Someone Please Help! My Ride is a Skateboard!

[ToneDog]

To anyone who will listen!!!!!

I am going crazy! I am the owner of an oversized skate board! Purchased almost 2 years ago in mint condition, its a 1998 Sport SOHC, 59K, 4.10LS 255/70/16 with General Grabber AW Tires, All stock - Even the shocks, in the best kept condition possible, all maintence schedules followed to the "T".

Yet for some reason, the ride is getting worse and worse over time. I feel every single little imperfection in the road, any time I hit a bump or anything slightly bigger than an "imperfection" I can feel it in my feet, seat and steering wheel!

I live on Long island NY, and drive everyday to Newark NJ, Hobken NJ, Midtown NYC, and Finally Brooklyn for work. I think I drive throught the 5 worst area on the east coast to drive through on a daily basis.

The ride in my Sport now is really like I have no suspension at all! BAM! BAM! BAM! The whole front end feels loose and has a kind of vibration/after shock when hitting bad spots of road. If I am on the belt pkwy (a.k.a pot hole city!) doing 60/70mph and hit a bad patch of road, I crindge and hold on as the hit will be so hard, the cd skips in the player stuff goes flyin', every corner of the truck starts creekin', a total mess!

Sometimes the ass kicks out, I feel like it hits so hard the whole truck actually is off the ground from the impact and lands again, and if it doesn't land straight, my front is in one lane and my ass in another.

I think the faster I go the better it is, the ride gets worse with every 20mph slower I go! There are noises occational poping, metal to metal sounds, a clucnking when it rocks side to side going up a drive or something!

I had it check by 3 dealers, 1 sears, 1 great bear, 1 mavis tire, and two local reccomended repair guys and none can find anything. all say: "she's tight" and I say check the:
Shock Mounts & Shocks
Sway bar links & all bushings
Ball joints
Torsion bars (**and teflon pads on adjusters)
Tie rods
Wheel Bearings
Steering system
Ect Ect... *no signs of metal to metal contact*

Yeah, sure some of you will say "try riding in a '91-94", well if any of you remember me I used to own a 1991 Sport (white) Stock, for 3 years before this one, and let me tell you It used to ride better!!!

Others, "well dude it's a truck" Yeah dude, it's upposed to be alittle, only alittle better than my first generation, and every other "truck" Tahoe,blazer,jeep,pathfinder,rover ect... Ride better tan this and it a "TRUCK" so that doesn't do it for me!

My question is: How can I make the 700+ miles a week, more bareable now that I have paid in all about 20K in cash for this think and I am stuck with it for now?????

Is it tires??? Money is no object: LTX M/S the SOFTEST??
Is it shocks??? Rancho 9000's on setting 1 the best???
Is there another suspension system that I could use a 4 link?? or something I'll rip the current suspension right outta this puppy??

What can I do?? PLEASE HELP!

Venting and upset
ToneDog

Ps, gotta go pickup my girl, think I'll take some pain medication (vikadin) or something before I get in!

[section525]

I'd say shocks and tires are going to be your best bet. My GF has a '98 Sport with 80k on it and her shocks are horrible (stock). I'd stay away from Rancho (or any other off-road shock) because you'll be paying more for a ride you don't want.

I noticed a huge difference in ride qulaity when I changed tire brands too. But don't ask me what a smooth riding on-road tire is. Good luck!

[ToneDog]

Thanks for the reply section525, I appreciate it.

I'll do anything so I don't have to hit a little manhole cover in the street and feel BAM!

Thx
TDog

[section525]

Remember.. the bigger the tires.. the smaller the bumps!

[james t]

i would also have to say shocks. its possible that they are gone due to the "urban terrain". also, what air pressure do you run in the tires? too much air pressure can cause a harsh ride.

[ToneDog]

I am running the tires at 26psi.

Section, Do you really think bigger will have a positive effect on my ride??

I am willing to do a lift, sas, lower, small rim big tire, big rim small tire!

Just tell me, what is my best coarse of action please!

Thx
Tdog

[Texplorer]

I know what your talking about man. After a year of riding on the belt parkway and under the guwanas and the BQE the ride on my X feels horrible. It actually feels a little more firm now that I did the TT. The TT did help out a little but I still have clunks and jolts and all that from driving on those roads everyday.

[section525]

Nah.. I'd say stick with getting new shocks first.

The more rubber between the wheel and the road = a smoother ride. So big rims/thin tires is a no go! But I think new shocks will solve your problems. And if the ride still isnt up to par.. I'd look into some decent tires(stock size).

[ToneDog]

ok, section. . .

What Shocks?
What Tires?

[GaSouthern1]

Originally posted by ToneDog
I am running the tires at 26psi.

Section, Do you really think bigger will have a positive effect on my ride??

