NEED a softer ride... help!

[Bronco351]

Hey guys!

Since we bought our 1976 bronco the ride has been horrible... Unless driving on newly paved roads. The slightest bump jars the fillings out of your mouth... And if you hit a pothole you better be holding on to something.

Truck has 3" suspension lift (no idea what brand) with rancho shocks, 3" body lift and it has 15" rims with 35" tires.

Is there a spring/shock combo that is going to guarantee me a smooth ride? This is our 2nd bronco and I don't remember having any issues like this with the last one. Thanks!

 

[hankjr]

Which rancho version? I had the 5000 in my 88 BB and had the same experience. I put skyjackers (soft ride I think ) in my jeep and those are quite nice. I have the bilsteins installed in my 71 build but no on road experience there to offer yet. I installed them based on positive reports here.

Hank

 

[Bronco351]

Which rancho version? I had the 5000 in my 88 BB and had the same experience. I put skyjackers (soft ride I think ) in my jeep and those are quite nice. I have the bilsteins installed in my 71 build but no on road experience there to offer yet. I installed them based on positive reports here.

Hank

Unfortunately I don't know. All the info I got when I bought he truck was that they were rancho... The shocks were painted to match the truck

 

[Master Chief]

I installed 3 1/2" Deaver springs (coils & leafs) from JBG, poly bushings, and added Bilstein shocks shortly afterwards. My tires are 33x12.50-15 Goodyear Wranglers set at 30 psi. The rig handles great and it rides quite smooth.

So Deavers and Bilsteins are my recommendation, but you could always try reducing your air pressure to see if your ride softens up.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Start by taking the shocks off and (carefully) go for a drive. If it is soft and real floaty, you just need the correct shocks. If it still beats you up, you have other suspension issues. Probably springs that are too high of a rate.

If you have dual shocks, do an intermediate test drive with half of them removed. Several people have fixed harsh suspension just by going back to single shocks.

If you have Ranchos, look at the can of the shock by the bushing. is there a little knob, about ½x½"? If so that is an adjustment. Finger effort only, has 5 or 9 positions depending on vintage, one full turn is full range.

 

[Lunar-tic]

Resident dummy dialing in. I installed my new shocks upside down and the ride was horrible. Flipped them over and cured the problem. I also may have over torqued the bolts on the leaf springs which reduced their ability to flex. Just my offering.

 

[Apogee]

My '77 rode like a tank when I bought it, but cornered like it was on rails. It had F150 lift springs in the front (high rate) and overload add-a-leafs on the rear...I would cringe whenever I saw a square edged bump at speed and railroad tracks were something I'd rather not remember. I installed a 3.5" CAGE lift front and rear and it was a night a day difference. Any of the quality vendors here should be able to set you up with a suspension setup that won't beat you up.

Another thing to look at would be your tire pressure. I run my 33's at about 30 psi, 35's at about 28 psi for best wear and handling, but you might be surprised in the difference in harshness a few psi can make.

Last but not least, my beat down stock seats weren't doing me any favors. I swapped them out for some Mastercraft Sportsman seats and now I can comfortably drive it all day and still be able to function afterwards.

 

[Slednut10]

Recently swapped in some WH 2.5inch 11 leaf rears and Bilstein 5100's. HUGE improvement in the ride over the 5 leaf jawbreakers that were in there (confirmed by my MEB co-pilot Dave67fd at Rausch Creek). I also run my 35's at 24psi street pressure.

 

[broncoitis]

Is there a correct orientation for the shock! Can you be running them upside down and effect their damping abilities? I currently run mine with the body of the shock up and shaft down I believe and I still think that my truck could ride better over things. Sometimes the littlest of things seem to throw the truck around more than it should I think.

 

[jeff_gates]

Before when I took speed bumps the rear of the bronco hit the ground like a rock, so I also replace my rear 5 leaf with TBP 2.5 inch 11 leaf and it's 100% better.

