MY duramax rides like a wagon and would like to know if there is a way to improve the ride quality of the truck.Has anyone tried anything?

by friend put softer spring made by deaver and firestone airbags and it rides pretty soft

I am trying a Kelderman 4 link w/ air bags for my dually. Just dropped the truck off today. Wll let you know how it rides...

The cheapest way to get by with this is to install a set of Rancho 9000 ajustable shocks on. Set them on one (softest) for the cushy ride when unloaded and then you can turn them all the way to the stiffest setting for the load carrying. I've used them in this app for many years now with not one failure from them (knock on wood). Very durable with all the travling miles I put on with the camper on (4100+dry camper weight).

lift, tire, shocks and airlift....oh and a lot of cash

You bought a 3/4 or 1 ton 4x4 how do you expect this thing to ride. Not being a smart arse an any way. Just curious are you talking about the front or the stiffness in the rear. The truck is stiff to haul alot of weight the more you throw at it the better she'll ride.

And here I am wanting my truck to ride stiffer....


But in all seriousness in a previous 92 1/2T 6.2 diesel I drove we put 1.5" thick weights in the frame rails under the box to make it ride better.

I have heard the "Velvet Ride" shackles for the rear make a real difference of the bouncy freeways. Not much you can do for the front but I think the back is the worst of the two. I have lifted my 2500HD and went with 1/2ton springs and air bags. Rides much better.

If you want a softer ride do the following:
1. Install air bags on the rear
2. Buy a car or suv

2500 HD means heavy duty, heavy duty equals stiff hard ride. If you think your GM truck rides hard try one of the other brands. They all say the GM rides better and some have even bought GM because they ride better.

Tom

I'd say add a leaf and maybe arch the rear springs up just a bit.

Sounds funny, but bounce on your bumper with an empty bed. Spring rates are too light in the first stage...

What I found interesting was the huge difference between the 3500SRW long wheelbase and the 2500HD short base. Night and day. The 2500HD is kinda cushy, and the 3500 is brutal.

My dad has a 2002 3500 standard cab dually, D-max/6 spd, 4X4, and compared to my 2003 crew cab 3500 dually D-max/allison, 4X4, it rides so much better. You would think that my crew cab would ride better, since it is heavier, but it doesn't. I'm comparing ride quality empty.

Kennedy hit it on the nail. Soften up the initial spring rate on the rear and the front rides much better (more rear transfer). I did it by altering front spring mount hole and shackle length. Basically, more wheel travel with less spring compression. Easier to do than it sounds. This was a must do for me as most my driving ( recreation and work) is off road with light load (1000lb.) By the way, the GM truck is NOT the best riding HD truck out there untill this mod is done. Now I am very happy with the ride. If only I could find a cure for the low throttle surge to keep the truck from bucking and figure out a way to keep the rear axle from locking and sending the rear sliding down hill (think I'll try some friction proofing in the rear end).

Okay, GEO, I reread John's post. Can you be more specific? Nothing quite like having details and even a photo or two. Thanks.

BB

Kennedy hit it on the nail. Soften up the initial spring rate on the rear and the front rides much better

Thats NOT what Kennedy was saying. He said to STIFFEN up the rear.

I agree, they are TOO lightly sprung IMO.

