SStolen

iTrader: (22)

My mom bought an '06 Avalanche last night. I drove it and was extremely surprised at how great the ride was. My mom's truck drives ten times better than my F-body. It feels very solid and tight all around. Afterwards I drove my car and it felt like it beat the hell out of me. I noticed all kinds of annoying little noises. It really has me thinking now because I'm tired of the bad ride quality. I've had it for six years and I'm more concerned about that than going fast now. This is my daily driver when it's not raining or snowing. I do still love the car though and would like to keep it. Is there anything I can do suspension wise to get my car on the same level as my mom's truck?

I have rod-end LCA's and PHR, factory shocks, and CUT factory springs. What kind of improvement would I see if I swapped back in some factory 1LE LCA's, new rod ends on my PHR (I need adjustable because it's lowered) Koni SA's and 1" lowering springs? btw: will 1" lowering springs be less harsh than 1.5"+ lowering springs? I prefer the lowered look so if it doesn't make a difference then I will go lower, although I can deal with a little bit of fender gap in exchange for better ride quality.

Ace$nyper

iTrader: (8)

Your rod ends will not help ride quaitly, stock shocks arn't good flat out even a firmer shock will give you a better ride. Cut springs should speak for it self as far as damage to ride quailty.

Also, they are set up to do two different things you can improve your cars ride though as nice as that truck i'm not sure.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Rod ends are the devil. If you like a quiet ride.

I have a Hotchkiss PHR which has rubber end bushings.
It's adjustable.

Biggest noisemaker for me was the rod ends on the
Random Tech TA, which I took out for UMI non-adj.
Much better for noise.

Trucks usually have big tall tires that are your first
bump absorber. No short-sidewall car is going to be
as soft. Also the greater body weight makes all the
wheel impulses, less.

Hotchkiss springs (-1") hardened up the ride on me.
Bilsteins in the rear were even worse. I like the stock
rears w/ donut removed, better. The front is not so
bad, what with the nose weight. Might try just the
back first and see how you like stance & ride.

01badz28

iTrader: (5)

Ditch the stock shocks and go with Bilsteins or Koni SAs. I finally broke down and bought some Koni Yellows along with Strano's lowering springs. With the fronts on full soft, the ride improvement is a 200% improvement over the stock units. The car behaves more like a BMW and less like a Chevy. Those rod ends are still going to make a lot of noise, so I'd replace them if you looking more for ride comfort.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

If you add 3 or 4 inches of suspension travel and 2 or 3 inches of sidewall to the tires, you should get the ride quality you are looking for.

As far as the squeaks and groans you are hearing ... the car is 6 years old, a daily driver on worn out suspension parts and probably seen numerous passes at some drag strip somewhere. What do you expect?

slick1851

Cut springs are the worst thing you could ever do to your sus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


No wonder why your car rides like crap, hell stock they ride like crap and you cut the springs! That makes it alot worse!!!!!!!

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

superchargedbandit

Put A Lift Kit On And Some Bigger Tires And There You Go.

slick1851

If you didnt know, when you cut the springs it also changes the springs rates....So you dont know what the hell your getting and all 4 corners become somthing different...

Fulton 1

iTrader: (9)

So, just to clarify, you're concerned because your 7-year old, unit-body performance car with 40/35-series tires, cut stock springs, aftermarket race-oriented suspension parts, and stock POS shocks doesn't ride as well as your mom's brand new, full-frame truck with 70-series tires?

SpdFrk1990

iTrader: (6)

RUDE SS

iTrader: (4)

Yeah r u kidding me? Cut springs? Stock shocks?Thats your problem. And its not like your driving a truck made for comfort. Its a sports car right?

BlackHawk T/A

iTrader: (3)

That's why you mod the F-Body for performance, and invest in a nicer daily driver so you get the best of both. I wouldn't make too much effort to smoothen out the F-Body.

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

That sums it up quite well.

OT:love the barrett in your avatar.

Fulton 1

iTrader: (9)

Me too. I only wish it was actually mine.

splitplug

iTrader: (1)

Eh, put it back to stock for now. Everyone has clearly pointed out the problem. (Stock cut springs, stock shocks..... etc..)

DuronClocker

iTrader: (25)

Koni SA's will make a huge improvement, even if you want to keep the springs where they are at. My next suspension upgrade is going to be Strano's springs. I just don't know if I feel like tearing my front spring/shock combo apart again, that's a pain, but I guess with shorter springs it should be a little easier.

And get rid of the rod ended stuff. I have poly LCAs and a rod-ended PHB and I hated the PHB. I finally bought an on-car adjustable one from UMI with one poly end (body side) and one rod end (axle side).

2001z

iTrader: (32)

Never cut your springs that is why it rides like that

The Alchemist

iTrader: (19)

Also, if you aren't into racing, put back the stock rubber lower control arms. I had poly/poly lca's that I lubed at every oil change and they still clunked and squeeked. I went back to stock lcas and couldn't be happier.

I'll second the notion of getting new shocks as well. It's on my short to-do list this spring or summer. The shocks alone will make a huge difference in ride comfort.