Unsatisactory Ride on Freeway

[Newmanator]

I just purchased a 2003 Silverado and I am considering taking it back to the dealer ship for the following reason.

When I am on the freeway(s.CA) at about 65-75 mph the truck is bouncing so bad that I can barely drink my cup of coffee. I believe it is due to the "white top" cement that has the sectional dividers (for expansion during weather I guess). We have areas on the I-5 in CA where you will go from white top to blacktop sections of freeway, once the truck is on the black top (smoother surface) the bouncing stops. The reason I say this is that I know it is not a balancing problem.


Have any of you experienced this problem? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[GMMerlin]

So whats the problem?
You have admitted its not the truck but the road.
"I believe it is due to the "white top" cement that has the sectional dividers (for expansion during weather I guess). We have areas on the I-5 in CA where you will go from white top to blacktop sections of freeway, once the truck is on the black top (smoother surface) the bouncing stops. The reason I say this is that I know it is not a balancing problem."
If you wanted a soft ride, you should have bought a Caddy or other big road car.

Then your other quote
"the truck is bouncing so bad that I can barely drink my cup of coffee"
Not to be an @ss, but your hands should be on the wheel and you should be paying attention to traffic...if you have to have that cup of coffee, get up a couple minutes early and enjoy it at the house or wait til you get to work (I'm sure your boss wont mind you having a coffee break when you first get to work)

OK Rant mode OFF

[Newmanator]

Originally Posted by GMMerlin

So whats the problem?
You have admitted its not the truck but the road.
"I believe it is due to the "white top" cement that has the sectional dividers (for expansion during weather I guess). We have areas on the I-5 in CA where you will go from white top to blacktop sections of freeway, once the truck is on the black top (smoother surface) the bouncing stops. The reason I say this is that I know it is not a balancing problem."
If you wanted a soft ride, you should have bought a Caddy or other big road car.

Then your other quote
"the truck is bouncing so bad that I can barely drink my cup of coffee"
Not to be an @ss, but your hands should be on the wheel and you should be paying attention to traffic...if you have to have that cup of coffee, get up a couple minutes early and enjoy it at the house or wait til you get to work (I'm sure your boss wont mind you having a coffee break when you first get to work)

OK Rant mode OFF

Thanks for the reply... If it makes you feel any better we'll pretend like the coffee is in the cup holders( maybe I have a passenger with me you never know?) The truck shakes so bad that it would spill whatever you had in the DRINK HOLDERS. Chevy along with other manufacturers decided to put cup holders in for a reason right? Not for flippin looks. I think you missed the point, go back and try and get the idea of what I am talking about. Maybe I should of said "it bounces so bad it makes my Nutz tickle would that be a better description for you and satisfy your lack of competence in bringing my job and boss in to this?


IT SHAKES SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE. I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME HELP NOT BANTER...

PS. "Sorry if I seem like an @ss"

NEWMANator

[lhirsch]

Try lettiing some air out of the tires. The recommended PSI for the rear tires is somewhere around 80 (for towing), which can make for a bumpy ride.

If you bought the truck solely to commute in, there are probably a host of SUVs that would have made a better choice. I do a lot of freeway driving in my '02 Silverado and, yes, it's a bumpier ride than a smaller sedan, but you can't pull four ton of hay or three big horses with a sedan, either. And, as trucks go, I think the Silverado has the smoothest ride out there.

It all comes down to the right tool for the job, I suppose.

HTH,

Les

[Newmanator]

Originally Posted by lhirsch

Try lettiing some air out of the tires. The recommended PSI for the rear tires is somewhere around 80 (for towing), which can make for a bumpy ride.

If you bought the truck solely to commute in, there are probably a host of SUVs that would have made a better choice. I do a lot of freeway driving in my '02 Silverado and, yes, it's a bumpier ride than a smaller sedan, but you can't pull four ton of hay or three big horses with a sedan, either. And, as trucks go, I think the Silverado has the smoothest ride out there.

It all comes down to the right tool for the job, I suppose.

HTH,

Les

Les,

Thats a good Idea I will run the tires at a lower PSI and see how it feels. Don't get me wrong t I love the truck and have been a chevy man since my 54' panel delivery. I bought it for a number of different uses. Have a Jetboat, Harley ETC. so we'll see how she rides when draggin the boat. or haulin the 900 lb Hog.

Thanks for your response

Newman

[Silverado2001]

I just bought an 01 Silverado long bed extended cab and wasn't thrilled with the ride either. My 94, same configuration, was smooth as silk. After adjusting the air (it came with 44 all the way around) I can live with the ride. For normal run-around-town and the occassional towing of a boat/small trailer (btw, towing a Harley?? shame) with regular light truck tires, 34lbs in the front and 31 in the rear seems to work real well. (less air in the rear with no/light load will give a lot better traction) You probably will get a little more tire wear, but the trade off in ride will more than make up for it.

[Newmanator]

Originally Posted by Silverado2001

I just bought an 01 Silverado long bed extended cab and wasn't thrilled with the ride either. My 94, same configuration, was smooth as silk. After adjusting the air (it came with 44 all the way around) I can live with the ride. For normal run-around-town and the occassional towing of a boat/small trailer (btw, towing a Harley?? shame) with regular light truck tires, 34lbs in the front and 31 in the rear seems to work real well. (less air in the rear with no/light load will give a lot better traction) You probably will get a little more tire wear, but the trade off in ride will more than make up for it.

