Harsh Ride

muddkatt · October 1, 2017

Which suspension does your truck have, Z60, Z71, Z85?

2017SierraSLT · October 1, 2017

It's the 20" wheels. No doubt. I've hated it since GM has decided for folks that larger wheels are the thing. Sure, they look good. But for many folks, well, yuck.

Go test drive a GM truck with 18" or 17" wheels. It's amazing the difference. Or.... upgrade to the High Desert package with magnetic ride control shocks.

Not from my experience. I switched from 17" to 20" All Terrain style rims on my 2013. The truck did not ride any different, but it did handle better. My 2017 rides about the same as my 2013 Z71 did. It is stiff, but not terrible.

15 Z71 · October 1, 2017

Check out the Crap Ferd's......they pretty much sell nothing but 18"s on Lariats etc....wonder why? Nope Rim size.........I felt huge difference going from 16's to 18's and told myself that is the limit for me 18's is all my ass can handle! Well, now I have 20's and they can be a bit much! The Bilsteins helped tremendously but these trucks are getting ridiculously stiff no doubt! Just another reason I didn't even think about Z71 package/max tow.....way to stiff for my ass these days....

I got a z71 not knowing how stiff it was going to ride. Should have just went with reg 4x4. My friend at work as non z71 and it rides way softer then mine. But I'm use to it now.

BullShark. · October 1, 2017

You would think. My son has an f350 he would put up against my truck for a harsh second place. I'm telling you, something is seriously wrong. I drove my 2014 same build sheet 107,000 miles with no issues. This truck sucks and I have only made two payments so far . Dealer says it is absolutely harsh but that's the way they are all

Built now. What happened between 2014 & 2017 that stiffened up the frame ? Anybody know?

Eddie 70 · October 1, 2017

I think it is the front springs on the truck. What suspension do you have? Mine is Z60 and I would love to soften that up some.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a large pick-up truck, adept at towing and hauling. They can be customized and can be fitted with a number of engines--4.3-liter V6, 4.8-liter V8, 5.3-liter V8, 6.2-liter engine and a hybrid model. Chevrolet offers the Silverado with three suspension packages, the standard Z85, and the Z83, Z71 and Z60.

Z71
The Z71 suspension is designed for off-road driving. It comes with 46-millimeter twin-tube, gas-charged shocks, a skid plate to protect the truck's underbelly, and a sensitive automatic rear-locking differential for added grip in muddy, and all-terrain environments. Chevrolet also offers a Z71 appearance package that includes 18 inch aluminum wheels, painted body color wheels and door handles, body color grille with a chrome insert, and improved shocks.

Z60
Silverados with the Z60 suspension are said to focus on "street performance". The Z60 package includes 20 inch tires, and sits around an inch lower in the front, and two inches lower in the back than standard Silverados, because of the sport suspension. This model is designed to improve cornering and holding capabilities on the road.

Performance
Both the Z60 and Z71 suspensions improve handling and steering slightly over the standard Z85 and Z83 models. The Z71 package offers a better overall ride quality as the improved shocks make for more controlled body movements. The Z60 is a stiffer drive in comparison.

alrockaz · October 1, 2017

I've got a Z71 with 20s and I think the ride is great. I test drove an LT non-Z71 with 18s and I found the ride way too floaty. I've considered 18s solely to get more sidewall flex for trails but the on road driving is right on target for me.

joshc64311 · October 1, 2017

Did you test drive your truck? Maybe you should have bought a cadillac

BullShark. · October 2, 2017

If I wanted a home depot flat bed I would have purchased one.

If I wanted a 2500 hd truck I would have purchased one.

I purchased a vehicle in good faith that it would be built in a workmanship manner that allows the vehicle to be used as intended. GM needs to address the situation. Where are all the GM customer care people that watch over these forums? Silence ----------!

BullShark. · October 2, 2017

Z60 suspension, sorry it took so long to respond.

alrockaz · October 2, 2017

Sounds like Eddie 70 gave a good answer - the Z60 is designed to be stiffer. First thing I'd look at, and you may have already, is tire selection and air pressure. The brand/build of the tire has a lot to do with ride quality. I found a big difference in my truck after I moved the PSI up to 38 from 35, and I lowered it back down again quickly.

As for the brand reps that watch over forums, those are usually just social media teams who'll happily provide the 800 number for you to call. I've yet to witness a GM rep actually help on a forum, or escalate an issue.

Have you tried test driving other GM trucks with the different suspension packages to confirm that the issue is isolated to your truck and not your model or your build? That would be a good troubleshooting step, regardless of what vehicles that you have owned in the past.

