The first thing you might notice when you start driving a truck is that the driving experience is quite different when compared to a sedan-type car. You will probably notice how bumpy the roads are, and if you want to remedy that and enjoy a smooth ride in your truck, we can’t blame you. These are out tips and tricks on how to modify your truck to achieve your goal.
Your Suspension System Needs Some Tweaking
Search online for the best riding truck shocks, so you can soften the suspension of your truck. A lighter set of shock absorbers will change your riding experience drastically. To amplify their effect, you can also change the leaf springs for softer ones. Make sure that any shocks you buy have air suspension, and you should see the difference almost immediately.
Low-Profile Tires Aren’t The Best For Option Here
Although you may think that low-profile tires look better when using tires so big – they may be the culprit behind your bumpy rides, Lower tires means they are stiff and can’t absorb shocks (due to the lower amount of air). You need the tires to be able to absorb the shock from any bumps in the road instead of transferring that shock to you and giving you a less than optimal ride.
This type of tires also have bigger rims, which give the truck more weight on the lower side. That is, the lower half of the vehicle is much heavier than the upper half. This means they have a higher unsprung mass, more on that next.
Reduce Your Truck’s Unsprung Mass
A vehicle’s unsprung mass is that of the wheels, suspension, and any other lower components of the underside of the car. The unsprung mass is responsible for the reactionary force of the vehicle to bumps in the road. As conventional physics go – reduce the mass an you can proportionally reduce the force. So try to remove any unnecessary components or, at the very least, use lightweight alternatives. For example, exchange metal hubcaps for the lighter plastic type – or get rid of them altogether.
Change Your Leaf Springs Or Anti-Vibration Parts
Well-functioning leaf springs are a crucial component in providing you with a smooth ride. Therefore, you should periodically check your leaf springs or wear and tear, and replace them as necessary. You should also check your anti-vibration parts to eliminate any shaking and give the smoothest riding experience. Some people even add extra rubber rings on their coil springs.
As you can see, there is no reason to suffer every bump and crack in the asphalt when you’re riding in a truck. With a few tweaks, you can ride smoothly on the open road. Just keep in mind that the aforementioned tips focus on comfort and prioritize it over performance. If going on an off-road path, you might want to change everything back to normal – taking the exact opposite of our advice so that you get maximum performance from your truck.