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Front Suspension Travel

Randal365

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HondaHawkGT Senior Enthusiast

HondaHawkGT

Posted
Posted

28psi is going to be really close to the trip point for the TPMS sensors. Door card is 35 for front and rear. I run 37 in the front and 34 in the rear. I don't base my air pressures off of the door card but more so how the tire is wearing.

Wow do you have a Z71? Even my non-Z71 rode like shit with 275/55R20's. Under-inflating down to 28psi is dangerous. Ever heard of the Ford Explorer rollover coverup? Ford didnt want to spend money to widen the track or re-engineer the suspension, so they under-inflated the tires. The result was a death trap.

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TJay74 Senior Enthusiast

TJay74

Posted
Posted

Wow do you have a Z71? Even my non-Z71 rode like shit with 275/55R20's. Under-inflating down to 28psi is dangerous. Ever heard of the Ford Explorer rollover coverup? Ford didnt want to spend money to widen the track or re-engineer the suspension, so they under-inflated the tires. The result was a death trap.

 

 

Huh, I don't run 28psi. That was from another poster in the thread. Yes I have a Z-71, my truck is a 2016 All Terrain.

Z71_Tommy Enthusiast

Z71_Tommy

Posted
Posted

I'm having this same issue on my 2015 Z71 LT. I'm second owner the previous putwo on a leveling kit not sure what size and changed to procomp front struts and left the rear Ranchos. I'm thinking about getting the fox 2.0 front and rear. Sounds like that's the best fix. Now are they adjustable to soften and stiffen the ride up?

15 Z71 Senior Enthusiast

15 Z71

Posted
Posted

 

I'm thinking these new trucks are for the city boys, who barely ever drive off asphalt. Nice pretty trucks but not for tough work or rough roads. They sure aren't built like they used to be.[/quote ] Glad I'm not the only one who thinks this.

Bvonscott Enthusiast

Bvonscott

Posted
Posted

 

The Z71 package is nothing more than a sticker package with cheap Ranchos. Complete waste of money these days unless you like the interior trim. Like ridethedesert mentioned, the GM factory Ranchos are cheap, made to a pricepoint and are really just labeled as Ranchos to make guys think they're buying the "off-road" version. The black shocks are not much of an improvement. Cheap monotube shocks that give a sloppy ride. I swapped my black factory shocks out at 12k miles and one of the rear shocks was on its way out.

 

If these trucks were made for city boys, they'd ride like a Ram 1500. These trucks ride rough because they're sprung stiffer to handle more load, they're just not equipped with good shocks that dampen correctly. Ford weakened the 2015 front suspension to save weight/money and put a bed in back that can't handle work. Unless you order the HD payload package, the rear suspension sags so bad the bumper drags on the ground. Their 4WD setup is still junk after all these years, with hubs made out of plastic and lock with vacuum, which really sucks when you develop a vac leak a few years down the road. Even the factory bed liner peels off waaay too easy. Ram gave up on "tough" half-tons when they put coil springs in the back. Overly bouncy, soft cadillac ride with horrible rear sag that makes towing miserable unless you add air bags. The interiors disintegrate if you use your truck for work. The paint makes the GM paint look high-end.

 

What he said. Other than the Raptor, Ford suspension is inferior in every way to GM. You think our stock struts suck? Pffft. Theirs are a magnitude of crap more and stiff as hell. Mixed with hard seats you have a bad ride. The only thing good about the new fords is they are very quiet.

 

I just traded my 14 for a 16 All Terrain and immediately changed out the front struts to the bilstien 5100. Rides very good. I need to change the back next after I get new wheels and tires. I swapped my old set over and they are pretty worn.

 

BTW, just to defend rancho a little, I jumped my old truck 100 feet at about 10 feet off the ground in the dunes and the ranchos handled it pretty well and did not blow out. Still work great even up to trading that truck in. So you never know.

