My ride is too stiff, need some advice

[btah]

'03 1500 quad cab

I have been trying to resolve a ride quality problem for a while now and need some advice. Over the summer I noticed I had a very bouncy ride coming from the back and I would feel every bump. I thought the tires were bad and since it was time for tires, I got new ones. That really didn't help the ride. I took the shocks off and they were bad, I was able to compress/uncompress them very easily. I replaced them with Monroe Sensa-trac. The ride I have now doesn't seem as bouncy as it was but it seems very stiff to me. I feel every bump. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the sensa-trac line of shocks and what you think of their stiffness? I was going to towards the cheaper gas-matics but didn't necessarily want to just throw parts at it unless I can get some first hand input.

I rarely haul anything and never tow.

Thanks

 

[White Beauty]

What's your tire pressure at?

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

 

[btah]

35. seems a little worse than when I had it at 32.

 

[NYCruiser]

Its an empty truck. Of course its gonna ride hard. Throw a few hundred pounds in the bed and see how it feels then.

 

[btah]

It didn't really ride hard for 10 years. But, hauling something around is worth a try. What is the reasoning behind your suggestion? Is it that the shocks will play more of a role in the ride because there is weight in the back?

If it rides a little better, does that mean the shocks are little stiff?

 

[NYCruiser]

Trucks are designed to haul weight.
If you never haul anything, the springs are probably stiff after all these years.
I would spray the leafs with penetrating oil and put some weight in it for a little while.
I used to lube the chassis and springs on my older truck with a 50-50 mix of WD-40 and tranny fluid once or twice a year. It would make everything seem quieter and smoother, not to mention rust prevention. LOL

EDIT - just a tip - If you are going to try this, don't do it in your driveway - or park in your driveway for a day or so. You will leave oil stains when it drips off.

 

[lawman dj]

on my truck rebuilt everything on the front end including adding urethane bushing, also replaced the new shocks that were on the truck when i bought it with monroe shocks, the only thing that seem to work was tire pressure at 32. also tried a different set of tires and did not a difference with the tire change.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Weight usually helps the ride as does tire pressure. You might have a bad spring bushing.