Bouncy ride help!!!

Where to begin... I recently bought a 99 ram 1500. It has about a 6 in suspension lift and a 3 in body lift. I had 35 in tires on it and when I first got it it shook very bad going down the road. I replaced the u joints and nothing. Then got the tires balanced and it settled down a lot. Since then I replaced the rear axle and front hub assemblies. I believe it still needs a fron axle due to noises and poping that you can hear at creeping speeds. So to the issue. I just bought 38x12.5 super sawmpers balanced at warehouse. Now that they're on it shakes bad again. I do have some play in the steering and just ordered a dual steering stabilizer. There is also a loud metal vibration when slowing down. Sounds like very thin metal rattling from vibration of tires and engine. It kind of pulsates in the sound. Do you know what could be causing the bouncyness and rattle? I will check all the steering components but it feels like something in the wheels or axle. I just figured since I got brand new tires and rims it would ride smooth and it got way worse. Any help or advice on what I can buy to mellow out the bouncy ride would be appreciated. Thanks

I highly doubt you have only one problem. I would take an in-depth look at your suspension and steering. Track bar ends (both of them), all steering linkage, steering shaft, wheel bearings, ball joints, etc, etc.

The tires you have on there are wide enough that you will fill tire scrub (tires slipping on the pavement) when you turn the wheel sharply. Also the axle joints on all 2nd gens bind at full steering lock.

Your bouncy ride could be caused by shocks, springs, tires/wheel balance (also check road-force), wheel torque, and how clean the hub is before u bolt the wheel on. Also the u-joints may be at to much of angle due to the lift and tires, someone else with that much lift will have to chime in on that.

I know this won't help your mechanical noise, but in terms of ride quality;

SuperSwampers notoriously take a LOT of weight to balance them out. Especially on a tire that size.

Check your tire pressures. I posted this elsewhere, but it has been my experience that you need to really air these tires down to prevent vibes, harsh ride and irregular wear.

What model Swamper are you specifically running (Bias / Radial) and what pressures are you sitting at right now ?

The rattle could be something as simple as an exhaust heat shield vibrating against the bottom of the truck.

I believe they are bias. They are 38x12.50x15 TSL's. They came with 29 psi in the tires and I haven't touched them. Can I go lower than that? They call for 45 psi. It only bounces at certain speeds. Very unpredictable. I assume they are balanced correctly and they do have a lot of weights on them. It barely has the death wobble but that's in the steering wheel and I ordered a dual skyjacker steering stabilizer to help with that. I'm thinking of getting a kit that stabilizes your steering box and all new bushings to help out with the play in the steering. Does anyone know if a bad inner bearing on the front axle would cause a bounce?

As stated by a previous post, it sounds like you have multiple issues going on here.

You also need to be very specific in describing your issue or issues for accurate help over the internet or phone.

"Bounce" "Shake" "Vibration" "Wandering or Looseness in the Steering" or "Pulsing under Braking" all point to very different issues.

First off, Bias Ply's (Especially some big ass ones like you have mounted) handle and feel much differently than a Radial tire.

SuperSwampers, while being excellent off highway, for extreme mud and puncture resistance are great. But, in every step you take towards improving performance in those areas, you are at the same time taking a step AWAY from a smooth, comfortable, balanced, quiet and controlled ride on the pavement. And you took a big leap out there. So, once you confirm your truck is mechanically sound, you may just have to live with the other ill effects on the highway if you wish to maintain that extreme off road capability and look.

I speak from experience. I have a set of TSL Boggers and a set of Thornbirds mounted on my off road rig as we speak. It is a highly modified Suzuki Samurai, with 31x12.50-15's that like to be run at 8 psi off highway. But, even aired up, they howl, bounce, wander and are near impossible to keep balanced for the pavement. Once I turn off the highway, all of that disappears. In that environment, they more than make up for it. They scratch, claw and dig through anything, and I've scuffed, chunked and ripped up the sidewalls and driven over everything from thick Cacti Barbs to Broken Whiskey bottles and they never even suffer more than a scratch.

Have a professional shop evaluate the health of your front end components, then reconsider if you are willing to live with the down side of such aggressive tires. You may find a big fat Radial M/T might just be enough, while avoiding all the other ill side effects.

Your problem is that you are running 38in Swampers on a street truck with half ton axles.

That is just asking for problems. Among tire issues, you need a new track bar at the minimum.

Any suggestions on track bar replacement and poly eurethane bushings? Also looking at beefing up the tie rods and ball joints. Also how low can I go on tire pressure and run on the street?