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Suspension

FatBoyM

FatBoyM

Rookie owner
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Joined
Jan 25, 2026
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Rookie blazer owner here;
Is there a way to make the vehicle ride a little softer?
It has Rancho shocks (age?) With leaf springs (obviously), with a skyjacker lift (4 inch) & it's.
I know it will never ride like an independent suspension vehicle, but it does feel a little rough on basic speedbumps.
Maybe change all bushings with better shocks?
Should I look at replacing the original leaf springs?
 
The only way is to get custom springs made. They will cost you, but they do ride great.
Offroaddesign is the way to go if you are willing. Otherwise your best bet is the ones I can’t remember. Tuff country? @obijuank5
@6872xtc
 
Fastereddie said:
The only way is to get custom springs made. They will cost you, but they do ride great.
Offroaddesign is the way to go if you are willing. Otherwise your best bet is the ones I can’t remember. Tuff country? @obijuank5
@6872xtc
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Thank you.
You're saying the least springs are the "cause/problem"? I would think as they aged they would be "softer " worn out a bit & the ride would bounce like the old Caddy.
 
Well, the rancho’s probably are not helping.
Most of us have found that the bilsteins ride the best. Old leafsprings may be worn out, but they have rust and dirt between them that contribute to friction and a crappy ride.
If you look closely at newer trucks with leafsprings they have spacers inbetween them so they only touch at the tips. That helps reduce drag.
 
Fastereddie said:
Well, the rancho’s probably are not helping.
Most of us have found that the bilsteins ride the best. Old leafsprings may be worn out, but they have rust and dirt between them that contribute to friction and a crappy ride.
If you look closely at newer trucks with leafsprings they have spacers inbetween them so they only touch at the tips. That helps reduce drag.
Click to expand...
Thank you, yes I read a lot of positivity about Bilsteins here.
I was also reading the swaybar could be a problem with the lift.
 
FatBoyM said:
Thank you, yes I read a lot of positivity about Bilsteins here.
I was also reading the swaybar could be a problem with the lift.
Click to expand...
Definitly don’t need the swaybar unless you have soft n squishy springs.
 
The factory swaybar doesn't actually fit right with lift springs, because they are longer. The quick thing to try is to just take the swaybar off, so you know how it feels without it. If that's too much body roll/too little control for you, then you need swaybar disconnects, which add a point of movement and let it work with whatever springs you have.

A good montotube shock is softer on the road and better in corners, due to how they are made and the size of the valve. Tuff Country is probably the softest off-the-shelf lift spring, but if you're really after a comfy ride, you'll have to go custom, or go "whole hog" on a link/coilover suspension. If you can, ride in various configurations and align your expectations with what you want to spend.
 
I have tuff country 6” lift springs in standard oem 47” length. They ride great! I have a BBC and a winch hanging on the front too, so im sure that helps. I have 2600# Dayton springs on the back w a shackle flip. They ride more firm. Both ends w Bilstein attached reservoir shocks
 
There is a $3000 dollar fix for this. Or you could just toss some 5125s and sway bar disconnects like said and just know you’re getting the best out of those skyjackers. Tuff country ez rides are the lowest advertised spring rate so those will be your best bet but to be honest, as a driver, I can’t tell the difference between my skyjacker 2.5 and the tuff country 2.5. Close enough where it’s probably not that big of a deal.
 
My comparison between Tuff Country EZ-RIDE and ORD springs is with my '70, which has shorter front springs than the '73 and up trucks.
IT WAS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT!
My honest opinion is that anyone who hasn't experienced custom springs from ORD, doesn't know what is possible.
This probably sounds pompous, but with my '70, it just can't be explained in words, one must feel the difference.
It had Bilstiens on it before the ORD springs, which were better than the Rancho adjustable shocks.
My '90 Jimmy went from stock, worn springs and 1/2 ton axles to ORD spec springs with 1 tons, which isn't a direct comparison. The springs being longer in the '73 and up trucks may be less of a dramatic improvement when going custom, but I would still go ORD to get the best that I could afford.
 
I had the same experience going from ez rides to ord customs and again when i went from the ord bilsteins to accutune valved king 2.5"
 
obijuank5 said:
Please elaborate
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I had the bilsteins with both sets of springs and they did pretty damn good but i had always planned to step up to the kings when funds allowed and im glad i did. Its unreal how much faster i can drive in the dessert or washboard fire roads now. Its so much more controlled. It rides better on the street too. My suburban is more of an overlander do everything rig and couldnt be happier with the suspension now. Its does everything great. Flexes great while crawling all the way up to high speed stuff.
 
shady said:
I ordered directly from ALCAN and absolutely LOVED the ride in my burb.
Click to expand...
The downside to that, as you know but others may not, is that Alcan has a contract with ORD and can not sell ORD spec springs themselves. The guys at Alcan honor this contract and build a different spec when they sell under their brand.
 
Yes. But it's damn close. Multiple thin leaves, and all that.
They aren't ORD spec, but they are AWESOME, regardless. You really can't tell a difference from what I've seen.
You order them the same way, tell em what your looking for out of your suspension, all the particulars of your rig, and they're built to order.

Whatever agreement they have, doesn't prevent them from making equivalent quality springs.
 
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