Looking For Improving Ride Quality

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
I’ve asked this in the past but didn’t get any feedback so I figure I’ll try again.
For a 2006 Silverado HD2500 Duramax crew cab

The only reason I’ve kept this truck is for utility reasons. Very low mileage and loaded, it doesn’t owe me anything now. However I hate driving it! Every insignificant imperfection on the road is felt making it a very unpleasant ride. Is there any way to remove at least some of the rough ride, enough to be worth the trouble without spending big bucks? Different springs? Air shocks? I don’t know what they cost but I bet air bags are expensive.
I’d like to avoid guessing with parts. If you are pretty confident some particular fix will work I would appreciate the information.

Thanks for your time helping me!
Rich
 
Note:
I don’t care if I sacrifice the weight capacity, I rarely ever loaded it to its rating.
 
I have a 2008 Duramax. Yes they ride rough but they weigh alot.

You may want to check the Torsion bars... are they cranked up. Guys do this to lift the front abit, but it makes for a stiff ride.

Second... lower your air pressure in your tires....Mine were at 80 psi but I lowered them to 55 psi when I am not pulling a trailer.
It helps some..

I also have an airbag setup in the rear for towing...I set it at 10 psi when I'm not towing.. 30 psi when I do tow.
that makes a huge difference.

Other than that.... ???
 
I removed the front sway bar on our Dodge RAM 2003, huge difference. It has the towing package so it was extra stiff.
No experience with Chevy Pickups, but very easy to test.
 
Won’t deflating the air down cause more wear? I should have chose the non LT tires last time I bought a set. It’s funny , I bought a set of Chinese made tires from Discount Tires. They were cheap and wear like iron.

Although I was set to install the key and turn the Torsion bars to level out the front with the rear, I never touched the Torsion bars.
I can tell from those few times I carried a yard or two of mulch and river bed stone for the landscaping that the added weight did help the ride - the front however still took the bumps like a giant skateboard.

What does a full set of airbags cost?
 
I have about 75,000 miles on the truck. I haven checked out the bushings and how do I know which shocks to change to?

That airbag setup states that it maintains the factory ride quality - I’m trying to avoid that right?
 
Any reputable shop that sells shocks will know what the factory replacements will be..

No.. you want ride height to be the same. These are added in addition to your factory setup.. Mine are at ride height when I
lower the air pressure in them.. When I hook onto my goose neck trailer ....the weight of my trailer will lower the rear end of the truck, which raises
the front end.. It makes the steering lighter, and points the headlights higher into the air. The airbags when inflated will raise the rear of the truck
back to where you want it to be.. at ride height .

Now if I were to leave the bags inflated with the 30 psi while the trailer was disconnected....
The truck would sit with the rear jacked way up in the air... thats why I lower the pressure back down to about 10 psi when empty .... and it ride alot better too.
 
I replaced the front shocks three times, from OEM (one stopped working) to Procomp, no good ride and one stopped working like in a couple of 1000 miles, next KYB, no good ride and broke shortly, next Bilstein and huge difference in comfort, hard to describe, but realy nice, and still working good after maybe 8 years.
 
I have the Bilstein B6 4600 series, bought them in 2013. I think i will buy a front pair for my 2000 Suburban also, the cheap Monroes i have now are harsh.
 
My father has an 05 Sierra 4wd. My uncle has virtually the same truck but 2WD.
My father's truck will rattle your fillings loose. I hate that truck and can't wait to get rid of it.
My uncle's truck is a pleasure to ride in / drive.
Here's what I know:
those HD truck tires that require 80 psi ride like solid rubber wheels.
I did find truck tires for my truck at one point that only required 55 psi. Big difference.
Also the Bilstein shocks work well and last forever.
 
I seem to be going in the opposite direction. Most manufacturers describe a firm ride
My father has an 05 Sierra 4wd. My uncle has virtually the same truck but 2WD.
My father's truck will rattle your fillings loose. I hate that truck and can't wait to get rid of it.
My uncle's truck is a pleasure to ride in / drive.
Here's what I know:
those HD truck tires that require 80 psi ride like solid rubber wheels.
I did find truck tires for my truck at one point that only required 55 psi. Big difference.
Also the Bilstein shocks work well and last forever.

I’m checking out the Bilstein’s right now. Those 10 ply LT 255 70 16 Corsa tires are like steel train wheels on the road but the hard ass mechanic doing the State Inspection wouldn’t allow anything but what door sticker shows should be on the truck.
 
That sucks. Can you trade the tires/wheels after the inspection, or is it a yearly thing?
 
In PA it’s an annual safety inspection plus if it’s a gas engine you are required to get an emissions test. You have to have a crappy Frankenstein assembled car or something from the seventies that’s been fooled with to fail. Another way out is if you put less than 5,000 miles on the car since last inspection. Of course the cops don’t know from passing on the road if you have a Diesel or not so some people just skip it. Just think, about 40 years ago PA had inspections twice a year!
Sure, a second set of wheels they can be flipped.
 
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