--Jeff

 

[Apogee]

Is there a correct orientation for the shock! Can you be running them upside down and effect their damping abilities? I currently run mine with the body of the shock up and shaft down I believe and I still think that my truck could ride better over things. Sometimes the littlest of things seem to throw the truck around more than it should I think.

IIRC, most nitrogen charged twin-tube shock designs can be mounted either way with the body either up or down. Most mono-tube designs (Bilstein) must be mounted according to the manufacturer's recommendations, typically with the body at the top. It makes more sense to mount your shocks that way anyway since it reduces unsprung weight.

 

[bronconut73]

Is there a correct orientation for the shock! Can you be running them upside down and effect their damping abilities? I currently run mine with the body of the shock up and shaft down I believe and I still think that my truck could ride better over things. Sometimes the littlest of things seem to throw the truck around more than it should I think.

I thought it was the opposite....

You can flip deflective disc technology single tube shocks (Bilstein) upside down.
But I don't think you can do that with a twin tube ie regular shock like yours.

You also want your shaft as protected as possible and putting it in the down position could have it in harm's way.

 

[DirtDonk]

Is there a correct orientation for the shock! Can you be running them upside down and effect their damping abilities?(

I thought it was the opposite...

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule. It all depends on the individual design of each shock and what that manufacturer recommends.
Bilstein has a recommended direction (usually body up, as mentioned) for theirs, but it's not always the same. Other manufacturers don't state, so sometimes it just takes experimentation.

I ran old-school Rancho 5000's and then 9000's "upside down" for years with good results, but I hear you can't do that any more and the bodies should remain in the lower position. I'd bet there are variations on that theme though.
And now they're gas charged, vs "cellular gas" shocks as well, so there have been some changes to them over the years.

Couldn't run the Koni shocks on my car body up, but could run the Gabriels that way. It's never about the damping ratios though, as some automatically think. That's based on in-and-out movement, not top-or-bottom positioning. But where and how the fluid flows over and through the piston/valve is going to make the difference.
Just like Broncos, every shock type/model is different.

Paul

 

[DJs74]

Unfortunately, our Broncos are short and stubby and just prone to ride rough with new suspension components initially (IMO). What helped mine in addition to experimenting with over $300 in shocks was working the suspension easily on uneven ground... Purposely and exaggerated articulation by stretching and compressing the coils and arching the leafs for about an hour straight. That seemed to help more than any component change I made. Air pressure was another significant factor that made big improvements.
Actually Jeff's Bronco Graveyard recommended it one day when we were talking about something else and I casually mentioned my Bronco road like a buck board wagon... They said "work that suspension - easy at first" and they were right, in my particular case anyway


DJs74

 

[Lunar-tic]

I don't recall the manufacturer off the top of my head, but the directions that came with mine said body down only. Of course I didn't read them and installed them body up initially, but I quickly figured out my error.

 

[NYLES]

Buy blue.........all I can say and will give a nod to TBP rear leaves Im 4 linked Duff now but I promise you it rides better than my new F250.

 

[RT]

Load it up with gear and try er' out, Mine rides pretty well, but I'm sure its because:

the winch in front is way too big and heavy, the skid plates are 3/16" minimum, the saddle tank is usually full, the rear tank is a bigger steel one with the skid plate, the bumpers are heavy, the corner guards are heavy, I carry spare drive shafts and axle shafts, HI-Lift, shovel, 37" spare, 20' chain, small comealong, asst D-rings, other recovery gear, tools, mini floor jack oh,, and a spare spindle ! ( long story ) and I can't weld good , so I weld a lot hah!
Not to mention my massive 188lb self,,,,,

but hey, I don't get the porpoiseing or chops on the highway, or have had a speeding ticket in years

there's probably a better way though, I'm just a hack.

 

[Bronco73]

I installed WH coil springs in place of my old Rancho springs and it made a huge difference in the ride.