I've made some recent changes to the front end (replacing worn out parts) and the ride is gotten much better. Until you hit a bump. My 2009 F250 4WD feels like it is coming apart everytime I hit a bump. I've replaced body mount bushings and I installed new shocks. I chose monroe and I'm not sure I made the best choice. I removed a set of Ranchos and only one of them was still working. I've no idea how many miles they had on them. The new Monroes made only a small difference in the ride. People tell me that all 4WD trucks ride rough. I'm running a set of Cooper LT highway tread tires and I keep the air pressure at around 50 psi. I'm looking for suggestions as to what might help it ride a little better.

 

Can you elaborate when you say "Feels like it is coming apart every time I hit a bump." Is the truck darting? Or just a rough feeling? Monroe shocks are fine. Do you have any suspension lift? What size tires?

 

When I hit a bump you feel it harshly. The truck does not dart. It does not have a lift kit. The tires are stock. It got a lot better when I replaced the body mount bushings. I used the Dorman bushings.

 

Has anyone used the Sulastic Rubber Shackles? They look like a great idea for addressing the problems I covered in this post. Right now they seem to be going for around $530 a set. I think maybe a year from now they might drop off, plus it will give the truck owners who jumped on this early a chance to see how they perform and how they last.

 

Did you replace the 2 mounts up front?
The guy I bought my 08 from said he replaced the mounts but missed those. I swore the whole front end was falling off my truck.
I replaced those and it got rid of that.
After about $2k on suspension and steering I’m finally happy. 😂

 

Yes, I replaced all six body mounts (the truck is a regular cab). That is four under the passenger compartment and two up front under the radiator and that did make a huge difference. I am closing in on some issues. Right now the only slack in the steering is in the steering box. I've replaced the drag link and end, steering damper and track bar bushing. The improvement is significant. The slack in the steering box can be heard when you are underneath and can be felt in the steering wheel while driving. At least i know what it is. The jolts you feel when you hit a bump could be just about anything.

 

Gotcha. I have the same steering slop. I did everything you did. I also adjusted the steering gear. I watched a YouTube video. It helped but still wanders a little.
I put on Bilstein 4600 shocks. Made a huge difference.

 

If there's noticeable slack in you're steering box, that's probably the majority of the jolts you're feeling. Every time you hit a bump your tires are getting pushed left, or right, until that slack is taken up and then you feel it in the wheel. That's gonna act like a hammer on your new drag link and damper. See if you can find a copy of the factory service manual and look up the procedure to adjust the steering box. Usually on these types of steering boxes, to do it correctly, you're supposed back off the screw on top of the box, then adjust the bearings at the input shaft, then re-adjust the screw. Just adjusting the top screw like many people do can cause it to wear faster.

Unless you're running loaded all the time, 50psi is too high of a tire pressure for unloaded driving and will contribute to a harsher ride. You should be closer to 40-45 up front, depending on what engine you have, and 35-40 in the rear. If you want to find the ideal pressure, look up how to chalk a tire. Basically you draw a chalk line across the tread, then drive the vehicle and see how it wears off, then add/subtract 5psi and repeat. Do that a bunch of times to find the highest and lowest pressures where the line wears away evenly and put it somewhere in the middle.

How many miles on this thing? Have you inspected all the rear suspension bushings? A bad leaf spring, or shackle, bushing can make a truck feel like it's gonna shake itself apart on every little bump.