Terrible Ride from Rear
02-01-2016, 12:13 AM
#81
With some disagreements, I can tell the other side is open minded. I do not sense that here. I'm specifically addressing getting the rear end to settle down, which I and many others find is exacerbated on these trucks especially at speed when you hit a bump - turning or not - the rear end just wants to get loose.
Do you really think we're all lying to you? Things in the real world are rarely black and white like you may find in physics books.
Lots of other confirmations if you bother searching.
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Do you really think we're all lying to you? Things in the real world are rarely black and white like you may find in physics books.
Lots of other confirmations if you bother searching.
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I just installed the Hellwig sway bar after reading this thread, and did a 500 mile round trip over the weekend. It definitely tightened up the rear end. It feels more like a stiff suspensioned large SUV than a hoppy truck, so I think overall I like it. I think you do feel more imperfections on the road now though as they are transmitted through the chassis, vs. being dealt with by the rear bouncing around... but I'm a car driver from Europe, so I don't mind that. It was pretty easy to install, however both guides I found online weren't quite detailed enough, and get this... the instructions included (via my Amazon order) were for a 2003 Mazda MX-5 Miata install! I panicked about having to send back a very heavy order when I first saw that! Thanks to you all for the discussion that convinced me to get this!
Any of you guys having issues with wheel hop with a lift? I have the 3.5 eco tuned with the 93 performance/tow from 5 star and I feel like every time I really get on it (especially off road) it has terrible wheel hop on the back end. I'm sure there's trac bars out there somewhere for the 15s but just curious if anyone has any experience with them or better solutions maybe? I tried switching from the basic fabtech shocks to Fox 2.0s and it did help a lot with ride quality but it's just not enough to fully control that axle under the torque it seems like
What an awesome upgrade! Just put the rear bar on tonight. Not hard at all, instructions suck, guessing game on washer placement until I checked back with pictures here. One of the threaded ends was damaged but I got it to thread in using brute force and a vice. Corners perfect now, drives straight without the little sways back and forth. Rough highway runs straight over large bumps without the side jiggle. Rides the same but much more controlled. I have it on the softest setting now. It works fine there. Makes me want to go and get the front one now since the rear was so awesome. Installed in less than 30 minutes using an alignment rack so I would not have to do everything on my back. I'm sure it will reduce articulation if I ever went off road but that is unlikely. Steering seems more centered and stable now, before it was kind of twitchy. I carry a lot of weight in the bed all the time. Can't tell it is there anymore while cornering. Now if Bilstein will just get the 5100's finished for these trucks I will consider myself done with suspension mods. Don't lose any parts like nuts or bolts, there are no extras packed in the box. You use every part sent.
Last edited by 4js8wh; 02-01-2016 at 12:17 AM.
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jt2002hd (02-08-2016)
02-01-2016, 12:59 AM
#82
OK, so this devolved into an anti-swaybar vs anti-anti swaybar conversation. The fact that this truck shoots halfway into the next lane when you hit a bump or expansion joint doing better than 20mph would likely be solved with the anti-swaybar. That is not really what I was inquiring about though.
It is the micro bumping. The truck just shakes front to rear, jostling your head, on even the smoothest of tarmac. It is not the tires, they've been balanced and I know what an out of balance wheel/tire is like. There is no vibration or jitters in the steering wheel.
These rear springs are just too short/stiff. My original inquiry was just whether anyone has installed new springs yet.
It is the micro bumping. The truck just shakes front to rear, jostling your head, on even the smoothest of tarmac. It is not the tires, they've been balanced and I know what an out of balance wheel/tire is like. There is no vibration or jitters in the steering wheel.
These rear springs are just too short/stiff. My original inquiry was just whether anyone has installed new springs yet.
02-01-2016, 04:05 AM
#83
Gone Golfin
iTrader: (3)
After 3 pages it had to evolve to something... try reducing the air pressure.
02-01-2016, 09:50 AM
#85
Senior Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by ;4539168
You know those headrests are adjustable, pull the headrest all the way forward(towards the steering wheel) and it will reset back to zero forward lean. From there slightly pull forward one click/adjustment at a time adjust desired angle.
Originally Posted by ;4539168
You know those headrests are adjustable, pull the headrest all the way forward(towards the steering wheel) and it will reset back to zero forward lean. From there slightly pull forward one click/adjustment at a time adjust desired angle.
Livoniabob
Quote:
You do know that all the way back is too far forward and all the other more forward adjustments are to the point of just being dumb and even more useless?
Quote:
You do know that all the way back is too far forward and all the other more forward adjustments are to the point of just being dumb and even more useless?
Yeah... we know that...
Last edited by TerryH22; 02-01-2016 at 09:52 AM.
02-01-2016, 10:26 AM
#86
Senior Member
OK, so this devolved into an anti-swaybar vs anti-anti swaybar conversation. The fact that this truck shoots halfway into the next lane when you hit a bump or expansion joint doing better than 20mph would likely be solved with the anti-swaybar. That is not really what I was inquiring about though.
It is the micro bumping. The truck just shakes front to rear, jostling your head, on even the smoothest of tarmac. It is not the tires, they've been balanced and I know what an out of balance wheel/tire is like. There is no vibration or jitters in the steering wheel.
These rear springs are just too short/stiff. My original inquiry was just whether anyone has installed new springs yet.
