I've posted several times on here searching to get the ultimate ride quality out of my superduty. Bone stock SRW 6.5 Bed Platnium, that now has 30K miles on it. The stock Ranchos had alot of bed chatter and vibrations and swapped them for FOX 2.0. Since then the truck has always felt sloppy, in respects to side to side body roll on the highway. This is worse in high winds and or when towing a 3-5K trailer. I can make some of this effect lessened by inflating tires to 65 Plus PSI. I came from a lifetime of GM HD trucks with IFS. I am just to the point that do I have to except fighting this truck on the highway at high speeds or is there something wrong. Ford dealer has checked caster, camber, alignment, track bar (all supposedly). This truck just feels really loose and sloppy on the highway. Considering towing at high speeds on long trips is what I bought it for I'm about ready to go back to GM. I just don't see that many guys on here complaining about it so either I am missing something that is wrong with mine or I am going crazy?! Another thing that blows my mind is this is worse with full tank of diesel, all my GM trucks road better with more fuel and obviously more weight in them. Open for any and all suggestions.

 

Definitely sounds like something is up. I've running the Fox shocks in my lift, and my truck feels solid and planted on the highway, as it should. Have you had an alignment done? Too much caster can cause a "wander", especially at speed.

 

Sounds like maybe a tire issue to me. What tires are you running and how many miles are on them?

 

The best thing to do in this case is try to use your dealer for help. Ask them to let you drive another 2017, maybe even a used one, as close to your configuration as possible, and take it on a highway drive. Maybe even towing your trailer. A good dealer knows you spent a lot on your truck and will want to keep you as a customer. It is no sweat off their back to let you test drive another.

If another 2017 drives in the same sloppy manner, than apparently that will be characteristic of these trucks. If that is the case and you aren't satisfied, switching back to GM is probably in your best interest. But you may find your particular truck has some issue. It could be a tire issue, you could start by rotating tires from front to back and see if anything changes.

I've always found a full tank seems to make my truck ride better (I have a 250 CCSB diesel) which makes sense. But I also have the snowplow pack which automatically makes a stiffer ride in the front. For the past couple of months I've had about 600lbs of sand in the bed to help offset the plow weight and provide better traction. It also helps out with ride quality.

As for your tire pressures, shouldn't they be 65 front and 80 rear? Those are standard pressures for any 350 / 3500. Lower pressures may cause a squishy feel.

I still have the stock FX4 shocks on mine. My truck feels very stable on the highway.

 

100 percent need to get those pressures up, of course it feels sloppy when your sidewalls are all spongy

 

But not necessarily, considering my nearly identical F-250 calls for 60 front 65 rear. It goes down the road just fine. Front suspension is identical and rear is actually less stiff.

 

My thoughts are the tires are causing the wandering. The Fox 2.0 shocks are smoother and will allow a bit more body roll but I don't have them on my F250 FX4 gasser. It doesn't wander on the highway.


The best suggestion above is to try driving another to see if it feels the same as yours.

 

Does your truck have a rear sway bar? Mine did not come with one and my truck had allot of body roll. So bad that going through the mountains on the switch back roads that even lifted trucks were able to corner the roads better than my truck. The solution for me was adding a Hellwig rear sway bar. Now if your truck already has a rear sway bar, then you got something else going on.

 

I have an F250, 6.7, CCSB, FX4 on the OE Wranglers. I have owned, driven and towed with a variety of trucks, including GMs and Dodges over the years. I bought the Superduty because it was the best driving truck I have ever driven. Period. Mine is all stock and as stable (or more so) than any truck I have ever towed with. Ride quality, handling and stability are all remarkable regardless whether its empty, loaded or towing.

That said, I would suspect that there is something wrong. Is your truck a 250 or 350? My 250 data plate specs 60 psi front and 65 psi rear. That's what I set them to with the exception that I lower the rears to match the fronts at 60 when not loaded or towing.

So check your tire pressure and make sure its accurate, and don't assume your cheap gauge is accurate. Get a good gauge. Have you had the alignment checked? What you are describing sounds like it needs more caster. I would set the caster at the maximum end of the range.

Also check the swaybar bushings and end links. A bad end link or bushings can cause this as well.

 

Put 80 psi in all the tires. Roll up a yoga mat and strap it to your but.

You can go back to the floppy bouncy GM's if you want. But I'd just choose better quality tires, proper pressure. Check your joints and make sure the sector gear is nice and tight. Maybe get rid of the plow springs, but not before fixing the wandering issue.

I'd have to drive it.

 

I like TROvermans idea, visit your dealer and compare with their lot models of equally equipped.

80 PSI will get you a very firm ride and coming from a GM like myself, I'd not recommend this as the fix.

 

It's where you have to start, to troubleshoot wiggly trucks. After you find the actual fix, you can lower the pressure again.

Also note, if you rotated feathered front tires onto the rear axle, the truck may feel very loose.

 

I believe I misread his original post, I thought he had his pressures to low.

My mistake

 

The above advice is probably the best so far. I am extremely happy with the stability of my truck. Same as Trovers. Stock FX4 shocks.


Sorry for your dissatisfaction in the ride.


Sam

 

SIAP, did the OP mention what tire was he riding on?