how to make truck more solid?

how can you make the suspension more solid. i want to cut down the body roll when cornering and make it handle more like a car. to i need sub frame connectors or sway bars or is this even possible.

now you're looking at doing a 2/4 or 4/6 drop

i dont want to go any lower than it is. i did the 2 inch drop in the rear to level the truck but thats as low as i go.

I dunno then. The truck's biggest obstacle with handling is the high center of gravity. The only solution to that that I know of is to lower it.

Maybe some stiffer shocks? Did you keep your factory sway bars when you did the drop? If not, that would help tremendously.

the main thing i want is to stop the body roll so its more stiff when cornering. do i need stiffer shocks? any body know

i did not remove anything when i dropped it. all i did was the 2 inch shackle drop in the rear. nothing else.

Hmmmmm....You already have lower profile tires...I'd say try some stiffer shocks first...they don't cost too much.

how can you make the suspension more solid. i want to cut down the body roll when cornering and make it handle more like a car. to i need sub frame connectors or sway bars or is this even possible.



duh - buy a car.

Poly-urethane bushings. I had a '97 Sanoma ZQ-8. It was factory dropped with poly-urethane bushings, wider tires, and bigger sway bars. It was a GMC with SS suspension. It could corner with porsches but sucked in the straight line. NO BODY ROLL in hard corners doing 70. They are stiff, and will do the job. Look for a bigger sway bar, the Denali or Yukon XL might have come with a bigger sway bar, check around. You might be able to hookup a rear sway bar from a Suburban or Yukon XL if you are lucky. :2cents:

SHOCKS DO NOT STOP BODY ROLL. They are properly called vibration dampners. As you lean into a corner the shock will allow a specified amount of gas/fluid to the opposite chamber. In a normal corner the shock will not stop the slow gas/fluid transfer unless you go into a 90 degree corner at 100 mph. When your wheel does a fast up or down the valves in the dampner will control how fast the gas/fluid goes between chambers and stop the wheel from bouncing in unrestrained harmonics.

Thus the term "Shock" is applied to the vibration dampner as it controls the sudden change(SHOCK), not a slow change as body roll is.

Get aftermarket anti-sway bars. That's the best thing if you don't want to drop it any. Hotchkis makes great products. The only other way to reduce body roll and experience better cornering is to lower your truck. I have a 3/4 drop and never scrap anything unless it's a very dramatic incline. Wish i had a 4/6 though.

Why do you not want to consider lowering it?

www.airliftcompany.com for air bag info.

One problem is that the 1500's have a tight frame to tire clearance out of the box. If yours has less than 6" with the wheel/ tire combo, they won't fit.

Do these trucks even have factory rear anti-sway bars?

how can you make the suspension more solid. i want to cut down the body roll when cornering and make it handle more like a car. to i need sub frame connectors or sway bars or is this even possible.

Greetings Sportin83.

There should be a pretty simple answer to this question. Both the SS, the Silverado Performance PAckage that I have, and the Limited Appearance Package, all come with a sport tuned suspension. Although the frames are the same regular 1500 series extended cabs - the suspensions are different in several specific parts. Alter those specific parts and you will get your wish. My truck handles much more like a sports car around curves and corners - than it does like a truck.

White Lightening

Greetings Sportin83.

There should be a pretty simple answer to this question. Both the SS, the Silverado Performance PAckage that I have, and the Limited Appearance Package, all come with a sport tuned suspension. Although the frames are the same regular 1500 series extended cabs - the suspensions are different in several specific parts. Alter those specific parts and you will get your wish. My truck handles much more like a sports car around curves and corners - than it does like a truck.

White Lightening
Yes. But the SS also has torsion bars and awd whereas his is 2wd. Plus quality aftermarket parts are going to create a far superior stiffness and ride. I'm just not a fan of using any factory parts when it comes to things like altering suspension and body movement.

Alright, well what would work without lowering it. Mine does not seem to have a swaybar in the rear.

Edelbrock shocks will cure the body roll issue. They have cured it on 3 of my trucks.