It is the micro bumping. The truck just shakes front to rear, jostling your head, on even the smoothest of tarmac. It is not the tires, they've been balanced and I know what an out of balance wheel/tire is like. There is no vibration or jitters in the steering wheel.
These rear springs are just too short/stiff. My original inquiry was just whether anyone has installed new springs yet.
I felt this exact same sensation with the micro bumps. I thought something was wrong with the truck, as my 2011 felt MUCH smoother. I have since loaded/unloaded the box with some heavy things, as well as pull a small trailer around, and added a bunch more miles to the truck. I was just driving to work this morning, same road I take every day. It seems at least 90% smoother! Not sure if the shocks/springs are beginning to settle, or if I am going crazy. Perhaps your suspension needs to "break in", if that is such a thing.
02-01-2016, 10:47 AM
#87
At 37k I'm still getting the shimmy. I had stiff offroad suspension on my Xterra as well and never had this issue driving on the same rough road I take every day to work. The only difference is that with my Xterra, I removed the rear sway bar completely to allow the axle to flex freely. Maybe this is a solution, because on this road I take, the rows of potholes are only on the passenger side, but causes the entire F-150 rear to bounce side to side. So I'm thinking maybe it would be better without the bar, so the passenger side can bounce around and the driver's side will stay planted to the ground?
Not sure if this was recommended already, didn't read all 9 pages of this thread, but I'm considering giving it a try. I never take high-speed corners anyways, and the front should keep it stable. I removed the rear on my Xterra to allow more flex for offroading, and never noticed any extra roll on the street, even with my lift kit.
Not sure if this was recommended already, didn't read all 9 pages of this thread, but I'm considering giving it a try. I never take high-speed corners anyways, and the front should keep it stable. I removed the rear on my Xterra to allow more flex for offroading, and never noticed any extra roll on the street, even with my lift kit.
02-01-2016, 01:24 PM
#88
Senior Member
Sorry if you mentioned already, but how man KM/miles on your truck?
I felt this exact same sensation with the micro bumps. I thought something was wrong with the truck, as my 2011 felt MUCH smoother. I have since loaded/unloaded the box with some heavy things, as well as pull a small trailer around, and added a bunch more miles to the truck. I was just driving to work this morning, same road I take every day. It seems at least 90% smoother! Not sure if the shocks/springs are beginning to settle, or if I am going crazy. Perhaps your suspension needs to "break in", if that is such a thing.
I felt this exact same sensation with the micro bumps. I thought something was wrong with the truck, as my 2011 felt MUCH smoother. I have since loaded/unloaded the box with some heavy things, as well as pull a small trailer around, and added a bunch more miles to the truck. I was just driving to work this morning, same road I take every day. It seems at least 90% smoother! Not sure if the shocks/springs are beginning to settle, or if I am going crazy. Perhaps your suspension needs to "break in", if that is such a thing.
Last edited by Livoniabob; 02-01-2016 at 02:26 PM.
02-01-2016, 02:00 PM
#89
Senior Member
Did you have your alignment checked? Discovered mine was off when I installed the leveling kit. The sway bar totally fixed the rear hop, but the alignment helped the floaty/wandering feeling. I'm not feeling any "microbounces" though.
02-01-2016, 02:16 PM
#90
Great thread going, lot's of useful info with some pretty good laughs! I'm from Ohio and have family in Michigan but now live in NC, I swear it's like going from 1st world to 3rd world roads when I make that trip north a few times a year.
I think CFoxtrot eluded to it on the Page 4 when he mentioned the Roadmaster Active Suspension and adjusting to a different tension setting. FWIW what he was alluding to is correct.
The original RAS application was specifically designed for South African mail couriers that had to negotiate some poor roads in the "bush" in the early 90's. Here in America we have obviously adapted the RAS for more heavy duty towing/body roll type applications, but the bounce and performance benefits still exist! I think one or a few of you touched on the excessive rebound that results in that stiffness or bouncy type feeling. The RAS spring will still allow the leaf spring to bend and flex, but will help to progressively dampen that unpleasant excessive spring travel and bounce.
Tons of RAS reviews on the boards for various types of issues. I've run several specials on the forum over the last few years with great satisfaction. Out of all possible reasons to install the RAS, this might rank at or close to the top in terms of effectiveness. If anybody would like to be a guinea pig for the rest of the guys, I'm happy to help!
I think CFoxtrot eluded to it on the Page 4 when he mentioned the Roadmaster Active Suspension and adjusting to a different tension setting. FWIW what he was alluding to is correct.
The original RAS application was specifically designed for South African mail couriers that had to negotiate some poor roads in the "bush" in the early 90's. Here in America we have obviously adapted the RAS for more heavy duty towing/body roll type applications, but the bounce and performance benefits still exist! I think one or a few of you touched on the excessive rebound that results in that stiffness or bouncy type feeling. The RAS spring will still allow the leaf spring to bend and flex, but will help to progressively dampen that unpleasant excessive spring travel and bounce.
Tons of RAS reviews on the boards for various types of issues. I've run several specials on the forum over the last few years with great satisfaction. Out of all possible reasons to install the RAS, this might rank at or close to the top in terms of effectiveness. If anybody would like to be a guinea pig for the rest of the guys, I'm happy to help!