Suspension upgrades for on-road comfort that don't cost $3.5k+ ?

[jjdiesel]

What about the guy that used to be on TDR....Lorenz?

 

[Regcabguy]

He's still in biz.

 

[verk]

Well thats a bit misleading, think of it more as a Broad rang tune that works with either the full aftermarket leafs or the softer leafs, which are not so soft that they need a completely different tune to work. Now the custom tuned Kings will ride better but the non- user specific valving will still work great for all around use, just not as dialed in for your specific use. The Fox shocks have a lot of rebound and would work well for your use.

My non-suspension brain says that either a shock is valved for a particular system ( e.g Ram 2500 with certain payload and Thuren long travel leaf ) or it's not. "Broad range tune" sounds like marketing to say not valved for that system specifically, but will work. "Kings will ride better" because they "are custom tuned" sounds like another way of saying that Kings will ride better because they have valving for that particular system. But as I said above, I'm 99% on-road with 300 lbs. of tools in the bed and don't need what I think you and others can't help but gravitate towards.

Correct but not quite that black and white. A 2.0" diameter shock has pretty small piston surface are and will overheat quickly if too much valving is used so there is a very good all around tune in them and to do anything more requires a bigger shock to function properly which is why all the custom tunes are a 2.5" shocks. Also the Aluminum body Fox 2.0" shocks are not designed to come apart and be rebuilt so it would be very hard to have different valving options with them.

I don't think commuter kits require more than 2" shocks. I've been running Bilsteins ( 4600 I think ) for many, many years without any issue. If the companies market a commuter set than they should have "tuned" 2 inch shocks for them and not try to upgrade me when I make it clear I'm "commuting".

I would do some good front coils and Fox IFP shocks , that will get you a better ride without breaking the bank then upgrade from there. If you track bar has any play in it at all or high miles then it should be replaced before its an issue, dont know if you have ever experienced death wobble but its best to avoid all together.

No death wobble, but I do have 160k on original track bar so my plan was to upgrade as well. I have a broken leaf which is the impetus and given my use case think softer leaves would be worthwhile. But I don't need more than 2" shocks and don't see why I can't get them "tuned" for kits specifically marketed for "commuters".

 

[AEdelheit]

My non-suspension brain says that either a shock is valved for a particular system ( e.g Ram 2500 with certain payload and Thuren long travel leaf ) or it's not. "Broad range tune" sounds like marketing to say not valved for that system specifically, but will work. "Kings will ride better" because they "are custom tuned" sounds like another way of saying that Kings will ride better because they have valving for that particular system. But as I said above, I'm 99% on-road with 300 lbs. of tools in the bed and don't need what I think you and others can't help but gravitate towards.

A large part of the reason custom tuned Kings will ride better is the larger piston surface area, piston design and valving options that just are not possible with a 2" shock, sorry may not have been clear that when referring to custom tuned Kings they are also a 2.5" shock not a 2".

Broad range tune is not marketing just a term to describe what they are designed for which is the average person who wants to improve the ride of the truck but has limited funds and does not do aggressive off road use so thats pretty much what you need. Aftermarket leafs weather from Thuren, Carli, Kore, Lorenz, Synergy or anyone else still has a relativity high spring rate for what the shock can handle and people often add air bags which greatly increases rebound force so overall the shock still needs very light compression with heavy rebound. Weather you like it or not a custom tuned 2.5" shock will ride better then a 2.0" shock but as I stated in my other post the 2.0" Fox IFP shocks would work well for your needs.

I don't think commuter kits require more than 2" shocks. I've been running Bilsteins ( 4600 I think ) for many, many years without any issue. If the companies market a commuter set than they should have "tuned" 2 inch shocks for them and not try to upgrade me when I make it clear I'm "commuting".

They do its the ones advertised that will work well for your use and as well as a 2" shock can ride but you have obviously never ridden in a truck with properly tuned 2.5" shocks either to see just how much control they can offer. While your commuting does not not need a 2.5" shock other peoples commute do so its not a one size fits all setup, what is the issue with having options???

