New UCA's/Tires/Lift, now drives like crap

[PedroV]

I put some new JBA UCA's in, put the Bilstein 5100's at their highest setting, and put on 285/75/16's, and now the truck drives like crap. Drove very well before, now when you turn the wheel, the truck seems to hesitate, and is very slow to react. It just seems to lumber down the road, where it didn't do that before. I posted the photos of what the truck looks like, as well as the recent alignment specs.

Previously I had stock UCA's, stock 265/75/16 tires, and the 5100's were at the lowest lift setting.

Any ideas what I can do to make the truck drive like it did before, without taking all this stuff off? I really like the way the truck looks now, but not really that stoked about how it drives. Do I just have to live with it like this? Any other ideas are appreciated.

 

[Jubsz]

Your front end is clearly higher than the back. That is going to change things some. I see the swaybar end-links connected on one side but what about the other? Stock springs?

You've raised the center of gravity and changed the roll center of the vehicle. I don't know enough about suspension geometry to tell you how the roll-center change impacts this without giving it some more thought and referencing things. I'm used to thinking about this from the perspective of lowering performance cars. Either way, raising the center of gravity is likely to cause more body roll and the vehicle will take longer to "take a set" if you're still on the same spring rate. This is probably one of the reasons that lift kits typically have stiffer springs.

 

[miller507]

Try removing the spacer, the 5100s give around 2.5 lift with stock springs only and ride fairly well, with the added weight you should be considering swapping the springs for something with a higher rate.

If you do any sort of wheeling you may run into some problems down the line with 5100s and spacers on stock coils.

 

[rdruss]

Try removing the spacer, the 5100s give around 2.5 lift with stock springs only and ride fairly well, with the added weight you should be considering swapping the springs for something with a higher rate.

If you do any sort of wheeling you may run into some problems down the line with 5100s and spacers on stock coils.

I agree.

 

[UrbanRunner651]

You're ride is harsh because you are adding a good chunk of weight in the tires and are preloading the shock if you still have OE springs and an aftermarket bumper. Combine that with the higher CG and likely some moderate binding in the driveline since you are around +3" of lift.
You could regear, or throw money at the squeezing a few extra ponies out of the engine. Try playing around with different end links, bumpstops or a panhard correction. But it all cost $.. Typically ride quality diminishes the more lift & weight you add.

 

[PedroV]

Try removing the spacer, the 5100s give around 2.5 lift with stock springs only and ride fairly well, with the added weight you should be considering swapping the springs for something with a higher rate.

If you do any sort of wheeling you may run into some problems down the line with 5100s and spacers on stock coils.

Yes, I was thinking of trying this, or maybe a better idea, clipping the 5100's down one click.

Not sure what added weight you are talking about, are you referring to the bumper?

Also, regarding wheeling and running into problems, what kind of problems are you referring to?

 

[PedroV]

You're ride is harsh because you are adding a good chunk of weight in the tires and are preloading the shock if you still have OE springs and an aftermarket bumper. Combine that with the higher CG and likely some moderate binding in the driveline since you are around +3" of lift.
You could regear, or throw money at the squeezing a few extra ponies out of the engine. Try playing around with different end links, bumpstops or a panhard correction. But it all cost $.. Typically ride quality diminishes the more lift & weight you add.

Sorry if I wasn't more clear, but the ride is not harsh, the truck just turns a bit odd, and delayed in it's response. Rides fine and feels fine in a straight line!

 

[randy88fj62]

Front coil spacers on top of fully maxed out 5100's is your problem. You cannot run both.

Remove spacers and max out 5100's or keep spacer and go to lowest setting on the 5100's.

Once you pick one of those two options listed go back and get another alignment.

 

[PedroV]

Front coil spacers on top of fully maxed out 5100's is your problem. You cannot run both.

Remove spacers and max out 5100's or keep spacer and go to lowest setting on the 5100's.

Once you pick one of those two options listed go back and get another alignment.

OK, will try one of these options. Any opinion on which the best choice would be? Thanks!

 

[BackOff]

just an observation.

Looks like you have an Alu spacer (blue arrow)+ an extra thick tophat isolator (top Orange arrow, that rubber donut on top of the coil spring.)

Rub on the UCA? (lower yellow arrow)
The JBAs want a certain wheel spec to fit.

Maybe the rub is the hesitation you feel?

