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Suggestions for stiffer springs

punchinghorse

punchinghorse

Uppercutting Equestrian
Joined
Dec 4, 2013
Posts
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Location
Anderson, IN
My K5 currently has a Skyjacker 6" (PO claims) lift. The springs feel like I am riding around on a trampoline. It's seriously scary how much it bounces around when I hit any sort of bump. Any suggestions on good replacement springs? I'm on a very limited budget, but I am willing to buy new if they're worth it. Used parts are nearly impossible to find around here.

On a related note, does anyone else who has the Skyjacker kit think they are too soft? Or should I be barking up a different tree to improve the ride quality?
 
I think this is a shock problem, not a spring problem.

Those skyjackers are actually known to be pretty stiff.

What shocks are you running?

Lots of people love the Bilstein 5100's, but I think they are too soft for controlled road use. I have the rancho adjustables, and they aren't terrific, but the ARE adjustable.

I have them on 6 or 7 out of 9 stiffness settings.
 
I'm running the skyjacker soft ride (6") and don't think they are all that soft. Since it bounces when you hit bumps, I would also recommend new shocks before replacing springs.
 
I'm sure the shocks have something to do with it, and I planned to replace them when I swapped out the springs. I don't know, though, they really seem to flex a LOT. Not just the fact that the truck bounces a lot after hitting a bump, but also the initial downward travel is extreme. It's almost like it does a nose dive if I hit a pothole with a front tire. Would shocks affect things this much?

I am unsure of the brand of shocks at the moment and the truck isn't nearby. Supposedly they are fairly new, within the past 2 years or so, and the truck was hardly ever driven by the PO.
 
punchinghorse said:
Would shocks affect things this much?
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On a soft spring, the shocks will make all the difference in the world. Trust me.

If the spring is too stiff, shocks won't fix the issue. But on being too soft, the next thing to dampen and control movement is the shocks.

Saying you seem to want it stiffer, i'd go with an adjustable.
 
Are you talking about these: Rancho RS9000XL

Looking at them on Rancho's website, it says they're adjustable, but the 4wp listing doesn't mention the adjustability at all, it just says that they are "compatible with Rancho's "My Ride" 9-position manual/remote tuning." I am not sure what that means. I suppose I could just ask them.
 
punchinghorse said:
Are you talking about these: Rancho RS9000XL

Looking at them on Rancho's website, it says they're adjustable, but the 4wp listing doesn't mention the adjustability at all, it just says that they are "compatible with Rancho's "My Ride" 9-position manual/remote tuning." I am not sure what that means. I suppose I could just ask them.
Click to expand...

Yep those are them. There are some procomp 6 way adjustable ones too.

Neither are famous for great shocks, so went with rancho.

If you just order the shocks from that link, you get to turn a little dial on the shock body to adjust the setting.

The Remote tuning kit thing allows you to adjust it from in the cab. Unnecessary. You won't adjust them very often.
 
Call 4WP or go to rancho's website to make sure you get the right part number / length.

If you have dual front shocks, ditch them, and go singles.
 
punchinghorse said:
OK, thanks I will try these. It says they will call you after ordering to confirm fitment.
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Truthfully, i'd do what i could to order from someone else. When i got mine, i got them from 4WP, as they had the best price, but i did my best to avoid it.

That place sucks in general.

I'd call them, and order via phone. Less likely they will mess it up, and then ask for an email confirmation.

Best of luck!
 
Haha, yeah I'm well aware of 4wp's reputation, although personally I have ordered a few things from them and never had a problem. I think by just ordering one item at a time I can greatly reduce my chances of things getting f-ed up.:doah:
 
punchinghorse said:
Haha, yeah I'm well aware of 4wp's reputation, although personally I have ordered a few things from them and never had a problem. I think by just ordering one item at a time I can greatly reduce my chances of things getting f-ed up.:doah:
Click to expand...

That theory is not valid when you have to order 4 shocks, with 2 different model numbers....:haha:

Best of luck.
 
Remove your current shocks and test drive it to see if the ride softens up.

Obviously don't leave it that way, just a quick check to make sure it isn't the springs.:dunno:
 
4xcrazy said:
Remove your current shocks and test drive it to see if the ride softens up.

Obviously don't leave it that way, just a quick check to make sure it isn't the springs.:dunno:
Click to expand...

If it was too stiff, i'd say this make sense . But, being too soft, it may get softer....but that doesnt' really prove anything. :dunno:
 
Sorry, I misunderstood then, I was thinking you were referring to bouncy as hard springs. I know my Rough Country springs rode "bouncy" for awhile as in really stiff. They did wear in and were even better with gas shocks.
 
Yeah I guess I can't think of a good word. Basically, when you hit a bump, the truck gyrates up and down about 5-6 times noticeably, whereas I would say a "normal" amount would be only 2 or 3 tops. It feels like I have bungee cords for springs.
 
OH, yeah, I see cars doing that sometimes, first thing that comes to mind is they need new shocks/struts.. :tongue1:
 
dhcomp said:
That theory is not valid when you have to order 4 shocks, with 2 different model numbers....:haha:

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

Man....true that!

I got my Bilsteins from 4WP and it took a few tries to get all 4 correct shocks. Originally sent me the yellow ones and then the incorrect lengths. Third times a charm! :haha:
 
punchinghorse said:
Yeah I guess I can't think of a good word. Basically, when you hit a bump, the truck gyrates up and down about 5-6 times noticeably, whereas I would say a "normal" amount would be only 2 or 3 tops. It feels like I have bungee cords for springs.
Click to expand...

You are describing worn shocks. I can't believe any Skyjacker spring would be too soft for street use. More likely the opposite and all the movement of the truck is because the suspension isn't doing its job to absorb/control what's happening at the wheels.

Adjustable shocks are neat and let you get away without knowing the proper damping ahead of time. But I still don't know why people pay the same $ for twin-tubes that you have to turn a knob on, when you can get mono-tubes that know how to adjust their damping automatically while you drive.
 
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