Stock LT Shock Rebound

[mi79]

I recently traded my '05 Avalanche in for a '16 LT Silverado with 18" rims, and have noticed an issue with speed bumps. Where the Ave (Monroe Reflex or KYB) had no issue fully absorbing them, the front shocks on the new truck have no rebound control...it shoots the suspension back to the ground with force. Is this normal now? Starting to think they had it right with the GMT800 setup.

[ChrisTronyxYocum]

Haven't noticed this in my '16 1500 and it has the stock 18" rims and tires as well. Gone over speedbumps, speedhumps, etc. and haven't noticed anything slamming. I'll post about after my drive home from work as I drive over two speedhumps and will pay extra close attention to it.

[KLRV6]

Haven't noticed this in my '16 1500 and it has the stock 18" rims and tires as well. Gone over speedbumps, speedhumps, etc. and haven't noticed anything slamming. I'll post about after my drive home from work as I drive over two speedhumps and will pay extra close attention to it.

It's not just the shocks. I replaced mine (2015 CC 5.3 4wd SB) with Bilstein 4600 last weekend. The stock ones are garbage, they were almost solid feeling with no absorption.

 

I have a few videos out here about the suspension on the truck.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxjWYp8pdSXm9MS63Y0h8dg

 

What leaf springs do you guys have under your trucks?

 

I will check out the 16 front springs numbers this weekend. It would be great to put a set of slightly softer ones on my truck, but I would like to stay with GM parts.

[14silverado4.3]

It's not just the shocks. I replaced mine (2015 CC 5.3 4wd SB) with Bilstein 4600 last weekend. The stock ones are garbage, they were almost solid feeling with no absorption.

 

I have a few videos out here about the suspension on the truck.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxjWYp8pdSXm9MS63Y0h8dg

 

What leaf springs do you guys have under your trucks?

 

I will check out the 16 front springs numbers this weekend. It would be great to put a set of slightly softer ones on my truck, but I would like to stay with GM parts.

Tell me what you were feeling with front shocks. I feel every road joint thru the steering wheel, it sucks. If I ran over an ant, I would probably feel it. Did the Bilsteins fix this?

[KLRV6]

Tell me what you were feeling with front shocks. I feel every road joint thru the steering wheel, it sucks. If I ran over an ant, I would probably feel it. Did the Bilsteins fix this?

Yep, you start to question how could a manufacture sell such a stiff riding 1500 series truck, it didn't ride that way when new. The Ford and Toyota dealerships look much better when you're riding around in a brand new chuck wagon.

 

The paint strips in the road would make the whole dash jolt. The dealership's response was both "It's a truck" and "They all do it". Yes, the Bilstein 4600 were a great improvement. I don't plan on lifting the truck, so the 4600 series is a direct factory replacement. Well worth the price. i picked them up from eshocks.com, but many other places have competitive pricing.

 

I could only find one part number for most of the 2015 1500s without NHT. So, one front spring for v6 through 6.2. One size fits all engine weights. I am still investigating this for the 14-16 models.

[ChrisTronyxYocum]

Weird. My '06 Dakota was HORRIBLE with it's suspension, but compared to that, my '16 1500 LT Z71 feels like a dream. I intentionally went over a speedhump 15 MPH over the speed limit to try and recreate what you're experiencing, but nothing seemed to slam back down with the suspension, on either end of the truck.

[SouthernSilveradoGuy85]

Do you have a Z71 and what tire pressures do you keep the tires? My '14 Z71 with the stock 18s and Goodyears don't do that. If anything it does an extra bounce and seems to take bumps pretty well. I know with Bilsteins it would ride even better, but I'm fine with it now.

 

 

 

Weird. My '06 Dakota was HORRIBLE with it's suspension, but compared to that, my '16 1500 LT Z71 feels like a dream. I intentionally went over a speedhump 15 MPH over the speed limit to try and recreate what you're experiencing, but nothing seemed to slam back down with the suspension, on either end of the truck.

 

Ya my '14 rides like a Cadi compared to me previous truck ('98 Silverado Z71). I don't remember how good or bad my '86 Chevy C10 rode, but I'm sure it wasn't too bad on the front for an '86. I immediately felt the difference when I drove 2 1/2 hours to the beach. The way I go I go over a few bridges, the last one is long and has steady bumps the whole way. My '98 you felt every bump and not in a great way. It could have been worse though. Then when I went to the beach in the '14 after having it for a week every bump on that bridge felt way better. It just felt softer and basically you didn't feel the bumps nearly as much.

[Eddie 70]

OP have you looked under the truck to see what shocks are on three truck? Mine is a 14 also and I think it is a little harsh too. I have been looking at the Bilstien 4600 for mine for some time. 2wd extended cab is what mine is.

[14silverado4.3]

My 2014 Dbl cab, V6, 4x4 - I can feel every road imperfection.