Included a stock OEM isolator pic.

 

[PedroV]

just an observation.

Looks like you have an Alu spacer (blue arrow)+ an extra thick tophat isolator (top Orange arrow, that rubber donut on top of the coil spring.)

Rub on the UCA? (lower yellow arrow)
The JBAs want a certain wheel spec to fit.

Maybe the rub is the hesitation you feel?

Included a stock OEM isolator pic.

Thanks for the photo of the stock tophat isolator. I was wondering if that was thicker than stock, looks like it is. I probably want to get a stock one back in there.

The rub is definitely not the cause of the hesitation, as it is only when the wheel is turned slightly off center at speed (like over 50mph).

 

[BackOff]

Thanks for the photo of the stock tophat isolator. I was wondering if that was thicker than stock, looks like it is. I probably want to get a stock one back in there.

The rub is definitely not the cause of the hesitation, as it is only when the wheel is turned slightly off center at speed (like over 50mph).

Maybe the yaw rate sensor is off.
Did you do a ZPC after lift?
(Zero point calibration)

 

[PedroV]

Maybe the yaw rate sensor is off.
Did you do a ZPC after lift?
(Zero point calibration)

No, I did not, looked it up, not convinced that is my issue, but might be worth a try if the other suggestions don't help.

 

[miller507]

Agree with the rest of the guys that have chimed in. I assumed you were having a "bumpy" ride.

Yes, I was thinking of trying this, or maybe a better idea, clipping the 5100's down one click.

Not sure what added weight you are talking about, are you referring to the bumper?

Also, regarding wheeling and running into problems, what kind of problems are you referring to?

By having a top spacer paired with 5100s on the highest clip you have limited travel on the springs so its likely to have some binding issues which may lead to broken shocks, bent endlinks among other things.

Sorry if I wasn't more clear, but the ride is not harsh, the truck just turns a bit odd, and delayed in it's response. Rides fine and feels fine in a straight line!

If you feel the steering is odd, you should check the alignment.

Front coil spacers on top of fully maxed out 5100's is your problem. You cannot run both.

Remove spacers and max out 5100's or keep spacer and go to lowest setting on the 5100's.

Once you pick one of those two options listed go back and get another alignment.

Pretty much

just an observation.

Looks like you have an Alu spacer (blue arrow)+ an extra thick tophat isolator (top Orange arrow, that rubber donut on top of the coil spring.)

Rub on the UCA? (lower yellow arrow)
The JBAs want a certain wheel spec to fit.

Maybe the rub is the hesitation you feel?

Included a stock OEM isolator pic.

Good eye, I saw something odd but it didn't wrap my head around what it was.

 

[miller507]

Zero point calibration, usually lights up the dash with error codes.

 

[randy88fj62]

Your bumpy ride and awkward handling feeling is the upper JBA ball joints being maxed out past their normal articulation. The amount of lift you have is putting the UBJ's beyond their normal limits.

I did this exact same thing one time and my front suspension was pissed. Not to mention your front CV driveline angle is way too much.

 

[BackOff]

Your bumpy ride and awkward handling feeling is the upper JBA ball joints being maxed out past their normal articulation. The amount of lift you have is putting the UBJ's beyond their normal limits.

I did this exact same thing one time and my front suspension was pissed. Not to mention your front CV driveline angle is way too much.

Looks like the inner cv boots dont like this lift either, spraying grease it looks like.

I just tossed that ZPC idea out there as most seem to miss this final little thing after a lift.

 

[PedroV]

Well, I took the lift spacers off the top of the strut, put the stock strut top cap in, and reduced the clip on the 5100's by one clip, to the third from bottom, and now the truck is too low. Wish there was an easier way to figure out how high the truck will be other than trial and error. I think I will do this one more time, and put the lift spacer back on. Crossing my fingers!

It does drive a lot better this way. Hoping I can get the look I want with a little more lift, and will still drive OK. The clip I put it on is supposed to be a 2" lift, but it sure doesn't seem like it is that much.

 

[mjg514]

are you still running stock springs in the rear? if you move that front clip up again and the nose is once again a bit high, you could look at getting longer springs for the back.

 

[BackOff]

Its a 2:1 ratio on the front.

If you add a 1/4 inch thick spacer it will lift you 1/2 inch in height.

If you add a 1/2 inch spacer it will lift you 1 inch.