Improving Vehicle Suspension

[ChuckLeeNorris]

Hi, I have a 1995 F-150, and I want to improve my suspension so I can:
- turn corners at maximum entrance speeds
- have a less bumpy and more comfortable ride for me and my passengers

So I'm thinking of installing new springs and shocks (not doing it myself). I'd like to get the best of the best (excluding the Bose system). Any suggestions? Also, are there any other things I can do besides getting new springs and shocks?

[akboss]

I'd say if you want a better ride, lose the pickup, but I'm a jerk like that

Don't pickups have leaf springs? Can you upgrade those for comfort? I hear them advertising Monroe Sensatrack shock absorbers a lot, maybe that would work for you.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by ChuckLeeNorris

Hi, I have a 1995 F-150, and I want to improve my suspension so I can:
- turn corners at maximum entrance speeds
- have a less bumpy and more comfortable ride for me and my passengers

So I'm thinking of installing new springs and shocks (not doing it myself). I'd like to get the best of the best (excluding the Bose system). Any suggestions? Also, are there any other things I can do besides getting new springs and shocks?

akboss has a point..... you are somewhat limited in this goal because of the relatively primitive, heavy-duty nature of the truck's suspension.

Also, it's rather difficult to achieve better handing AND a more compliant ride. Inevitably it's a trade-off.... you will have to favor one over the other.

But here goes...... to achieve better handling:
1. get lower-profile performance light truck tires.... possibly on larger-diameter rims, so the overall tire diameter stays the same.

2. Get a lowering kit, to reduce the ride height a bit. Don't go nuts, we dont want to drag the chassis..... just lower it a couple of inches. The best way is with a dropped spindle kit in front and lowering blocks out back. This means the stock suspension geometry and spring travel remains the same.

3. Stiffer sway bar up front, and add a sway bar in the rear.

Ride compliance can be achieved by softer springs and matching shocks, but this will afffect the amount of hauling your truck can do.

*** You will have to do some research to source these parts and verify that all parts will work together. But you may want to check with Ford Motorports first. I seem to recall Ford made an SVT Lightning version of this truck which handled better than stock and may have had a better ride.... at the expense of hauling capacity. Some of those SVT parts may be available through Ford.

[ChuckLeeNorris]

Thank you for responding. I did a lot of research on your kind suggestions, which led me to running into other things as well, and I don't plan on getting low profile tires just cuz I'm lazy and don't want to have to check the PSI so often. Also, I think I'd feel more bumps on low profile tires, and I'm pretty sure they don't last as long. Also, not so interested in lowering the truck, I'd rather not have to worry so much about bumps and other things, you know what I mean?

So now heres what I'm thinking:
- Upgrade to better shocks
- Upgrade to better springs
- Upgrade to a better sway bar
- Upgrade old rubber bushings (thinking about urethane)

Just a reminder, I'm still pretty new with car talk and the whole world of automobiles.

Few questions:
- Any suggestions for shocks, springs, sway bar and bushings? (preferably best of the best)
- How do I choose a sway bar that reduces body roll but doesn't hurt the independence of the tires?

[MagicRat]

Respectfully, tires come first, for better handling. They are the most significant improvement you can make, bar none. Lower profile tires can last as long and do not need their pressure checked any more than your current ones.

Now, I'm talking a mild 50 series to 60 series here, which is commonly available in sport truck tires. Don't bother with the ultra-low rubber bands that you sometimes see. They are a bit rough and fragile.

Originally Posted by ChuckLeeNorris

- How do I choose a sway bar that reduces body roll but doesn't hurt the independence of the tires?

You don't. One offsets the other. The more sway control you have the more compormised suspension independence becomes. So one has to achieve a happy compromise.

You can start with upgrading to polyurethane bushings for the stock swaybar. This is easy and inexpensive, and makes the existing swaybar work more effectively, a bit like a stiffer bar would with rubber bushings. If this is not enough, then you look to upgrade the bar.

Finally, imo, don't bother with changing any other bushings until you settle on your spring choice. Replacing the control arm bushings with urethane makes for a rougher ride, with more road noise and vibration, which goes against your goals of a nice ride.

[ChuckLeeNorris]

Hey thanks a lot, I really appreciate it. Umm, you really don't think the stock sway bar needs replacement? It's 15 years old, heh. Also, just got through reading up a little on struts. Should I upgrade and replace the struts too? (if I even got struts)