Quest to enhance suspension (yet again)
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Harrisonburg Virginia
Any of the suspension enhancements like those will undo what the shocks have given you. They are meant to enhance the amount of weight you carry. They do offer sway bars, which could help with sideways movement, but in looking into these, it doesn't look like they make one for a 1500.
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Any of the suspension enhancements like those will undo what the shocks have given you. They are meant to enhance the amount of weight you carry. They do offer sway bars, which could help with sideways movement, but in looking into these, it doesn't look like they make one for a 1500.
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this is one of the options.
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Joined: Jan 2019
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What KYB's?
I had an 8 passenger 1/2 ton van ( the other brand ) for a while and its ride was floaty. Monroe Gas Magnums helped a bunch. It also rode better with some weight in the back. Grab two bags of cement or play sand or that unused barbell set to use as ballast. Adding helper springs can help. Maybe even upgrade to a better , higher rate, rear spring. Its all bolt-on stuff.
I had an 8 passenger 1/2 ton van ( the other brand ) for a while and its ride was floaty. Monroe Gas Magnums helped a bunch. It also rode better with some weight in the back. Grab two bags of cement or play sand or that unused barbell set to use as ballast. Adding helper springs can help. Maybe even upgrade to a better , higher rate, rear spring. Its all bolt-on stuff.
Last edited by regis101; Jan 26, 2019 at 4:50 PM.
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CF Active Member
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 266
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What KYB's?
I had an 8 passenger 1/2 ton van ( the other brand ) for a while and its ride was floaty. Monroe Gas Magnums helped a bunch. It also rode better with some weight in the back. Grab two bags of cement or play sand or that unused barbell set to use as ballast. Adding helper springs can help. Maybe even upgrade to a better , higher rate, rear spring. Its all bolt-on stuff.
I had an 8 passenger 1/2 ton van ( the other brand ) for a while and its ride was floaty. Monroe Gas Magnums helped a bunch. It also rode better with some weight in the back. Grab two bags of cement or play sand or that unused barbell set to use as ballast. Adding helper springs can help. Maybe even upgrade to a better , higher rate, rear spring. Its all bolt-on stuff.
Yeap, I can try to put some load at the back, as the wife and the baby are almos weigthless and they seat at the middle, not all the way back.
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Joined: Apr 2017
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From: San Diego
Van shocks
Gents,
As some of you may be aware, I was looking to replace all four shocks in my 01 Conversion Van. I did. No name, no brand shocks are out and KYB`s are in. Feel is much better now, as imperfections in the read are not trasmitted to the passengers, which is good. Feels like a SUV, and they are wife approved.
When the family (4 people) went for a 2 hour ride to the lake, the wife said "they are perfect, BUT...."
And my smile went out when I heard the "BUT".
She said that now we need to fix to the "boat feeling" in the back seats. I can understand it as we come from small or medium size sporty cars, now being in a Van is a completly different experience. So Im looking to reduce the "boat feeling" as described by the wife. I called eTrailed and they said I should get the Roadmaster Active Suspension.
What are your thoughts?
As some of you may be aware, I was looking to replace all four shocks in my 01 Conversion Van. I did. No name, no brand shocks are out and KYB`s are in. Feel is much better now, as imperfections in the read are not trasmitted to the passengers, which is good. Feels like a SUV, and they are wife approved.
When the family (4 people) went for a 2 hour ride to the lake, the wife said "they are perfect, BUT...."
And my smile went out when I heard the "BUT".
She said that now we need to fix to the "boat feeling" in the back seats. I can understand it as we come from small or medium size sporty cars, now being in a Van is a completly different experience. So Im looking to reduce the "boat feeling" as described by the wife. I called eTrailed and they said I should get the Roadmaster Active Suspension.
What are your thoughts?
I have done both of these to my van and like the improved ride however it is a newer van but still compatible components.
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Replacing your shocks are great but..... Most of the time the leaf springs for these cant do there job due to the large platform spring. You can replace that spring with a negative arc spring that will allow your upper springs to move which may be giving you that harsh boating felling like you are hitting a wake . At the same time the boating felling me be due to shocks that can't control the weight of the van so you tend to get more sway. The KYB shocks may be better then stock but still not correct for the van weight.
I have done both of these to my van and like the improved ride however it is a newer van but still compatible components.
I have done both of these to my van and like the improved ride however it is a newer van but still compatible components.
Thats great feeback.
So you have to modify the leaf springs to minimize this "boat" feeling? Any pictures?