Looks better than it rides

So after much research here at TW, phone calls to suspension parts shops, and finally pulling the trigger on a lift.... I'm not so sure I like what I've done.

I wanted to lift/level the front, (on a budget) so I stayed with the stock springs all the way around, and had heard Billy 5100's was a far superior way to go over spacers. I installed them @ the 1.75 setting and it did bring the front up to perfectly match the rear, but the ride definitly suffered.

The front seems too harsh now and the rear too soft going around corners. It feels like the way a Baja truck looks when railing a corner on pavement. I know this is an obvious result of compressing the front springs for lift and doing nothing to the rear but honestly it feels unsafe to drive.

Would I be better off lowering the front Billys one setting to soften the front or should I firm up the rear with AAL's or TSB's?

 

Props for posting a true thread and taking it on the chin. Hopefully others will learn from what you don't like.

I would definitely lower the front down a setting and get the TSB's if you can get them for free - this will allow you to get a free alignment after you lower the front down. After you get it home you can (if your not hauling) remove the overload and that will take away about 1/2" of the 3/4" gain in height the TSB's provide.

IMHO don't worry about being 'level'. Trucks are not supposed to be level. if you ever use the bed and I'm guessing you will because you have a pick up truck the ass end will be squatting and low....thats the whole reason the trucks are ass high....to offset this.

If you do get a AAL DO NOT get a single AAL. IMO they are junk and also provide a very harsh ride. Look into wheelers 3 leaf progressive aal - they are 100% better than a single.

Good luck man!

 

Pre-loading a spring to increase ride height- in a perfect world- does not inherently increase spring rate. Lift the spring's perch 1" and get a 1" lift, the ride should be the same. If the spring is progressive, and the suspension geometry is causing some kind of binding reducing lift away from a 1:1 ratio, or the new higher ride height affects suspension component's angles enough to put a different leverage upon the coil then I suppose the result could be perceived stiffer spring rate. But I'd be suspect of the damper's valving first and foremost. Would be interesting if you put the ride height to stock and its still "stiff" simply due to having "tighter" valving.

On my first gen at OE height, the 5100s front are soft, its nice. Being OE ride height I followed advice to get the 5125s in the rear--- horrible, opposite problem your having. But I have to say, if I carried load all of the time, I think thats what the 5125s are valved for.

 

I do not have 5100's. My truck has something else on all 4 corners.

FWIW, when my truck was new, with the non TSB springs, the rear would sway back and forth on the highway on a calm day. Even with stock springs all around, the back was soft to me. Almost exactly as you describe it.

Had TSB springs installed and it was a totally different ride.

Also, you will always hear people post about preload to raise a truck and how preload technically does not change the springs rate. This is true unless the spring is progressive wound or end conditioned.

What does happen when you add preload is raise the truck, yes, obvious. Also what happens is this changes the suspensions roll center. Roll center is a critical handling trait that somewhat kind of sort of determines how the truck or car sets in the turn. Roll centers will move as the vehicle experiences cornering loads, body roll, suspension movement under acceleration and decelleration. Roll center is not CG, but a series of vectors or lines that are drawn through the suspension pivot, both upper and lower suspension points and calculate an intersection of the points. This point is the axis of chassis roll and it is constantly changing. Yes there are other factors such as CG, sidewall flex, swaybar influence and so forth.

To test for a damping change, ride over some bumps straight on, note how it responds. Lower it and test again.


All the best with it.

PK

 

My truck rides like a brick

 

so does every other OME truck....but that shit lasts and is dependable and not pricey

 

Not complaining

 

oh you like the brick ride like I do.....OK

 

It just is what it is , no biggie

 

Hmmm, I hope that's a slight exaggeration! Not expecting a plush ride but wasn't expecting a brick either.

 

A lot of mine is in my tires

 

Hope so! Mine are C-load. Seem pretty soft. Guess I'll see in about a week how it rides.

 

It's still stiffer than stock

 

I'm ok with that, just wasn't expecting it to drive super stiff with no give.

 

Prepare yourself

 

Ha, guess I'll start!

 

Must I say my spacer lift with 5100's set at 0 rides like a catty! It really does drive and ride better than the factory base setup!

 

what's a catty ?

 

Cadillac!

Prob should have been caddy! My bad!

 

Thanks for all the replies and some rep too. This quote above, makes the most sense to me. As I drove it more over the last few days it began to feel more stable. Some of my initial reaction may have been knee-jerk due to the new-ness of the changed suspension. I am trying to get the local dealers cooperation on TSB-ing my rear springs now and I'll post up any changes they make if I'm successful. If the dealer won't play then I'll go with XXXX's suggestion of Wheelers AAL's