New to me 2017 Ram 1500 ride beats me to death!

[Shawn Percifield]

I thinking to just taking the truck back to the dealer and undoing the deal! This is not going to be an easy fix.

 

[kurek]

I thinking to just taking the truck back to the dealer and undoing the deal! This is not going to be an easy fix.

I don't know if you'll have much success undoing it, for some reason you can return a shirt to Target just because you decided it was ugly but you can't return vehicles the same way unless you got a contract with a cooling off period built in.

Anyway making the whole suspension work the way you like might not be super easy depending what you expect from it but just the bumpstop part? Crazy easy. You can measure the minimum height for the shocks (remember they're at an angle so there's a little bit of that jr. high school math none of us remembers...) and then sand and paint the rusty bits up there, then shove a rivnut in the hole and bolt up a pair of Timbrens the appropriate height from what you measured.

I do kinda feel like the dealership should take care of that because they sold you a warranty and if you're towing or hauling - totally within the rated capacity for the vehicle, no abuse or misuse involved - it's all too easy to use the full suspension travel and in this case the limiting factor will be the shock absorbers which are not designed for that.

 

[Shawn Percifield]

I don't know if you'll have much success undoing it, for some reason you can return a shirt to Target just because you decided it was ugly but you can't return vehicles the same way unless you got a contract with a cooling off period built in.

Anyway making the whole suspension work the way you like might not be super easy depending what you expect from it but just the bumpstop part? Crazy easy. You can measure the minimum height for the shocks (remember they're at an angle so there's a little bit of that jr. high school math none of us remembers...) and then sand and paint the rusty bits up there, then shove a rivnut in the hole and bolt up a pair of Timbrens the appropriate height from what you measured.

I do kinda feel like the dealership should take care of that because they sold you a warranty and if you're towing or hauling - totally within the rated capacity for the vehicle, no abuse or misuse involved - it's all too easy to use the full suspension travel and in this case the limiting factor will be the shock absorbers which are not designed for that.

So I talked to the dealership and they got in contact with the last owner! He had air bags on the truck that is why the cups have been cut off. He had the airlift 5000 kit on there. So I think to start with I will order that kit and put it on there and then go from there!

Do you think airbags will help with the truck beating me to death?

 

[kurek]

Airbags aren't going to help with ride quality, the only thing they can do is add stiffness which sounds like the opposite of what you want.

Just based on the photos it looks like this kit is on the truck which means that your springs are probably stock - in other words the factors affecting ride quality are tires and shock absorbers and maybe to a lesser extent geometry. So if you want a more compliant ride those are probably where you're going to have to put in some work.

The factor that hasn't really been discussed in this thread is also what your expectations are... stock these are great riding trucks but they are still trucks so it's never going to be a Maybach.

You could still put in the airbags if you want but unless you're towing heavy and want to use them to offset sag from the weight of the trailer tongue, they're not going to do anything for you.

 

[Shawn Percifield]

Airbags aren't going to help with ride quality, the only thing they can do is add stiffness which sounds like the opposite of what you want.

Just based on the photos it looks like this kit is on the truck which means that your springs are probably stock - in other words the factors affecting ride quality are tires and shock absorbers and maybe to a lesser extent geometry. So if you want a more compliant ride those are probably where you're going to have to put in some work.

The factor that hasn't really been discussed in this thread is also what your expectations are... stock these are great riding trucks but they are still trucks so it's never going to be a Maybach.

You could still put in the airbags if you want but unless you're towing heavy and want to use them to offset sag from the weight of the trailer tongue, they're not going to do anything for you.

I do tow a trailer about 8000lbs at times.

I think you are right when you say that kit. It looks like that kit to me as well. I will get under the truck and try to find some kind of number to confirm.

So my last truck was a 2013 ford F-150 with a 3in lvl spacer riding on 33.13.50r22 So I am used to the truck feel I would like to at least make the truck ride like stock I am not looking for a setup like I am on a cloud lol But I cant even drive down the road lol

 

[pacofortacos]

So I talked to the dealership and they got in contact with the last owner! He had air bags on the truck that is why the cups have been cut off. He had the airlift 5000 kit on there. So I think to start with I will order that kit and put it on there and then go from there!

Do you think airbags will help with the truck beating me to death?

NOPE.

If you want it to ride nice, go back to stock and that includes the tires - those LT's are hurting your ride as much or more than the suspension.

You might want to ask the previous owner - since he had air bags, what lift is on it AND are those the originals springs and shocks.

I am amazed that those tires are only sitting at 37 psi - they look like they have at least 60 in there as I don't see any sidewall squat - unless it is the pictures.

 

[huntergreen]

I'd let the dealer either return it to stock or get you another truck.

 

[Pttrader]

I agree with others had said about tires and shocks concerning ride. I had smooth riding stock 1500's and put LT's on them and after that they rode rough. I found that running lower pressure helped smooth the ride, already mentioned. I ran 40 rear and 45 front with KO2s.

Another truck I put Bilstein's on and it rode very rough and they say there is a break in period, but it never changed. Story there is get the right shocks for the ride you seek and there should be some good links on this forum to steer you in the right direction.