Hey Right on! Thats what I was looking for in the last 2 replys. If I could tow the boat behind the Harley I would

BTW the Harley is a 02' FatBoy (bought it new May, 02) I have 10,000 miles on it!

YES, I ride my Bike

Newman

[mjrodney]

My 99 V6 2wd short bed commutes ~60 miles each work day at ~70mph. Part of that trip is over washboard interstate and yes, I can feel it, but I wouldn't trade that truck because of it. It is no where near as bad as the poster is experiencing.

On this truck, the Goodyear Wrangler 16" OEM tires are maintained at 35 psi and rotated/balanced every 7500 miles.

That maintenance schedule must work, for these tires currently have 5/32 left on them, and......get this.......89,000 miles, so far. Estimated to reach the wear bars? 95,000-100,000 miles. Gotta luv it!

[GMMerlin]

The ride of the new body style C/K trucks is far superior than anything out there IMHO.
Bump senistivity (that is what you are feeling) has to do with frequency...or the wheel base and timing of the repeated bumps you are hitting.
A shorter or longer wheel base on the same road would feel different.
As you can see from my profile, I own a 02 Serria x-cab truck. I drive 45 miles one way of some of the worst interstate out there (the SC highway system) and find the ride to be within my comfort level.
When you test drove the truck before purchasing it, you should have taken it out on your daily travel route to see if it meets your standards (yes you can do it, the dealer may not like it, but you are the consumer and should make sure that the vehicle fits your needs)
Gm offers the 24hour roadtest just for that purpose.
Check the tire pressure recommendations on the door and adjust tire pressure.

Proud owner of a 80 Harley Shovelhead with a kickstart....a real Harley riders bike

[Newmanator]

Originally Posted by GMMerlin

The ride of the new body style C/K trucks is far superior than anything out there IMHO.
Bump senistivity (that is what you are feeling) has to do with frequency...or the wheel base and timing of the repeated bumps you are hitting.
A shorter or longer wheel base on the same road would feel different.
As you can see from my profile, I own a 02 Serria x-cab truck. I drive 45 miles one way of some of the worst interstate out there (the SC highway system) and find the ride to be within my comfort level.
When you test drove the truck before purchasing it, you should have taken it out on your daily travel route to see if it meets your standards (yes you can do it, the dealer may not like it, but you are the consumer and should make sure that the vehicle fits your needs)
Gm offers the 24hour roadtest just for that purpose.
Check the tire pressure recommendations on the door and adjust tire pressure.

Proud owner of a 80 Harley Shovelhead with a kickstart....a real Harley riders bike

Hey, Thanks... sounds like you have a kickass bike too!

After talking to a number of different people I have come to the conclusion that I need to accept that the suspension and wheelbase are something I need to get used too. The truck is actually feeling better now than when I first purchased it. Maybe it has "broken " in a little, or I am just not noticing it as much.

NEWMAN

[Paul Gavaza]

It isn't the road. I have had my 2003 Silverado back to the dealer 3 times in the first 5K miles for the same harmonic problem on even a decent highway. Chevy should be banned from using the term smooth ride in any advertising.

I have tried numerous combinations of air pressures with no luck, and I am presently fighting with the bozos at the dealership over the rear shocks.

I don't know about the rest of you, but pushing on the rear of the bed rail, I can push the bed up and down what I believe to be way too easily.

The shocks are stock and have TXL on the sticker. I'll post any results if I can force them to change them.


I don't want to be too negative, but I traded a 90 F150 which was a lot more truck even in a delpidated condition. This Chevy rattles during gear changes 3-4-3 around town, the rear radio speakers vibrate, after backing when you put it in drive, it sometimes has a delay in engagement then a slam ehen it engages.

Anyone else have these?

Thanks in advance.

Paul Gavaza

[dirtbike661]

i agree.. i have a 2004 Silverado Crew cab 2500 4x4, it's a bad ride on So.Cal. freeways on certain areas like the valley. I changed to Rancho RS9000x shocks, the adjustable one, but it's alittle better, but the harsh ride is still there.. i'm considering installing commercial airride bags.

[newbronc]

1st post. just bought a 2003 silverado 4x4 extra cab new of the lot. I have about 800 miles on it. My truck does the exact same thing on the freeway. Seems like it gets out of balance. I got the tow package so I'm thinkig it is probaly an add-a-leaf in the rear that is causing the bouncing. I'm gonna put a few more miles on it and see if it softens up/settles in. If it does'nt I'll pull the rear add-a leafs and repost on how it rides afterward. One other thing ,my brakes suck! 4 wheel disc and it is the worst. 1st up, feels like they need a good bleeding ,second ,no power . I would'nt tow anything in the current condition. Again ,gonna put a few more miles on it so that I can take it back with a punch list of things to fix. Your not alone.

[Sonny01]

Do what I do...only have liquid in cups with lids and straws. I have hit small bumps going slow and sometimes fast and I have had cups bounce out of the cup holder. My little 2000 K1500 rides so much better with weight it the back. I have Michelin 6 ply tires and I run 45PSI on all for corners. These tires ride harder then the stock 4 ply but I haul and tow and I need them. I can handle the rough ride (hey...it's a truck) but my beef is with the ABS system. Oh well...if it wasn't for fixing my truck...what would I do with all of my spare time.
Sonny

[stubbornmike]

if your running good year tires theres your problem and the tire pressure is no where near 80. 40 in the back max if hauling a trailer.