How do I improve stability and swaying of my truck?

[Kate Andreozzi]

My 2005 XLT has 78,000 miles and isn't riding as tight as it used to. I put Monroe Sensatracs on to improve suspension and new tires, but it feels like my truck sways or rocks back in forth when going over the smallest bump. What can I upgrade to improve my ride and how much "should" it cost?

 

[scott degroot]

Everything I have ever put SensaTracs on has made the vehicle feel like it's riding on marshmallows. I don't know what is available for the STs anymore but I would suggest trying something else. Personally I like KYB's, they provide a firm ride that isn't harsh.



What size and brand of tires are you running and how much air pressure do you have in them?

 

[Bob Floyd]

First thing I would do is inspect your sway bar links and bushings for broken or worn out parts. And make sure your tires are inflated to specs

 

[Yardsale]

Swaying and "porpoising" are different. Although both can be reduced with shocks (to control movement), swaying is better reduced with a stiffer anti-sway bar that only affects body roll (while turning and going over uneven terrain) and, to a lesser extent, polyurethane anti-sway bar and end link bushings do help.



That spongy feeling needs good shocks. I had the Monroe Magnums for a while; they were good on the back, but too soft for me on the front. I now have the Rancho RS9000XL and like them. These have adjustable damping (dial on each shock), so you can tune the ride to your liking.

 

[swshawaii]

As Yardsale mentioned, the Rancho RS9000 may be a great choice for you because of their nine levels of adjustability.

Not cheap at $88 each from Amazon, but there's a buy 4 for the price of 3 mail in rebate thru 10/31. Search reviews. GL



http://www.gorancho.com/promotions/Rancho_FP_Shocktober_RPad_Bck_US.pdf

 

[Richard L]

Kate,

The parts that directly and indirectly effect the Ride, Handling and Comfort are all a compromise.



Shocks do not actually absorb shocks...they control and damper the suspension springs Springs absorb the road shocks like pot holes and bumps. The shock only stops the spring from continuing to bounce the vehicle.



Most cars have softer spring rates and soft to moderate shocks for a more comfortable ride...this is a compromise for ride comfort.



Performance vehicles generally will have medium to firm spring rates and shocks. This makes the rider a bit harsher and may not be as comfortable riding to some people, but it allows the vehicle to keep the tires pinned to the road and more controlable.



A sway-bar is a spring steel bar that connects the front wheels together and a rear sway bar links the back wheels together so that if one is going around a corner, the downward sway of the vehicle on one side, is distributed to both sides of the vehicle to allow the vehicle to corner flat with far less sway or leaning.



The Gen-1 Sport Trac has a truck suspension to handle the gross loaded weight and towing capabilities...that means that the springs are much stiffer than a car to handle the extra weight. This means that you will feel the bumps in the road more than you would in most cars.



If swaying is the problem, upgraded shocks and sway-bars can improve cornering and handling, but do not do much for ride comfort.



You are talking about swaying, rocking when going over bumps. That sounds more like a shock issue, but if the shocks are new it should not rock back and forth unless a new shock has gone bad? If you go over a bump with one wheel, the vehicle will tilt slightly and then back again when the tire goes off the bump...this is normal for most truck suspensions but it should not bounce back and forth several times which would indicate that the shocks are bad and not controlling the bouncing of the spring.



Sway bars only help when cornering and do little or nothing to absorb bumps or the side to side rocking motion you experience when you drive over a bump on one side.



...Rich

 

[FlipTrac_511]

After installing an Explorer Express rear swaybar and replacing the original shocks to Monroe Reflexes, it was as if the Trac was driving on rails. I think they discontinued the Reflexes but there still might be a Rancho brand alternative. I've recently switched to Sensa-Tracs to make the ride cushier for the rest of the family. I can't go around corners as fast as before, but I probably needed to mellow out on that anyway.

 

[EddieS'04]

To get the benifit of the monroe reflex. You will have to use the rancho rs5000 series.

Monroe only makes the reflex for the rear now. I have shoped on line and found a few warehouses with front and rear reflexes.

 

[JohnnyB]

Road Master Active Suspension is awesome.

 

[Richard L]

Kate,

While I think the the Roadmaster Active Suspension system is a great design, it is really design to reduce sagging and swaying on vehicles when towing or with heavy loads. Even the Roadmaster website states that it does not change your normal ride.



If your shocks are new and in good condition, then you are experiencing the harsher ride that all trucks have because of the stiffer suspension components to handle the loads that the truck is design to carry.



Yes, it is possible to get softer springs and better sway bars, but that can be expensive and ends up reducing the truck's towing and weight capacity



I also must admit that I am not sure what your complaint is??? Is the vehicle swaying too much on high speed corners, or is it transmitting too much of the bumps to the passengers? They are both two different issues and require different fixes?



...Rich