Nanotech Environmental · October 2, 2017

Before you spend any cash replacing things, I'd do a full inspection of suspension items to see if there's anything wrong. The dealer is blatantly full of shit saying that all the 17's ride harsh and that they're built that way. That is absolutely untrue.

I have a '17 4x4 double cab with 17's on it and it rides amazing. Same thing has been reported on numerous threads on here with all sizes of wheels.

The first thing I'd want to do is pull one or two of the shocks off and test them. If somebody screwed up at the factory that built the shocks & installed the valve stacks wrong, or put the wrong parts in, it could/will give a very harsh ride.

The next thing I'd look at would be the front suspension components....

Also, what Alrockaz posted about driving a different truck to compare. If you live near me in So. Ontario, you can ride in mine and see how good these trucks ride.

SSam · October 2, 2017

Have you tried test driving other GM trucks with the different suspension packages to confirm that the issue is isolated to your truck and not your model or your build? That would be a good troubleshooting step, regardless of what vehicles that you have owned in the past.

This is what I would do.

If it's the same, it's normal. If not, they need to fix it.

-S

redwngr · October 2, 2017

It's the 20" wheels. No doubt. I've hated it since GM has decided for folks that larger wheels are the thing. Sure, they look good. But for many folks, well, yuck.

Go test drive a GM truck with 18" or 17" wheels. It's amazing the difference. Or.... upgrade to the High Desert package with magnetic ride control shocks.

This comparison is on the same truck, rather than 2 different trucks. However, the observation is the same.

I have a set of 18" alum GM 'take-offs' that I have winter tires on.

I notice the difference in the ride immediately when I change them. (yes, it's also a different brand/model of tire, but the 20's definitely ride stiffer)

If not carrying a load, tire pressure reduction will help.

Z71 seems to be stiffer than regular 4x4.

If I can help it, I will not own another one with 20" wheels.

OTOH, the 20's are giving slightly better fuel economy. (this could be the coarser winter tread style as well as increased sidewall flex)

MaverickZ71 · October 2, 2017

Dude orders/buys the Z60 super sport suspension model with 20 inch wheels and complains about the ride. The kids these days. In other words, he didnt take a long test drive and buy the right model and now wants a free trade, because somehow its the dealers or manufacturers fault.

Lucky he's riding soft Michelins and not rolling in a Z71 4x4 with 20 inch Bridgestone Dueler A/T RH-Ss!

Sounds like he needs the stock Z85 suspension with 17 inch wheels running 245s.

If you're trolling for a GM manager to offer you a buyout on this forum, all you're gonna get at the most is the standard GM customer service telling you to be quiet and take your problem to your dealer. Or directions to the nearest Costco to buy a pillow for your seat.

Grumpy Bear · October 2, 2017

Every year the builders raise the tow/haul bar. Motors make more power. Frames get stiffer. Gears get deeper. Springs get stiffer and more progressive and shocks get cheaper and because of that are valved very soft on rebound. If they were not they wouldn’t last 5K because…well…they are cheap. Yes even the Rancho’s. Not cheap to buy but cheaply built. Wheel tire packages get heavier and larger.

Cheap shocks were taxed years ago and nothing a factory is going to put on a truck will be built large enough or strong enough to handle the springs the tow/haul demands. So as all of this is actually known it seems odd to me that only the shock and wheel size ever is part of this discussion.

Everything from the pavement to the seat your sitting on is part of the problem and you’re not going to fix it with a few pounds of air and a replacement shock that is one step up the ladder from ‘you ought be sued’ factory four for a dollar shocks.

Engineers trying to satisfy ever greater and unreasonable demands for more tow/haul from a half ton than a three quarter or one ton use to deliver gives the result we have today. It started with unreasonable expectations and was greedily met by the builders, all of them. Ya got what you asked for and now complain that they will not redesign or custom tailor each truck to suit each buyers individual taste under warranty, which is what ‘ride quality’ is primarily, an individual taste. Capacity is not.

You’re not going to ‘win’ a battle with GM, Dodge or Ford so if you really want this fixed you’re going to have to work for it. Decide what you what it to be and research, buy and/or have built whatever it takes to meet your needs.

Asking for a one tons capacity and a Cadillac’s ride is like asking for a porcupine with soft quills or a skunk without sent. No, I am not saying it’s a truck and so it rides like a truck, just live with it. That’s as silly as the first stance. The builders take great liberties with the design that makes it cheap for them to build and leads to inherently senseless engineering choices that do in fact make them ride much harsher than their capacity demands. The compromise isn’t, for them, capacity or comfort. It’s capacity at the cheapest cost. They don’t compromise. They are about maximizing their profits, not your comfort. You can’t change that so you’re going to have to adapt, adjust, spend and build. Or give up and by a Buick…or older truck.

Or Not...it's just my opinion.