  • 4 weeks later...
truckguy82 Senior Enthusiast

truckguy82

Posted
Posted

I installed the 5100's front only on the third setting. The overall ride is stiffer than the stock black shocks. I cross a bride with a high approach that caused the stock shocks to top out. With the 5100's its smooth as glass on the approach. In town driving on patched streets it rides stiffer. Before I though i felt every little bump, now I really do. On a wash boarded gravel rode the ride is better much more controlled. Overall I'm not as happy as I though I would be with the ride. Its a little stiffer than I would have liked but its what it is. I do have 20 inch tires and I know that is contributing to the feeling ever little bump. I my go to 18's later. It will be interesting to see the reviews on the 6112 vs the 5100 if they ever let them out.

 

I feel like what I'm looking for is exactly what you're looking for, so this review was informative.

 

Would you change anything about your review now that it's been a month? Learn anything else?

southern_sierra Enthusiast

southern_sierra

Posted
Posted

 

I feel like what I'm looking for is exactly what you're looking for, so this review was informative.

 

Would you change anything about your review now that it's been a month? Learn anything else?

The ride is better now. I think the springs and shocks have settled in now and thats inproved the ride for me. I still think if I went to 17 or 18 inch tires it would be just right. I'm thinking about taking my 17 inch spare tire and I have a friend with one and put them both on the front and give it a test just to see if I can tell any difference in the ride.

dorkweed Enthusiast

dorkweed

Posted
Posted

My issue with the front suspension is this.....................When traveling and coming upon an expansion joint or sharp vertical DROP in the pavement; it seems like my trucks front suspension extends fully, because I hear a big clunk when going over stuff like this. My truck has the "snow plow prep" package, so I'm guessing "stiffer" coils up front??? What say y'all??

southern_sierra Enthusiast

southern_sierra

Posted
Posted

My issue with the front suspension is this.....................When traveling and coming upon an expansion joint or sharp vertical DROP in the pavement; it seems like my trucks front suspension extends fully, because I hear a big clunk when going over stuff like this. My truck has the "snow plow prep" package, so I'm guessing "stiffer" coils up front??? What say y'all??

My truck did the same thing with the stock shocks. The bilstein 5100 stopped the banging out or top or bottoming out for me. I do not have the snow plow package.

Rkaroll953 Enthusiast

Rkaroll953

Posted
Posted

anyone else with stock ranchos feel like speed bumps are cringe worthy? i have to slow down all the way. Saving for some fox 2.0 not gonna bother with the bilstiens

  • 1 year later...
Trekrifo New Member

Trekrifo

Posted
Posted

anyone else with stock ranchos feel like speed bumps are cringe worthy? i have to slow down all the way. Saving for some fox 2.0 not gonna bother with the bilstiens

Trekrifo New Member

Trekrifo

Posted
Posted

Is incredible that the stock oem struts z71 or standard oem ( I had both a 2014 silverado and now a 2017 z71) works like you don't have shock absorbers installed , the truck bumps like a ball, the oem shocks are garbage

I don't know how GM installed such a poor quality part on these nice pickup.

In my Silverado's I've installed the Bilsteins and everything changed and behaves in a nice way

GM??

Trekrifo New Member

Trekrifo

Posted
Posted

Is incredible that the stock oem shock absorbers ranchos z71 or standard oem ( I had both a 2014 silverado and now a 2017 z71) works like you don't have shock absorbers installed , the truck bumps like a ball, the oem shocks are garbage

I don't know how GM installed such a poor quality part on these nice pickup.

In my 2 last Silverado's I've installed the Bilsteins and everything changed and behaves in a nice way

GM??

Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted

I feel your pain. Literally. This back breaker is a 119" wheelbase RCSB which is currently an all stock Z85 except the under inflated tires. 32 psig cold and yea it made a difference. (17") I also pulled a bunch of castor out of her. It had over 3.5 degrees dialed in. Under mid spec now. More difference than soft tires on small wheels but still far from good enough. IMHO down right dangerous.

 

I'm working on a complete suspension overhaul that happens next weekend that started with springs instead of shocks at both ends.

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