 

I had a wrangler and experienced the death wobble, this is not that. It justs like OP says, the shocks jolt and not absorb. On a highway expansion joint on a sweeping turn, the front ends seems to stutter across the joint.

 

I was on a logging road this weekend and there was about an 8 inch deep trench across the road about a tire width wide. Moving about 5 miles an hour when the front hit it, the suspension seemed to slam the tire into the whole and really sounded horrible inside the cab, clunk from the tire, dash rattling around.

[Scooter Scott]

I have a 2016 CCSB LT and I know exactly what you are talking about. I have always thought the same thing whenever I pull into my driveway (going over a curb)...the suspension doesn't feel like it handle the curb all that well. The rear is fine but the front definitely feels like a small jolt or something.

[14silverado4.3]

So how easy are the front shock / struts to replace??? Garage doable? or do I need to take em to a shop?

[fondupot]

So how easy are the front shock / struts to replace??? Garage doable? or do I need to take em to a shop?

 

The rear shocks can be done in 15 minutes with a brake to drink a beer included in that time frame. Helps to lower the spare tire out of the way. They are literally held on with 2 bolts each. One on top at the frame. And the other at the bottom by the axle.

 

The fronts are considerably more work. They can be done in a garage, but you will need some specialty tools, like a spring compressors and a impact gun (to tighten the spring compressors). Not to mention assorted sockets and wrenches, jack stands, hydraulic floor jack, and some decent mechanical know-how. You have to remove the stock strut as a complete unit. Disassemble it completely, and transfer some of the OEM equipment over to the new struts. Then put it all back together correctly.

 

It can be done in the garage, but its probably a 3 hour job by yourself for the two fronts, if you know what you are doing.

 

Here is a video I made a while ago, its for a different type of vehicle, but it shows mostly what you need to disassemble a strut.

[HondaHawkGT]

I think some of you guys have a misconception of what the shocks actually do on a coil sprung front suspension. The jarrinng ride some of you are complaining about probably has more to do with the spring rate of coils, not the shocks.

 

"While stiffer springs promote better handling, there is a limit. Using too stiff a spring will cause the suspension to bounce off sudden jolts. The purpose of a spring is to take a car smoothly over everyday road conditions such as potholes. If the suspension is so stiff or tight that it's not compliant, you'll be looking for a package plan from your chiropractor."

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/ccrp-0303-springs-ride-quality/

 

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/0910chp-leaf-springs-coils-breakdown/

 

For the K2 trucks, GM revised the coil springs for better handling. Personally I hated overly soft, floaty suspensions. Probably explains why I can't stand driving newer Ram 1500's. Anyways, this is what GM released on the suspension a few years ago:

 

"The front suspension also uses new cast-aluminum steering knuckles that are 19 pounds lighter than previous models and deliver comparable stiffness, as well as coil springs that are up to 30 percent stiffer, depending on the model."

 

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2013/May/Silverado-May-5/0505-silverado-chassis.html

[KLRV6]

I think some of you guys have a misconception of what the shocks actually do on a coil sprung front suspension. The jarrinng ride some of you are complaining about probably has more to do with the spring rate of coils, not the shocks.

 

"While stiffer springs promote better handling, there is a limit. Using too stiff a spring will cause the suspension to bounce off sudden jolts. The purpose of a spring is to take a car smoothly over everyday road conditions such as potholes. If the suspension is so stiff or tight that it's not compliant, you'll be looking for a package plan from your chiropractor."

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/ccrp-0303-springs-ride-quality/

 

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/0910chp-leaf-springs-coils-breakdown/

 

For the K2 trucks, GM revised the coil springs for better handling. Personally I hated overly soft, floaty suspensions. Probably explains why I can't stand driving newer Ram 1500's. Anyways, this is what GM released on the suspension a few years ago:

 

"The front suspension also uses new cast-aluminum steering knuckles that are 19 pounds lighter than previous models and deliver comparable stiffness, as well as coil springs that are up to 30 percent stiffer, depending on the model."

 

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2013/May/Silverado-May-5/0505-silverado-chassis.html

That is correct as long as the shocks are working correctly. I believe the fronts on my truck had failed internally over the winter. It was a better ride when new, but after the winter, it was horrific. If it was the springs, it would have been harsh since new.

[HondaHawkGT]

That is correct as long as the shocks are working correctly. I believe the fronts on my truck had failed internally over the winter. It was a better ride when new, but after the winter, it was horrific. If it was the springs, it would have been harsh since new.

That is correct as long as the shocks are working correctly. I believe the fronts on my truck had failed internally over the winter. It was a better ride when new, but after the winter, it was horrific. If it was the springs, it would have been harsh since new.

My post was directed at guys that are trying to swap shocks out to make the truck ride cadillac soft. They would need completely new coilovers to reduce the firm ride.

 

I had a bad rear shock after less than a year. The stock monotubes are as cheap as the Z71 Ranchos.