I am willing to do a lift, sas, lower, small rim big tire, big rim small tire!

Just tell me, what is my best coarse of action please!

Thx
Tdog

holy cow...we could have some fun with you being that money is no object...i say either bags or SAS...

Kiddin man, I got the Monroe Reflex's about 2 years ago and they are pretty damn good shocks. Very nice ride adn a better feel than before...now they are almost gone so it blows now, but I am not gonna pay for new ones when I am gettin a new X or something this summer.

[Jason_25]

The Michelin LTX M/S are a soft-riding tire. Whatever you get make sure it has the lowest load rating (probably C) and is the stock size.

[ToneDog]

GaSouthern1 ~ What do you mean "bags" and how would SAS effect the ride?

Jason_25- Are you saying that the same tire can have different load ratings? or am I just looking for a tire with a really low load rating? Also, aren't load ratings in lbs? I've never seen a letter designation?

What about softer rated torsion bars? maybe mine are too stiff? and what will hapen if I did a TT alittle but in reverse not to raise the vechicle, would that help?

Thanks
TDog

[Jason_25]

Since it's a 2 door, you probably don't have stiff t-bars. You can try to adjust the t-bars to keep the suspension in the middle of it's travel, but technically it should come that way from the factory unless a shop lowered or lifted it. I would not just lower it and expect the ride to become softer. If anything, the ride would become more harsh because the a-arms will make contact with the bumpstops more often.

Yes letters are used for load ranges. I have never seen anything different on an LT tire. You don't want to go too low with the load rating but the load rating for the stock tires should be C. I accidentally got load range D and I am suffering for it.

[GaSouthern1]

Originally posted by ToneDog
GaSouthern1 ~ What do you mean "bags" and how would SAS effect the ride?
Thanks
TDog

Bags are for lowering your truck at any time...from stock to almost laying frame...

The SAS ride could be as good as you want it to be, the better you make it on the road the more off road ability that you may lose. I am not the person to talk to in this subject, I was just being sarcastic in my response haha. Talk to CoryL and go to the SAS Registry on the main forums page and ask some of those people that have done it how their rides are...i am sure you can get all kinds of great opinions.

Good luck man

[A Wise Guy]

If you are getting a bam or knocking noise out of the front end I would have to say ball joints and control arms. That is what it took to quiet up my '98 AWD XLT with 57K on the clock. If you get the banging and maybe knocking when you drive over repeated little bumps your problem may be similar to mine. One big bump wasn't bad but going over a series of small ones the problem was well pronounced. Hope it helps and since money is no object, that's a good thing because you'll need it to replace the front end.

[X24]

I have a harsh ride, what can I do to fix it?

[ToneDog]

Gasouthern1 ~ I don't know much about the SAS either, I realized you were only messin' around, but I think I will do a search on it to find more about it, from what little I've heard it looks like I can then have more choices on the springs used ect.., all joking aside!

A Wise Guy ~ Thanks for your reply, it is greatly appreciated. Your symtoms sound very interesting and familiar. My only question is were they really in bad condition (ball joints/control arms)? or did you just decide to change them, I had so many people look under there that I am suprised nobody said "your goning to need ball joints soon or control arms ect.." They say everything looks fine.
And what about price to change all that, how much $1k?? Also, did you change your ball joints with OEM or aftermarket, greasable ect...??

Thanks,
ToneDog

[A Wise Guy]

The problems that I had were quite obvious. The knocking that would happen when going over continued bumps was just pointing at ball joint problems. Fortunately, when I bought the truck the sales manager refused to let me leave without an extended warranty. Not because he wanted the money but because he was a friend. He guarenteed that it would pay itself off and the front end took care of it. So under warranty with a $100.00 deductable I got all new factory ungreasable ball joints. The worst part was waiting for the ball joints because the dealers were out of stock on them. Seems like Ford might have a problem when 3 dealers are out of stock on ball joints. Four days later I get the truck back and all seems fine. That was a Thursday night. By Saturday the knocking is back. Drop it off on Tuesday and on Thursday I had new upper control arms and an alignment. The control arms were billed under the first Repair Order so there wasn't an additional deductable. Alignments aren't covered but it was put through and covered anyways. If it were not under warranty I think the charges would have been somewhere in the $1200 range. Seems kind of steep but fortunately I had the warranty.

[jimbo74]

if you want ride quality and streetability, dont go with an sas..... its the best for offroad, but even setup properly, can be a pain on the road... yeah its better, but ant the same time can be a lot worse...... tbars are a lot smother than a leaf sprung front end, however, it wont be smoother than coilovers properly setup.....

[ToneDog]

A Wise Guy~ I have the Extra Care warranty 7yr/75k, these are covered parts, but if they keep tellin' me they can't find anything wrong than how am I gonna get them to change those items??

Thanks,
Ton