One note: If you apply the brakes while cornering, or if you hit a large bump while braking, they become VERY stiff. Other than that, they are WELL worth the money. Sweet ride and much less body roll/diving.

Get aftermarket anti-sway bars. That's the best thing if you don't want to drop it any. Hotchkis makes great products. The only other way to reduce body roll and experience better cornering is to lower your truck. I have a 3/4 drop and never scrap anything unless it's a very dramatic incline. Wish i had a 4/6 though.

Why do you not want to consider lowering it?



i dont want to lower it becasue i still haul stuff with my truck and i take my 4 wheeler out with it and i will most likely be pulling a boat sometime. i need it for a truck still and i cant go much lower with the wheels i have because they already get close enough to the fenders.

ya i dont see a sway bar on the rear i need to check the front and see if there is anything. i got rid of a 99 trans am ls1 6 spd and got this truck. i know it will not handle like that but i want to get the best i can for the best price. where can you get sway bars cheap. i know on the trans am they made sub-frame connectors and also other chassis parts toi stiffen the ride. do they do all this for a truck.

the best solution for body roll is a sway bar. get one if body roll is ur biggest problem. better shocks will keep the truck from "floating" on the highway at high speeds. remember this tho: the handling can definitely be improved, but the truck still weighs 4000 pounds. its not gonna be a sports car.

Edelbrock shocks will cure the body roll issue. They have cured it on 3 of my trucks.

One note: If you apply the brakes while cornering, or if you hit a large bump while braking, they become VERY stiff. Other than that, they are WELL worth the money. Sweet ride and much less body roll/diving.

Please clarify what you call body roll. Braking in a corner is an action that is instant and the vibration dampner(shock) will react instantly, not body roll. Hitting a large bump is an instant action that the vibration dampner(shock) can react instantly, not body roll. Going into a corner that gets progressive not fast will allow the vibration dampners(shock) to slowly bleed and allows the suspension to lean into the direction of the centripital force.

Poly-eurethane bushings keep the suspension joints from giving as easily as the stock rubber. A sway bar will make the one side react to a similar degree as the other. Look at the Silverado SS and a race car and you will see these items used. Call any performance shop and ask them why would a person use Poly-urethane vs. stock rubber. Call a junk yard and find out the sizes of sway bars for the 1/2 ton 2wd vs. Suburban 2500 4x4, you will see they change as the body weight changes. They can also tell you which ones will swap over.

Please correct me but what you are trying to prevent is the leaning of the truck body from progressive curves not the bumps in a curve or braking which is a vibration dampner(shock) issue.

Please clarify what you call body roll. Braking in a corner is an action that is instant and the vibration dampner(shock) will react instantly, not body roll. Hitting a large bump is an instant action that the vibration dampner(shock) can react instantly, not body roll. Going into a corner that gets progressive not fast will allow the vibration dampners(shock) to slowly bleed and allows the suspension to lean into the direction of the centripital force.

Poly-eurethane bushings keep the suspension joints from giving as easily as the stock rubber. A sway bar will make the one side react to a similar degree as the other. Look at the Silverado SS and a race car and you will see these items used. Call any performance shop and ask them why would a person use Poly-urethane vs. stock rubber. Call a junk yard and find out the sizes of sway bars for the 1/2 ton 2wd vs. Suburban 2500 4x4, you will see they change as the body weight changes. They can also tell you which ones will swap over.

Please correct me but what you are trying to prevent is the leaning of the truck body from progressive curves not the bumps in a curve or braking which is a vibration dampner(shock) issue.
i am looking to stop the truck from leaning so much when cornering and quick turning. like when you take an off ramp and turn the truck leans. and i just want a more stiff ride with less lean. it seems to me that when the truck leans it distributes the weight more to one side and make it handle worse. i could be wrong.

Call a few suspension shops and see what they have to say.

i am looking to stop the truck from leaning so much when cornering and quick turning. like when you take an off ramp and turn the truck leans. and i just want a more stiff ride with less lean. it seems to me that when the truck leans it distributes the weight more to one side and make it handle worse. i could be wrong.

