Stiff ride

[stir_fry_boy]

Stiff ride after new ES bushings.

Just finished the job from hell, front UCA and LCA bushings with UBJ. I used energy suspension bushings. Now, the truck rides really stiff up front.

Tires are 34 PSI, and also running the double disconnect sway links from MStut, and I also have the SS 1.2 kit.

Ideas?

 

[KidVermicious]

$5 says you torqued the lower control arms before putting the truck back on the ground, and now your bushings are binding.

 

[blizz86]

$5 says you torqued the lower control arms before putting the truck back on the ground, and now your bushings are binding.

yup. almost all suspension needs to be preloaded before torquing

 

[absalom]

Aren't poly bushings free to rotate within their arms? I thought only rubber bushings were subject to binding.

 

[fourfive]

$5 says you torqued the lower control arms before putting the truck back on the ground, and now your bushings are binding.

+1 on ^. About a month ago I loosened then re-torqued ALL the front & rear suspension components at ride height or under load & there was a noticeable improvement in ride quality (i.e. absorbed bumps in the road better and less body roll).

Last week I replaced my front LCA & steering rack bushings with polys (whiteline LCA & ES steering rack), snugged everything up while on jack stands, then torqued at ride height and the handling/ride quality is still excellent after I had everything aligned.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Wouldn't the LCA bushing thru-bolts have been loosened and then re-torqued when they did the alignment? I don't want to mess up my alignment.

I'll re-torque the UCAs.

 

[fourfive]

I don't believe torquing the LCA bolts after alignment will alter the alignment unless you loosen the cam bolt and adjust the washer. I usually retorque them anyway b/c I rarely see techs torquing any of the bolts. Try loosening and re-torquing your suspension components (even sway bar & end links) at ride height & see if that helps. Some say that is over kill & while it may be tedious, it improved my ride quality & its a free way to rule out any binding being a potential contributing factor to the stiff ride you're experiencing.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

I don't believe torquing the LCA bolts after alignment will alter the alignment unless you loosen the cam bolt and adjust the washer. I usually retorque them anyway b/c I rarely see techs torquing any of the bolts. Try loosening and re-torquing your suspension components (even sway bar & end links) at ride height & see if that helps. Some say that is over kill & while it may be tedious, it improved my ride quality & its a free way to rule out any binding being a potential contributing factor to the stiff ride you're experiencing.

Just to clarify - the LCA bolts go THROUGH the cam adjusters. Is that correct?

When you say "cam bolt" isn't that the LCA thru-bolt?

When they did the alignment wouldn't they have essentially loosened the cam bolt and retightened it once it was within spec on the alignment rack - alleviating any binding that could be happening with the LCA bushings?

 

[fourfive]

Yes the "through bolt". The bolt has to be loosened then the cam washer, on the inner parts of the LCA, are rotated to adjust alignment. Whenever I loosen or tighten just the "through bolt" it never changed the position of the alignment cam/washer.

If you're still feeling iffy, mark the position of your alignment cams and take pictures of the front and back of them. Then try torquing them to 96ft lbs. If you see them move, you have a pic of the original position for reference but from my experience, they will not move unless the through bolt is loosened and the washer is rotated.

You are correct in that if you got an alignment, they would have already loosened the bolt to adjust the alignment cams then re-tightned them at ride height. If you know they torqued everything to spec then probably not necessary to recheck. But if you're not sure, it doesn't hurt to make sure they are properly torqued. I tend to go over board on trying to torque everything to spec.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Do you know what the torque spec is for UCA?

Thanks in advance.

 

[fourfive]

The long bolt for the UCA to frame is 87ft/lbs....which I also loosened at ride height then retorqued.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

The long bolt for the UCA to frame is 87ft/lbs....which I also loosened at ride height then retorqued.

Thanks, I'll do that this week.

 

[infamousRNR]

The only stiff ride is when you sit on my lap...........