95 G20 Extremely rough ride
 

Okay so I bought this van a few months ago and recently it started getting really rough to drive. It does well over humps and dips and things but if its a pothole (even a tiny one), a gap before a bridge or even those little reflectors they put down to separate lanes!!! Well it feels like the whole van is falling apart when I hit those. Naturally I thought it was suspension so I've had all the shocks replaced but nothing changed.
I did put aftermarket rims on with original size tires. This being done I can see that the rims themselves are a bit wider than the tires. Is this the culprit? Are my tires bottoming out every time I hit a bump in the road?? Thank you all for any advice you can share with me. I've never run into this problem with any other vehicle Ive owned.

Not sure you will get a useful reply with the problem described as when you encounter certain bumps "Well it feels like the whole van is falling apart ". More specific info would certainly help diagnosis your issue.

It feels like running over train tracks. Very jarring every time I hit any bump. Even on highway it is very rough. The whole dash shakes.

The new Rims I put on are 15x8 wheels. Not sure if they are the sane as stock but I did notice that the stock size tires mounted on these wheels balloon out a bit and it doesn't seem like the tread area covers the width of the wheels themselves. Not sure if that matters or not..
About to install air ride from and back and see if that helps but that's last resort.

Still at a loss here but I would recommend eliminating components. Confirm your ball joints, tie rod ends, isolation rubber, springs, shocks, steering box/gears etc.... are to spec.

The tie rods and ball joints were all replaced by a reputable shop. So I would assume all of that is okay. It really drives like a dream when its a nice smooth road. I can even accelerate the conversion van with no hands on the wheel and it will go straight all day long.
It was brought to my attention today that maybe my tires are over filled? I always assumed to go by the tire manufacturer's specs and fill accordingly. My tires have a max of 50 PSI. I have my rears at 44. And my fronts at 40.

Perhaps you need a more beefier tire to cushion the ride a bit. If that tire is stretched out over too wide a rim... could be an issue. A good tire shop should be able to figure out what you need and check for rubbing once installed. You want a D load range tire.




Set the tire pressure to what it says on the door jamb sticker. Sounds reasonable what you are set at now for a G20.

Ditto on the door jamb sticker. Over 40 psi sounds hi. Should be 35 or so for that van. Forget what it says on the tire. Max pressure does not mean you run that. Always go by the sticker on the door jamb for tire size, sidewall ply, and pressure.
My 2002 express says load range E 50 psi front 80 psi rear. If I ran 80 on the front I would get a similar ride that you are.....
Also, empty cargo vans amplify sounds from driving. If you have a bare van consider a layer of underlay and some plywood on top. I hate driving inside a speaker box....lol