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Hard ride


Able Dog

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We've been enjoying this lifestyle since 1972, when we bought our first RV, a '72 F-250 Camper Special with an Amerigo slide-in camper ( I still have the truck). Our present truck is an 1999 F-450, Crew Cab, 7.3 SD, and a modified bed. We've had the truck since it was new and we both love it (we don't believe in getting ride of anything). :D

 

But, we are both in our 70's now and the harsh ride is becoming unbearable enough to make us start thinking about hanging up the keys... a decision neither of us want to think about.

 

Now to the problem, doing something to make the ride more comfortable. I need to act ASAP because my wife fell and broke the "nob" off of the femur bone where it sets in the hip socket on 1/16. Operation went well and she is bound and determined to be in the truck on 2/14 for our scheduled trip for FL.

 

So, please explain to me what, if anything, I can do to take "some" of the roughness out of our ride.

 

Thanks. Larry

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Fastest, easiest would be to add a piece of plate steel to the bed. The suspension needs some weight to work against. Kelderman makes an air-ride kit, that replaces the springs with air bags, but it's not cheap.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


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Another thought would be to change out the rear springs. Unless you are sure what the truck was spec'd with, it could have very heavy springs. You could also remove a couple of leaves. I'd consider taking it to a truck spring shop if not too far & let them look at it. I am assuming you are pulling a fiver. A simple free check would be to back under it with the weight on the jacks. Get underneath and watch the springs as the pin is dropped on the truck. If you don't see a substantial flex, there's the problem.

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You could either air bag the suspension, add a Kelderman as noted above or look at the new Born Free compressible silicon liquid dampened rear suspension. I looked at the demo model in Tampa at the show and was impressed with their setup.

2017 Kenworth T680
2015 DRV 38RSSA Elite Suites
2016 Smart Prime

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Some more information-

 

GVWR= 15,000

GAWR (F)= 6000

GAWR ®= 11,000

GCVWR= 26,000

Wheel Base= 176.2

 

Tires= Goodyear G670RV

225/70R19.5 tires are strictly road tread, no flex at all even when hitched up

 

Weight (empty)

Steer axle- 4400

Drive axel- 4460

Gross weight- 8860

 

Weight (w/trailer)

Steer axle- 4360

Drive axle- 7980

Trailer axles- 10,900

Gross weight- 23,240

 

All weights are with truck & trailer road ready.

 

With the trailer on I have at least 3100 lbs to consider loosing. Plus that was the last scale when we were full timing. Since we're not FT'ing now, I'm sure that we will scale a lot less. So general consensus is modify and/or remove the springs. Air bags for sure.

 

Darryl, I don't understand the physics behind the steel plate, do I really need to make my frame more ridge?

 

A bit extreme, but do they make air ride seats for pick ups?

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I meant use a piece of plate steel, as thick as you can find. Cut it to lay flat on the deck of the truck. The idea is to add some weight to the rear springs, so the small road irregularities don't get transmitted into the cab.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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Air pressure in the tires? According to Goodyear's load inflation table, you don't even have enough weight on the tires to require the 70 psi minimum they show on the chart. Could possibly be the cheapest/easiest improvement you can make if you are over inflated now.

 

http://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd

2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4

2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB

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Look at the truck dealers. Check on truck paper. I have sears elite in my kenworth. You can now purchase seats with massage built in. Take mama and go sit in some. My wife wants one in our jeep.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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Air pressure in the tires? According to Goodyear's load inflation table, you don't even have enough weight on the tires to require the 70 psi minimum they show on the chart. Could possibly be the cheapest/easiest improvement you can make if you are over inflated now.

 

http://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

I know, I carry that table in the truck for a reference. When towing, I run with 70PSI, which is almost a comfortable ride... how low of a PSI can I go and still be safe?

 

Would it be safe to take it down to 55/60 PSI range, front and rear ?

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I know, I carry that table in the truck for a reference. When towing, I run with 70PSI, which is almost a comfortable ride... how low of a PSI can I go and still be safe?

 

Would it be safe to take it down to 55/60 PSI range, front and rear ?

 

My axle weights in my pickup are approx Steer 5800#/Drive 7900#. I run my 22.5" tires down to 45 psi rear based on % of loading and 65psi front which I know is more than required, but it corners better. Hard because the table doesn't go below 80 psi for my tire size, but my truck would bend in half before I reached the tire's load ratings.

1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd

2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4

2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB

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  • 3 weeks later...

Our Kodiak C5500 has a 1" Plate of steel for the main bed floor. Its there just for weight. But sure made it easy to mount 5th wheel rails. 4 bolts and it was done. Being its through 1" of steel don't think it will bend.

Also I would have to find it, but there's a company that makes seat bases where you can put air ride seats in your truck. My 1987 Ford F800 had those in it. Sat on the floor without air.

Heres a site with bases for your truck. http://www.industrialseats.com/product.asp?pID=1110&pgrID=231&categoryID=23 And here's the search I did showing more info. https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS706US706&q=1999+f450+air+ride+seat+base&oq=1999+F-450+airride+seat+base&gs_l=serp.1.0.30i10k1.2196.8891.0.11007.30.22.0.0.0.0.468.3161.0j6j3j0j3.12.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..19.10.2407...33i160k1j33i21k1.Fh1gX7Bweuk

 

 


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I just finished looking at the Kelderman 2-stage air suspension with the 2.5 receiver, great system... I'm sold!

 

So Ronbo, got any information on seats?

I have the Kelderman 4 link on my lgt truck, If I would ever do it again I would go with the Liquid Spring route, I took a test drive in a Ford F-350 and it was much improved over my Kellerman, but 1,500 dollars higher, but in my case well worth the cost.

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Rather than going with the full air ride seat, I have a couple of air ride seat bases. I am too far away from you but perhaps you could retrofit a set from a bone yard ? All you would need is a compressor set up.

 

I am not sure if they would fit but it is worth a try..

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