Rough ride on the freeways.

kdogg · May 3, 2006

I have a new Silverado 1500 Crew cab that rides like crap on the cement freeways. I'm afraid of giving my baby boy the shaken baby sindrome. We have to hold the car seat for him to have a smoother ride. Can I just change the shocks? What can I do?

opsbear7 · May 3, 2006

well if you are on grooved cement not much you can do....but if you are getting really badly bounced around in a new truck you might want to have it checked out...

2004GMC1500CC · May 3, 2006

I have a new Silverado 1500 Crew cab that rides like crap on the cement freeways. I'm afraid of giving my baby boy the shaken baby sindrome. We have to hold the car seat for him to have a smoother ride. Can I just change the shocks? What can I do?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you checked out the air pressure in the tires?

kdogg · May 3, 2006

They are at 41 PSI cold. The max is 44 PSI. The manual says to have it at it's max 44 when cold.

I have a new Silverado 1500 Crew cab that rides like crap on the cement freeways. I'm afraid of giving my baby boy the shaken baby sindrome. We have to hold the car seat for him to have a smoother ride. Can I just change the shocks? What can I do?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you checked out the air pressure in the tires?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

opsbear7 · May 3, 2006

does it only ride rough on that road or all roads?

kdogg · May 3, 2006

does it only ride rough on that road or all roads?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only the most cement panel like freeways. All other roads are great.

opsbear7 · May 3, 2006

huh...that woudl make me feel like it was the road rather than your truck....however, you probably dont want to hear this but maybe some good shocks? (Can someone back me on this)

lrymal · May 3, 2006

I have a new Silverado 1500 Crew cab that rides like crap on the cement freeways. I'm afraid of giving my baby boy the shaken baby sindrome. We have to hold the car seat for him to have a smoother ride. Can I just change the shocks? What can I do?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is a truck and without a load on the back wheels, it will ride roughly. Secondly, the tires claim 44psi max? And the manual sez to inflate to the tire max? That doesn't sound right.

I would confirm the PSI rating as stamped on the driver's side door latch area. My 1500 Z71 CrewCab sez 35PSI for the rear tires.

kdogg · May 3, 2006

I have a new Silverado 1500 Crew cab that rides like crap on the cement freeways. I'm afraid of giving my baby boy the shaken baby sindrome. We have to hold the car seat for him to have a smoother ride. Can I just change the shocks? What can I do?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is a truck and without a load on the back wheels, it will ride roughly. Secondly, the tires claim 44psi max? And the manual sez to inflate to the tire max? That doesn't sound right.

I would confirm the PSI rating as stamped on the driver's side door latch area. My 1500 Z71 CrewCab sez 35PSI for the rear tires.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll check that pressure on the door real quick. It probably is just that road. It makes since that if there were a load that it might ride smoother.

The door does say 35 and they are at 41 so I guess 6 lbs could make a diffrence.

mmmikkke · May 3, 2006

I think what you're feeling is called beam shake, and all trucks do it. But some trucks do it more than others, and it seems that the farther back the rear axle, the worse it is. According to that theory, here are the layouts from best to worst:

Regular cab short box (best)

Regular cab long box

Extended cab long box

Extended cab short box

Crew cab long box

Crew cab short box (worst)

The reason the crew cab short box is the worst is because more of the frame is forward of the rear axle and comparatively little of it is behind the rear axle.

Try puttiing 200 pounds of sand in the very back of your truck's bed. The closer to the tailgate the better. That should improve the "balance" of the frame over the rear axle. And that should improve the beam shake. It's a lot cheaper to try this than it is to experiment with replacing shocks.

kdogg · May 3, 2006

I think what you're feeling is called beam shake, and all trucks do it. But some trucks do it more than others, and it seems that the farther back the rear axle, the worse it is. According to that theory, here are the layouts from best to worst:

Regular cab short box (best)

Regular cab long box

Extended cab long box

Extended cab short box

Crew cab long box

Crew cab short box (worst)

The reason the crew cab short box is the worst is because more of the frame is forward of the rear axle and comparatively little of it is behind the rear axle.

Try puttiing 200 pounds of sand in the very back of your truck's bed. The closer to the tailgate the better. That should improve the "balance" of the frame over the rear axle. And that should improve the beam shake. It's a lot cheaper to try this than it is to experiment with replacing shocks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I might try that. When it shakes I can see the frame flexing by looking in the mirror at the body the bed and cab flex together and apart. Is this a week frame?

az'03Silverado · May 3, 2006

It's a truck. I'm with Larry on this one. You can try some shocks (I have Monroe Reflex and they ride real nice) but unless you want to carry around a couple hundred pounds of useless weight, it's not gonna be real smooth.

lrymal · May 3, 2006

...Regular cab short box (best)
Regular cab long box

Extended cab long box

Extended cab short box

Crew cab long box

Crew cab short box (worst)...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For what it is worth, I differ on the above chart. My '03 Z71 short bed extended cab will beam shake so bad that I had to scrap the rear shocks for Velvet Ride Shackles and Monroe adjustable shocks. Didn't want to carry a load all the time in the bed.

My '05 Z71 short bed Crew Cab is several levels far more comfortable that that extended cab. Without a load in the bed and factory shocks, it has a far smoother ride.

Regarding beam shake and weakness. No, this is a design and most pickups will exhibit this if they have an open boxed frame, and most trucks do. Vehicles that are designed to carry cargo are designed to have some frame flex, BUT, it isn't the best thing for creature comfort.

The most comfortable vehicles are uni-body, which isn't the best thing for cargo haulers. But, with advances in technology, uni-body, and closed frames are becoming common. The new Fords use closed frames and the Honda Rideline uses unibody. A few years back, before hydroform technology, none of this would have been desireable for a light-duty pickup.

Personally, I doubt if open-box framing will be with us much longer due to the technology advances.

michigan2500hd · May 3, 2006

I agree with with the crew cab short box being the worst ride on certain roads, especially a cement highway. Took my brother for a ride into town right after getting my 05 1500 crew. He commented on the weird ride on that particuler strech of highway we were on. I just figured it was a combination of the wheelbase and the weight layout of the truck and the seams in the cement highway.