Well, I have had my 08 F150 now for close to two weeks and there are few things about the truck that i have noticed that i wanted to talk about.

First, is the ride. I have never driven or ridden in a truck that rode like this, and thats a bad thing. I have to slow down for things now. In my old truck, which rode like a truck is supposed to, i could just keep going. Now, i have to slow down or the truck will bounce for days. At first I considered the possibility of blown shocks but they are fine. I test drove a couple of other brand new 08s and they rode the same as mine. I didnt buy a truck to feel like i was in a luxury car. Give me my old ride quality back. I am planning on getting Bilstein 5100's to level the truck out. Does anyone know if the 5100's are a little stiffer on their compression and rebound? If they are, that might be the solution to my problem.


Second issue is the seat belt. Now, I should explain that i am a BIG boy. Im not muscular or anything like that but i am a 350 pound fatty. I expect to have seat belt problems in cars. But I have never had problems in my trucks. With the new truck, my seat is all the way back and the belt is adjusted down to my shoulder on the b-pillar and when buckled, i have about 3 inches of play. Its not that big of a deal except i have to be cautious when messing with the radio because if i move to fast, I get whiplash. I can solve this by getting a seat belt extender from the parts department but hell, make the seat belt long enough in the first place. I never had a single problem with the long seat belt in my 94.


But other than those two things, so far, I love my 08. The 09 is starting to grow on me and depending on how things go over the next couple of years, i might look into getting out of the 08 and into a 2010 or 11 model.

 

I have an FX4 with the factory off-road shocks and while my truck still has the Lincoln like ride, I have heard that the off-road shocks are somewhat more stiff than the shocks on the XLTs. You may try the off-road shocks.

 

What tires do you have Capbryd?Shocks

 

you know, since i have had the truck, i havent even really looked at the tires. ill give that some thought as well. i still plan on getting the bilsteins regardless though as i want to level the truck.

 

I own a 2006 lincoln lt. My first ride in the truck I was dissapointed. The next day I put a leveling kit on it, and took the passanger tires off and replaced them w/some 305 cooper stts. It still doesnt ride like my 350, but at least it feels more like a truck.

 

after a month of owning my '08, i have NO complaints.

 

Please try to check your tires for PSI, who know it has too much air in and caused this.

I learned this a while ago and do some trick with chalk.

I have Bilsten stock and LOVING IT!

YOMAN

 

What is a truck supposed to ride like anyway? I have no complaints about my FX4. It's the smoothest ride I've had since my Buick Regal. I've been through a Ranger, a Pathfinder, a Cherokee, and a Bronco since then. I hate the feel of riding in a car though, you can feel every little bump in the road.

 

i cant really answer that question. But i can say this. In both my mustang and my 94, i was able to maintain the 45 mph speed limit while crossing a rail road track on my way home from work. in my new truck, i have to slow down to 30 or else the truck will try and bounce into the next lane. i want the ride of my old truck. I didnt buy a truck for a smooth ride. i dont WANT a smooth ride. i want to know that my truck is solid.

 

I don't know, I've always slowed down for railroad tracks. The Cherokee was the worst at trying to throw the back end into another lane if I hit a bump. Growing up at the end of a 2 1/2 mile dirt road that was never maintained probably gave me a bad impression of what constitutes as a smooth ride anyway.

 

Yeah I dont know man these new trucks just ride so nice thats the way they are made now not like the old ones that would bounce you around and ride rough as crap i cant stand that

 

yeah, this thing is great on the highway but as soon as there is a bump, it feels like my race car felt when i had blown shocks on it. i just want better damping.

 

i drive my 08 xlt on range roads and logging roads about 150-200 kms a day and cldnt complain about the ride at all, never bouces all over the place, i nvr slow down for a bumps and do about 80-95 km/h on these crappy dirt roads. maybe u shld try holding on to the steering wheel better

 

and btw my old 95 f250 used to handle terribly compared to this one, i cld only do about 70km/h on dirt roads and i'd break my skull on the ceiling if i hit a bump too fast lol

 

Well, i can only speak from my experience. Like i said, im going to try and mess around with the damping in the shocks and different tires and see if i can get it where i like it.

let me also say, im not trying to bash my truck. i love my truck. LOVE my truck. It just isnt what im used to and like any other vehicle i have owned, i will spend the money to make the truck more like I like it.