On my 14' 1500 I noticed if I left a 70# sand bag over the rear axle it reduced, or dampened the bounce slightly.

Good luck in sorting out what you are going to do. I might mention that the LT's will reduce sway when you tow and that the Air bags will help level the truck and can reduce sway when towing. As already mentioned if you go towards the factory setup they ride pretty smooth.

 

[bdc2]

Tire pressure in the winter will beat you to death. Especially if your not use to it

 

[ram1500rsm]

Truck looks good. Don't worry about the call to go back to stock lol. I wouldn't do that (my personal opinion of course).
Ask the dealer to contact the previous owner again to ask what lift did he install. That will make your life easier as to what to do to improve on that lift, As it was mentioned the quality of your ride will depend on the shocks. Based on the lift installed it'll be easier to select better shocks. I don't think I see aftermarket body mounts in your pics as they appear stock. So you may have a 4-5" lift kit with spindles and what it seems no spacers.
What are your front/rear measurements from ground to fender edge ?
What's the size on your tires ?

 

[kurek]

Tire pressure in the winter will beat you to death.

I think he mentioned running 37psi earlier in the thread, maybe he could drop a little but I'm not sure where the TPMS will start complaining; well 20" LT tires stretched on wide wheels isn't helping either.

 

[farout75]

Hey Everyone I just bought a newish Ram 1500 40,100 miles. Driving on the highway is great (How I test drove the truck). But you get on a back road and the ride is about 2 miles and it beats me to death! I hate driving the truck!

Looking under the truck I found an air hose to the back of the truck but not connected to anything!

I don't know anything about the truck since i just bought it so any help would be awesome!

I added a few pictures of the truck and under the rear end.


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Well the tires might just be your problem. The Ram 1500 is noted for being one of the best ridding trucks. The wider the tires the more chance the ride will be less comfortable, and if you have 8 to 10 ply tires you most likely will feel a rough ride. The width of the tires can also effect your ride.

Your RAM looks real good.

 

[Shawn Percifield]

Well the tires might just be your problem. The Ram 1500 is noted for being one of the best ridding trucks. The wider the tires the more chance the ride will be less comfortable, and if you have 8 to 10 ply tires you most likely will feel a rough ride. The width of the tires can also effect your ride.

Your RAM looks real good.

Thank you! All the info sure helps me!

 

[Shawn Percifield]

I think he mentioned running 37psi earlier in the thread, maybe he could drop a little but I'm not sure where the TPMS will start complaining; well 20" LT tires stretched on wide wheels isn't helping either.

My last truck (2013 ford F-150) had the same tires on it but 33 not 35s and it rode really well. I wonder if the rim size could be effecting it.

My ford rims where 20x9 +10

Not sure how to see what these rims are

 

[Shawn Percifield]

I think he mentioned running 37psi earlier in the thread, maybe he could drop a little but I'm not sure where the TPMS will start complaining; well 20" LT tires stretched on wide wheels isn't helping either.

I will drop them to 30psi and see how the ride is!

 

[BWL]

I wonder if the previous owner was overloading the truck regularly and replaced the springs with heavier ones. Would explain the harsh ride and if that's the case it may only be a matter of throwing in stock springs and new bump stops to get the ride back to normal.

 

[kurek]

I wonder if the previous owner was overloading the truck regularly and replaced the springs with heavier ones. Would explain the harsh ride and if that's the case it may only be a matter of throwing in stock springs and new bump stops to get the ride back to normal.

That's a possibility, though they also added airbags.. well I've bought enough used vehicles and had enough gearhead friends over the years that we all know better than to try to get inside the head of a FPO.

I'm still betting on tires and shocks here, for the front that's easy because he can use stock length front shocks (it's a spindle lift so the front geometry inboard of the spindle is stock, which is nice) - but for the rear he'd need to get shocks that are the correct length for the exact amount of travel that's back there and until he's got bump stops that itself is an unknown, other than removing one of the rear shocks and measuring it.

 

[BWL]

Another possibility is a bent shaft on the shock absorber. With no bump stops they may have been bottomed out hard a time or 2. Tires I doubt. I've run a lot of rams with higher ply tires on 20" with 40+psi and the ride was still good off road. I'd focus more on the rear as the most likely culprit. Could throw 500lbs weight in the back and see if that softens the ride like in the HD trucks to determine if it's springs and pull a shock off to check for binding from a damaged shaft.

 

[Shawn Percifield]

Another possibility is a bent shaft on the shock absorber. With no bump stops they may have been bottomed out hard a time or 2. Tires I doubt. I've run a lot of rams with higher ply tires on 20" with 40+psi and the ride was still good off road. I'd focus more on the rear as the most likely culprit. Could throw 500lbs weight in the back and see if that softens the ride like in the HD trucks to determine if it's springs and pull a shock off to check for binding from a damaged shaft.

Yea I can try that!

 

[Ed F]

I

I thinking to just taking the truck back to the dealer and undoing the deal! This is not going to be an easy fix.

If you could unload it do it today. I think that truck has been hammered.
If you’re stuck with it I don’t think you can expect any kind of ride quality with a 6” lift on 35’s.

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