gonna try a mini spring pack with X code springs for a total of 3"-3.5" of lift. Should ride pretty close to stock.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: Temperance, MI
Bilstein shocks, ditch the dual front shocks in favor of a good single, bleed your tires psi down. With 35s I believe I was around 40 psi or so give or take (do the chalk line test to be sure).
Walleye hunter already hit on a big thing with blocks in the rear. If there's blocks on the front... dig a 6' hole and jump in now
Walleye hunter already hit on a big thing with blocks in the rear. If there's blocks on the front... dig a 6' hole and jump in now
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Every time get my front tires below 65 PSI, Stinky gnaws on rubber. The front tires have a weight rating for each PSI, you can look it up - or do the chalk test as JOHN2001 suggested. Bear in mind, my 2000 EC 4X4 weighs about 4000 pounds or more on the nose - so each tires easily carries 1/2 the weight of a full car... and that's before you load the truck up.
I went from a jack-hammer ride with antiquated stock front springs and cheap shocks to a very decent ride with X-code springs and Bilsteins - and I got a 2" front-end lift out of the deal. Stock or stock-ish works OK when new, but worn suspension parts give probably just as bad a ride as an over-built suspension. You mention your vehicle rules off-road. Well... I imagine a suspension that can be tuned for road and off-road as needed will be very expensive. You will need to make a call here.
I went from a jack-hammer ride with antiquated stock front springs and cheap shocks to a very decent ride with X-code springs and Bilsteins - and I got a 2" front-end lift out of the deal. Stock or stock-ish works OK when new, but worn suspension parts give probably just as bad a ride as an over-built suspension. You mention your vehicle rules off-road. Well... I imagine a suspension that can be tuned for road and off-road as needed will be very expensive. You will need to make a call here.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2016
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Sorry guys for the late response. Appreciate all the info, don't want to get rid of lift. I'll go with a single Bilstein shocks up front. I don't run blocks up front either, I enjoy my life way too much lol .. I'll go to Bilsteins in the rear too and bleed down the air some, see how it rides there. I know im running 45 psi in them cold, we'll give it a shot with less psi in them, and chalk test.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,399
Likes: 188
From: Norco,CA
I don't think Bilsteins in front is going to help with all spring in the back. If the dual spring up front is good quality, they should be fine.
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Junior User
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My fault guys, I am not running dual shocks up front, im running single bds shocks. I was meaning to ask if dual shocks would help out in this case, single with a reservoir or dual shocks with reservoirs.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: Temperance, MI
A good set of singles will do you just fine. If you have the white BDS standard shocks you're in for a real treat when you put a nice set of shocks on. I ran dual BDS in the front and within 2 months all 6 of my shocks were blown and needed replaced. They were great for about 3 weeks tops.
Tire psi will dictate a lot. The bigger the tire the less psi it takes to fill them. For instance my 38x15.5s were 50 psi max on the tire, not what I ran them at but that was max for that size. My 39.5x18 boggers on the side of the tire is written 20 psi max!
Tire psi will dictate a lot. The bigger the tire the less psi it takes to fill them. For instance my 38x15.5s were 50 psi max on the tire, not what I ran them at but that was max for that size. My 39.5x18 boggers on the side of the tire is written 20 psi max!
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
You can weigh your truck and set tire pressures according to the tire's pressure/weight chart for the weight they are carrying. Only wild card is if you are changing your running weight a great deal routinely. such as when towing. Then it gets to be a pain adjusting pressure.
Steve
Steve
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