Rear Leaf Spring Upgrade Question

[CO2Ranger]

Well that’s good to know what’s causing the lack of ride quality. That’s really my main gripe with this truck is feeling everything on the roads at lower speeds. I feel it right up into the seat. Smooth roads are no problem so that why I was thinking it was the rear leaf’s. I may look into these as well. Do you know which Raptor bump stops I need? Are those the ones on the F150s? I’ll need to keep my eye out for a set that will work.

You keep mentioning feeling all the parts of the road. What size wheel & tire are you running?

Sponsored

 

[Frenchy]

You keep mentioning feeling all the parts of the road. What size wheel & tire are you running?

I suspect he is still on factory tires and wheels and has yet to make a single change on the vehicle

 

[CO2Ranger]

I suspect he is still on factory tires and wheels and has yet to make a single change on the vehicle

Just wondering if he's rolling on the 18in wheels with a shorter sidewall. Makes for more of the road coming through the vehicle as you drive.

I agree with @Grumpaw 's starting point recommendation. Start with rear shocks and Sumos and go from there. I still think he's going to be unhappy if he's on 18in wheels just based on his description of his dislikes.

 

[Shoran12]

You keep mentioning feeling all the parts of the road. What size wheel & tire are you running?

Stock 17 wheels and tires. Mine has the Duellers at 30 psi

 

[Shoran12]

Just wondering if he's rolling on the 18in wheels with a shorter sidewall. Makes for more of the road coming through the vehicle as you drive.

I agree with @Grumpaw 's starting point recommendation. Start with rear shocks and Sumos and go from there. I still think he's going to be unhappy if he's on 18in wheels just based on his description of his dislikes.

So far I’ve played around with tire pressure and find I have a bit better ride if the tires are aired to suggested cold spec at 30psi in the middle of the day (ie more normal temperature). Anything over 30 gives a considerably rougher ride. When I’m saying rougher ride, I mean I’m feeling road imperfections at lower speeds <40 mph more through my seat. Footwell the vibrations I feel is more or less the 10 speed doing its thing. 50 mph and up my ride is pretty damn smooth. I’m figuring it’s similar to washboard roads where you can either go 5 mph or 60 mph with 60 actually being a smoother ride if that makes sense. I’ve always kept my trucks completely stock, so I’m apprehensive to change much but in this case it may be worth a shot. I have read some issues with people changing ride heights and now they are getting the driveshaft shudder. I may have the ever so slightest shudder when taking off but honestly that’s only after seeing it mentioned so much here lol. So I generally don’t notice that. But I definitely wouldn’t mind a bit smother ride over roads at slower speeds. I spend a bit over two hours a day in this truck, which is why I’m considering the upgrades. I figured to achieve a rear end that doesn’t feel the most minor road bumps and cracks, I’d have to go with a multi leaf spring like others have. My plan was to change coil overs, shocks, and go with one of the leaf springs like the Deavers/Global/Icons. I have a shop that gave me a pretty good quote including an alignment so it’ll depend on really how much I can buy ahead of time or save up. But I’m definitely willing to take suggestions as what to tackle first. Main reason I was thinking about coilovers is that I would have a way more pronounced rake if I changed the leaf springs and would want to raise the front the same as the rear was raised. Anyway sorry for long response, I’d like you to know exactly my “issue” so you can make suggestions.
To add: the wallowing/soft up and down I don’t mind too much but I did notice my wife kinda had to hold on when we were going over small bumps and would like her to enjoy the ride as well since this is my first new truck I want to be able to take the family for trips without them getting tired of ride quality. Anyways this is what I’ve notice with this truck. I’ve only ever driven trucks so this is in comparison to Tacomas, a Colorado, and a Silverado.

 

[fjwlobo]

Have a 2020 Lariat FX-4 with the stock 18" black appearance package rims with the Hankook 265/60 tires and have around 10,400 miles on it. I've put Icon 2.5 leveling struts (factory set around 2") with tubular UCA's and adjustable 2.5 rear shocks with reservoir. I put these on first and it helped some with the ride, but it still felt like I was sitting in the back of the school bus and every bump it hit was radiated to and through the seat. I eventually got a set of the Icon multi-leaf springs and set them up on option 2. The truck went from being level to raising up about 1 3/8" in the rear which is about where it was before I leveled it. Keeping the springs as shipped is supposed to only increase the rear about 5/8" I think. Don't know what the ride would be like with them as delivered (option 1). With changing to the Icon leaf springs to option 2; the ride quality is so much better, and I no longer feel like l'm riding on the bus. And NO, this wasn't a cheap fix but, for me it was well worth the price for the ride quality I now have.

Sponsored