No death wobble, but I do have 160k on original track bar so my plan was to upgrade as well. I have a broken leaf which is the impetus and given my use case think softer leaves would be worthwhile. But I don't need more than 2" shocks and don't see why I can't get them "tuned" for kits specifically marketed for "commuters"

As noted above the 2" shocks that are offered are designed for people like you and to do a truly custom tuned 2.0 shock is just not worth the money as there would be minimal improvement over the tune thats in them but cost a whole lot more as the bulk discount only applies to shocks with the same valving per part number. The 2.0" shocks will work great for you but a 2.5" shock will still ride better, in your case the extra cost of the 2.5" shock is not worth it but for many people it is.

Think of it like the towing with a Dakota vs. Ram, you can add air bags to the Dakota, put 19.5" tires on it and stacks to make it look like a big boy truck but end of they day its not and will always be limited in its ability no matter what you do. That is the Fox 2.0, its a good shock for its designed use but will never have the ability of a larger shock, in this case the Ram when it comes to towing, but so long as you are within the limits of the Dakota it will work good. Oh for this comparison the stock shocks would be a 1980 Subaru Brat......

Im not here to sell or push anything, your decisions wont benefit me in any way but have been around these trucks and especially the suspension on them for 10+ years so have gotten very familiar with the options, what works and what doesnt. As I previously stated good coils and Fox IFP shocks would be a great start and if funds allow for a softer leaf pack then great they help alot but either way it doesnt change the fact that a 2.0" shock will work very well for your use but a 2.5" shock will work better but not needed in your case.

.

 

[verk]

A large part of the reason custom tuned Kings will ride better is the larger piston surface area, piston design and valving options that just are not possible with a 2" shock, sorry may not have been clear that when referring to custom tuned Kings they are also a 2.5" shock not a 2".

Would like to see the math as to why >2" is needed for on-road applications and payloads of 300 lbs. ? 2" shock not capable of dissipating kinetic energy of my usage or are 2" just not made as well 2.5" ? I now understand that Carli and Thuren don't offer a 2" "tuned" shock for their respective replacement leafs ( not add-ons ), but this is because most people who do these kits are going off-road.

Broad range tune

still doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps it's the mixing of word tune and broad range. Tune implies specific loads and specific dynamic performance to me. Broad-range sounds non-specific like the opposite of tuning.

Thanks for trying to explain.

 

[AEdelheit]

Would like to see the math as to why >2" is needed for on-road applications and payloads of 300 lbs. ? 2" shock not capable of dissipating kinetic energy of my usage or are 2" just not made as well 2.5" ? I now understand that Carli and Thuren don't offer a 2" "tuned" shock for their respective replacement leafs ( not add-ons ), but this is because most people who do these kits are going off-road.

>2" is not needed as I have said before a 2" would work work well for your needs, but a 2.0" shock has 3.14" of surface area on the piston where a 2.5" has 4.9" , the larger piston surface are offers a lot more control and will provide a better ride, also piston port design and valving shim design are better on a 2.5" shock but mostly the larger piston surface area is the key part.

I now understand that Carli and Thuren don't offer a 2" "tuned" shock for their respective replacement leafs ( not add-ons ), but this is because most people who do these kits are going off-road

Its more because there is not enough that could be changed on a 2" shock to justify it, the replacement leaf packs are softer then stock but still have a good amount of spring rate and the current offering of 2.0" shocks have as much rebound valving as they safely can without overheating the shock so if someone needs more performance out of a shock then what the 2.0" currently offers it makes the most sense to step up to a 2.5" shock.

still doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps it's the mixing of word tune and broad range. Tune implies specific loads and specific dynamic performance to me. Broad-range sounds non-specific like the opposite of tuning.

Well "Parking lot to driveway tune" doesn't sound as good as "Broad range tune" and no arguing the Broad range tune may not be the best wording but essentially the valving was designed to cover a fairly broad range of use such as parking lots, highway, gravel roads, towing and what not so it covers a fairly broad range of use. It should be noted that a 2.0" shock is not designed for any moderate to heavy off road use.

Thanks for trying to explain.