So I bought my 13 screw 4x4 XLT with towing and offload packages. I put on the identical setup I had on my 06 screw (which rode fine); I put the Auto Spring 2" spacers in the front, 3" blocks in the rear and added 35" BFG tires and my ride quality went to ****! A small 1"-2" ledge in the concrete feels like I'm hitting a curb. Bumps on the gravel road at my ranch beat the heck out of the truck. When it was stock/new it floated down that same road.
So after reading review after review and asking lots of questions, I forked up the $200+ for the Bilstein 5100 adjustable shocks and another $150 to have them installed. Now my ride quality is barely, if any, better than with the blocks. What gives!?!?

 

First thing I would do is look at tire pressures. You should probably be running pressures in the 40/50s. Easy way to achieve proper pressure is to do the chalk test. Ther eis some good information here.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/tire-whee...e-checker.aspx
The Kellys on my Expedition are rated at 65 psi max, but sitting down doing the math and then discussing with Kellys applications engineers I came up with 36/ 42. I also verified this with a chalk test. Tires are currently at 45000 miles with no abnormal wear. Your pressure will be slightly different based on load range and vehicle weights.

 

Running 45 psi. Same pressure I was running before with the exact same tire. 315/70/17 BFG TA KO's. I've tried from 35 lbs to 70 lbs before doing the shock swap. So its not tire pressure. Thanks for the help though.

 

Is going down a setting going to Really make the ride better or am I going to have to go back to the stock height to get a decent ride?

What about putting the stupid 5100's on the stock height setting and my 2" spacers back on? Eliminating the original problem of having a 2" spacer on a factory short/stout towing package shock...

Any ideas or info, fellas?

 

Well part of the problem is that Bilsteins are stiff, and hard pretty roughly, but are tighter than stock. I'm not a person who's tried 100 different kinds of shocks and I don't have Bilsteins on my truck, but if you wanted a cushier/smoother ride, I wouldn't have gotten the stiff Bilsteins. I haven't ridden in your truck for the before and after with shock install, but what you're describing doesn't surprise me based on what others with Bilsteins have always said.

 

This isn't really "stiff". I could live with that. It's more like my shocks are just solid rods...

 

Ooh . . . Hmm if it's THAT bad something else has got to be going on. You could definitely try setting the shocks down and putting the level back on, but that's a lot of work and may not solve the problem. I'm sure that having them on the highest setting makes them ride a bit rougher, but it shouldn't be zero-suspension stiff.

I'd consider posting in the suspension forum where Pizzaman and some of the other more knowledgable suspension guys hang out. That would be the best thing to get some more ideas and more accurate diagnosis options

 

I've had 2" AS kits on my 06 and my '11 and it didn't stiffen up the ride. The only thing that did stiffen it up a little was the larger load range E (10 ply) tires.

 

Yea I've considered that but it blows my my mind that I had the exact wheel, tire, spacer combo on my 06 and it was fine. The only difference was the shock itself and maybe the spring? Dunno if the towing package springs are stiffer.
Thanks for looking guys

 

I'll try that KMAC.

 

How many miles are on it?

 

Just over 6,000. I bought it new about 4 months ago.

 

Cuz, any chance you can borrow a set of tires from a buddy? Maybe a stock P series tire setup, just to try for 10 minutes? Take the old lady's car to the dealer and go for a "lengthy test drive" or even an overnighter, and try a stock tire setup maybe if you have no friends to lend you theirs.

This could either eliminate the tire discussion, or prove it's theory.

Also, I wouldn't recommend you hit highway speeds, or stray very far from the compressor, but maybe try a 28lb test, and see if the super light pressure drastically changes things.

This might be a process of elimination for you.

My bilsteins definitely stiffened up my ride, but my summer LT tires @45psi definitely accelerate their effects. My 17"winter Blizzak setup is much nicer to drive.

I'm more of a fashion over function type when it comes to the look of my truck though. That said, "Paint Don't Get Ya Home".

 

Yea, I might have to try to find someone to let me borrow they're wheels/tires. It would SHOCK me if it was the tires, as I ran the identical tire/pressure on my 06 with the spacers and I barely noticed any difference from factory ride.

I've been known to be that "type" too but my ride is just... Unacceptably rough.