Lifting a truck gives you more ground clearance enabling your truck to transverse rougher terrain with ease. It also gives you better gas mileage as you do not have to engage the T-case when driving on bumpy roads. However, this enhancement comes with its own set of challenges.
Does Lifting Trucks Affect Ride Quality?
Yes. Lifting a truck does affect ride quality. The main reason a lifted truck rides rough is because of an unbalanced suspension system. This is mostly because the aftermarket parts used to lift a truck are rarely tuned for ride quality. They’re all about that clearance and perhaps improved articulation – not comfort.
Here are a few tricks to help make your Silverado or basically any raised truck ride smoother;
Soften the suspension system
To do this, you should replace your existing shock absorbers with a lighter set, preferably an adjustable set. Lighter shocks are designed for comfort, which makes the ride smoother as they are more responsive.
Dual-rated adjustable shocks also allow you to adjust your settings as needed, which helps you determine firmness depending on the road’s condition. You should also replace the truck’s springs with low-rated leaf springs.
Reduce the unsprung mass and modify the chassis
This entails reducing the combined mass of the vehicle’s underside components. Having lighter tires, hubcaps, and suspension parts will go a long way in improving the truck’s suspension response. This will also help to eliminate the truck’s rough ride over bumps.
A stiffer chassis impacts the suspension’s flexibility, which affects the response to potholes and other road imperfections. A modified chassis will be able to handle rougher roads with each, which will then improve the ride’s smoothness.
Eliminate the vibrations
This may require you to replace anti-vibration parts in your truck to lessen the vibrations. It is crucial to protect the chassis from vibration impact, especially when driving on rough terrain. Forst things first, get new body bushings that can dampen vibrations.
Another way you can reduce vibrations is by double stacking rubber rings on the coil springs. The rubber will help to reduce noise. Be sure to coat the rings in grease before installing them. You can also install rubber isolators on the driveshaft as well as the steering column.
Rubber pucks on the driveshaft will also reduce vibrations. Also, look into using rubber strips in your truck’s floors and seats to minimize vibration. Lastly, install rubber strips between the floorboards and the seat mounts to act as a vibration cushion.
Change the wheels and tires.
Switch out your low-profile tires as they cannot absorb turbulence when riding on rough terrain. Due to their stiff sidewalls and thinner proportions, they have less room for air, making them less shock-absorbing in nature.
Additionally, the low-profile tires tend to use thicker rims to add extra weight to the truck, which affects the truck’s ability to ride smoothly. Opt for lightweight tires that are narrow and tall. Fill them between three and five psi lower than the recommended inflation pressure to makes them softer and more cushioned.
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Do I Need Special Shocks for a Lifted Truck?
New shocks are not mandatory when you lift your truck, but they do go a long way in softening the ride. At the very least, think of upgrading your shocks to reservoir shocks as they will help to improve the truck’s smoothness when riding on rough terrain.
Try and avoid Coilover shocks as much as possible as they lower the truck’s center of gravity. This, in turn, increases the truck’s roll stiffness, which then reduces weight transfer when the vehicle changes direction. This can make riding on rough roads a real hustle.
Will Airbags Make My Truck Ride Smoother?
Yes. An air suspension will help to improve the quality of the ride. However, air suspension might not be as resistant to damage, tear and wear as leaf springs or coil springs.
How to Make a Leaf Spring Truck Ride Better?
To make your leaf spring optimized for your truck’s suspension system, you may need to take a leaf out of the spring. Use a ratchet and socket to remove the U-bolts from the spring. And proceed to remove a leaf out of the spring.
Softening leaf springs will reduce your truck’s payload capacity. The softer suspension can’t support as much weight as the stock one could.
Longleaf springs lead to wheel hopping, while short springs lead to may soften the ride too much. You will need to determine the best length suited for your suspension system. If in doubt, have a professional shorten the leaf springs for you.
Conclusion
For best results, use a combination of the methods above to make your truck ride smoother. Do not attempt to undertake any vehicle modifications if you are not well versed with the mechanical aspect of your truck’s parts. This may lead to a disaster. Hiring a professional may save a lot of money in the long run.
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