suspension for bad road

[beech 1]

I deliver mail over 118 miles of seriously bad road, less than 20 miles paved. The rest is deep washboard and potholes. I spend a lot of time dancing sideways, made more exciting by sitting on the pass side and reaching across to steer. Can't use a lift kit because many boxes are hard to reach now. Anything I can do to keep the wheels on the ground and be reliable enough to go 5 days a week?

 

[Elessar65]

check out some of the setups guys use out in the desert with a TTB.

 

[RangerX]

Washboard will cause shocks to heat up and fade, losing their ability to dampen the movement until they cool down. I believe that's one reason why desert guys run remote reservoir shocks, there's more fluid to soak up the heat.
Maybe a softer rate coil spring.
Maybe a steering stabilizer.

That's all I got.

 

[4x4junkie]

If the truck only sees that small amount of pavement, maybe try airing your tires down to a lower pressure (say 15-20 PSI or so). Slightly larger tires will help too (taller sidewalls to soak up the bumps). This will take a lot of the edge off those washboard bumps. And yes, better shocks should help too (Bilstein has always been a great shock).

Of course be sure to remember to air them back up to normal if you hit the freeway for some distance.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

made more exciting by sitting on the pass side and reaching across to steer.

this i gotta see...

got any pics of the psuedo mail truck interior?

 

[beech 1]

mail buggy

Thanks all. I agree with better shocks and will be shopping. Is there an explorer mod, similar to 78 Broncho quad shocks on front? I run 6 ply LT tires at 50 lbs to minimize flats. I'm not sure that lo pressure would be an option.

Interior pics: no, but I assure you that it is not pretty, Rear seat was laid down the day I bought the vehicle and has never been up since, just survival tools, handyman hi-lift jack, jumper cables etc. All covered with a half inch of dust, mail trays, packages etc.

 

[RangerX]

I run 6 ply LT tires at 50 lbs to minimize flats. I'm not sure that lo pressure would be an option.

50 lbs!?!?! What size are these tires? What size rims?
Did you have a problem with flats at a lower presure?

I've ran 50 miles of bad washboard at 40mph+ in Death Valley at 15psi, and didn't get a flat.

 

[Elessar65]

50lbs!?!? Thats probably most of your problem right there.

 

[Maniak]

For a softer rear spring you can use the OME springs. We run (we have modified it over the years for more lift) an old set of OME-36 springs which were 2" lift. They have a set for no lift but they ride/flex really well.

The 50 psi is really high and will make the tires bounce all over the place.

Washboard will heat up the shocks so I would get good shocks and if they are available something with a remote resevior (sp?). Running multiple shocks may help too, but I don't know of any way to easily do it without a lift.

~Mark

 

[4x4junkie]

50lbs!?!? Thats probably most of your problem right there.

+1,000,000,000

That's just crazy!

 

[beech 1]

Thanks. I will try about half that tire pressure and see if it helps. I don't expect that it will do much for tire life, but its worth a try.

 

[X6StringerX]

To be quite honest, you're not doing anything for tire life at 50lbs. either if the vehicle sees much on road use in addition to the unpaved use that you mentioned. At 50lbs., I suspect the middle of the tread on your tires is wearing significantly faster than the inner and outer edges.

 

[gmanpaint]

In addition to lower tire pressure, removing the front sway bar (very easy) will let the front articulate at a much better rate. When one side hits something the energy or motion is transferred to the other side when connected. You can drive on the pavement still, just have to remember it is off and drive accordingly. You will get a little body roll on corners, so just don't take them as fast is all. Your stock height should do a lot better than some of us that are lifted and have neither sway bars and still use as a DD.

 

[Maniak]

I don't know what kind of tire your running but a BFG AT type tire, one with more sidewall plies will definatly help keep your tires alive. Passenger car tires won't last too long, but if your running 50psi now hope your not running passenger car tires. The highest PSI passenger car tires I've seen are 44psi.

~Mark