Greetings Sportin83,

What you describe is exactly what I wanted to have in my truck. A sport tuned suspension will give you "less boat" going around corners. As I mentioned previously - both the Ext. Cab rear wheel drive Limited appearance package and the Silverado Performance package as well as the SS - feature the Z60 suspension system. I drove new Titans, new F150s and new Silverados (that did not have the Z60) - and the Z60 is a considerable driving/handling/cornering difference. You should be able to find out from multiple sources the specific item differences between your truck's suspension and the Z60 as used on the Limited appearance package or the Silverado Performance packages. The costs should not be significant - as those option packages included several other things with them and still weren't more than $2000 or $3000 even with tires, wheels, and engine/transmission differences.

The frames and attachment points on your truck and mine should be the same - so its only parts that make the difference
Test drive one at a dealership - you'll see what I mean.

Limited Appearance Package or Silverado Performance package - exact same suspenion in each.

White Lightening

To put it simply, Edelbrock's WILL cure body roll and front end diving. I have had 3 sets now and was very happy with the results. They also smooth out the overall ride very well. Not sure what "centripital force" is, but I do know this much, the Edelbrock's are worth the $$.

Has anyone called a GM Dealer and asked the parts department for a "Shock?" Don't wait to long for them to correct you, they are listed as "Vibration Dampners." Why does a manufacturer put on a sway bar if the answer is a bigger, tighter shock? Sure shocks will tighten up the problem but you will not resolve your problem and you are applying the wrong fix to the problem. Something like "Is spit a lube or not?" Works in a pinch but not what keeps the parts working as they are designed to work......... :22yikes:

Please do some research for yourself, call some performance suspension shops and find the answer.

I quit, logic and engineering don't apply in this post.......... :gives:

Again, I think all of those stickers will not only boost HP, but also improve handling...

Has anyone called a GM Dealer and asked the parts department for a "Shock?" Don't wait to long for them to correct you, they are listed as "Vibration Dampners." Why does a manufacturer put on a sway bar if the answer is a bigger, tighter shock? Sure shocks will tighten up the problem but you will not resolve your problem and you are applying the wrong fix to the problem. Something like "Is spit a lube or not?" Works in a pinch but not what keeps the parts working as they are designed to work......... :22yikes:

Please do some research for yourself, call some performance suspension shops and find the answer.

I quit, logic and engineering don't apply in this post.......... :gives:

Ease up Jethro, I'm just trying to help the guy.

BTW, Chevy (for example) does in fact install a stiffer, better quality, larger bore, and more controlled shock on it's truck to help control sway and improve off-road performance--instead of adding a rear sway bar. It's called the Z-71 package, but I'm sure there was no "logic or engineering" involved in that decision.;)

but they do put rear sway bars on all their truck based SUV's

Yes, but only on the 1500 series which are coil springs (as far as I know).

thanks for all the responses, but i am still not sure what is the best bang for the buck. i am pretty sure sway bars and any other reinforcements i can find. but then several of you said shocks but i am nnot sure shocks are going to do it alone. i think they could help when combined. any more input would be great. i hope sometime soon to upgrade this stuff if money allows.

thanks for all the responses, but i am still not sure what is the best bang for the buck. i am pretty sure sway bars and any other reinforcements i can find. but then several of you said shocks but i am nnot sure shocks are going to do it alone. i think they could help when combined. any more input would be great. i hope sometime soon to upgrade this stuff if money allows.

Sportin83, I continue to suggest you approach the problem from the point of "what does it take to get a complete solution" rather than the idea of a piecemeal item by item activity. Research what it took for Chevy to achieve the goal with the Z60 suspension - then work backwards to your truck. Test drive a truck that has the Z60 suspension so you can see if it has the feel you wanted. 2004 or 2005 Extended cab 1500 series Limited Appearance PAckage or Silverado Performance Package.

White Lightening