Okay, me bad, I read that the initial spring rate was tight not light. Well then, I found the opposite to be true. The suspension doesn't move enough. In my quest to make this the truck I wanted (have to keep it another yr.), first thing I did was crank the torsion bars to level the truck just till it was just touching the rubber spring assists ( about 7 turns if I remember right) (then got it aligned) (played with this on my toyotas inthe '80's). This made the ride worse, but I liked the reduced roll in the corners (stock is scarry at speeds). Next I installed shocks ( Rancho regulars, best I could get at the time locally) and noticed that the shocks on the front were topped out statically (while sitting). After a week of this crap, I built some lower shock mounts for the fronts (5/8" taller) to allow some drop out in the shock (allow the shock to travel). This helped some but still not the off road ride of the 2003 Dodge 2500 CTD I just got rid of ( the Chev is more relaxing on the smooth freeways). After about a month the front end was a bit lower than the rear again (like my old Dodges), so never one to give up, I parked beside a 2003 Dodge. I jumped on his rear bumper then mine,then the same on the front (good thing the owner didn't come out of the store or there would have been some questions). I found the Dodge felt like the rear moved 3 times as much and the front twice as much. I measured some stuff on the Dodge (spring arc, shackle length and angle) and started to think on the way home on what I would fab. I thought about more clearance on the stopper spring but it is pretty flat already (I don't carry too much anymore, 800 to1000 lbs., or tow anything anymore). Thought about rearcing the springs (this actually softens the initial movement of the axle because this effectively shortens the spring, thus repositioning the shackle past 90 degrees, allowing more axle movement before the spring starts to compress at 90 degrees) ( think like an arc) but I didn't want to raise the rear of the truck I wanted to lower the rear to allow the light weight I carry to transfer more of the front weight to the rear ( balanced front and rear wieghts gives you more control and better ride, thats why these diesels, heavy front, ride and handle better fully loaded, balanced front and rear axles). When I got home I put the truck in the shop, put it on the stands, and started to build. Took me 10hrs. to complete because a couple of sledding buddies came by to see why I missed the days ride. What I did was: took some 3/16" punch outs (round about 2") and tigged them (cause it looks pretty) centered over the original front spring holes, then redrilled the holes as high up on the spring mount as i could ( about an inch is max because of the stamping shape); next and the tough part to extend the rear shackle mount to the rear, because of the stamped shape the plasma cutter was pulled out (could use a grinder) and the mount is cut out just enough to weld 2 3.5"x 2"x3/16" plates onto the sides of the shackle mount and I used 1/4" plate to box the bottom (had the right width in the scrap bin) (cut out both sides at one time then the other side goes quicker) then drill new holes 1.25" back for the shackle; finally extend the shackle 1.5" ( to further lower the rear of the truck) by welding plates on the sides and boxing in, then drill the holes for the springs ( keep the bushing end in a bowl of water while welding to keep the rubber from melting). Remount the front of the springs to the frame, remount the shackle to the rear of the springs (shim the shackle with 1/8" washers to take up the slack in the new mounts), and lower the truck till you can mount the shackle to the frame. Spray liberally with black Tremclad paint. Lower truck to the floor and go to bed. Next morning the truck was ready to test ride. The rear is a full two inches lower, the shackle sits at about 30 degrees to the front (as I said before this gives more axle movement before the full spring effect starts). After the test ride I reduced the front tortion bars by 4 turns to relevel the truck. I am happy with this mod for my use. The carrying capasity is the same, truck rides level, 1000lbs. in the bed take 550lbs. off the front, the front doesn,t dive in the corners with the reduced torsion bar tension (softer ride), and the back has more axle movement with less spring tension. Tough to do without the tools but not really that technical. I figured the dimensions by eye (done this stuff before) and I wasn't building a piano. About 18000 km later it looks factory with all the mud stuck in there. Whew, quite the post for someone that works not types for living but I read so much misinformation on here due to the lack of knowledge as to how thing work. Shocks do not have different dampening stages depending on their position of travel unless they are dual body with bypass orfices and they are usually used in exclusively designed suspension systems for competition. I very much doubt that even Bilstiens have more than a high speed stack with a low speed orfice. So how could more spring rate give you a better ride? I also felt that some people wondered if I was BSing or not.

I'm not too concerned with the ride (I use mine for work), but would prefer MORE (stiffer) spring, as simply hitching up my utility trailer drops the rear a good 3-4" until the overloads kick in.

With the torsion bars turned up to get rid of the steep front rake, this now puts the rear LOWER than the front when the trailer is hooked up.

Was thinking about adding the 3500 SRW spring pack in hopes for a more sturdy spring.

What I found interesting was the huge difference between the 3500SRW long wheelbase and the 2500HD short base. Night and day. The 2500HD is kinda cushy, and the 3500 is brutal.

Want to swap springs? I'll give you my 2500HD's for your 3500's. :think:

geo, How about some pictures?

Dought the pictures will come soon as I still can't figure why the prints turn out so grainy yet on screen they are good. As I mentioned the mod I did to my truck is for light duty (relative to a 3/4 ton truck) use. Hook up 1200lbs. of tongue weight and it squats pretty good (sort of like a 1/2 ton) but doesn't bottom or lose front control.

I have a question? Are the Bilstiens that you guys get rebuildable? Are there parts (dampening shims, valve bodies, seal bushings, etc.) available and listed in a catalogue.

Here is some squat with only 2850 lbs.

Not so much squat with a bit of front balast!

The truck rides like an old Cadillac like this.

So, this then would be a great way of "How to soften suspension on Duramax".

I sure would like to hear from anyone who has added the Kelderman 4 link modification since I'm considering the same.

Here is some squat with only 2850 lbs.
The next time you get a load of fert or salt. Have them push it so the back of the pallet is im 2 feet off the tail gate. The truck will ride better and you will have room for you speaders. You just have to watch them so they don't smak the back of tail gate with fork lift.

I save that front bed space for the snowblower.

I am trying a Kelderman 4 link w/ air bags for my dually. Just dropped the truck off today. Wll let you know how it rides...
So Flduramax, how is the Kelderman 4-Link modification and is it worth the cost?

I have only driven the truck once since I put the suspension on. Drove it from the suspension shop to the stereo shop. It is still there. It rode nice. Once I get to put a few miles on it, I will let you know. It is a very nice heavy duty kit. It was expensive, since I also bought a Rancho lift kit for the front, to level out the truck.