Body Roll

[Alexio Auditore]

a few months ago, I replaced my shocks all the way around on my truck. They were shot, replaced them with bilstein 5100. It definitely helped the up and down recover, but the truck still bounces side to side a lot more. What I mean is if I hit a speed bump one tire at a time, the truck rocks side to side much more than I remeber it doing originally. 

Looked at the sway bar links, and don't see any kind of wear on it, even when I bounce it manually. So maybe the coils are tired? How can you tell? What other causes might there be?

 

Up and down is fine, so I don't think its the shocks.

[Towrigdually]

My thought on the 5100’s is that if they are stiffer and bounce back faster, then when you hit a bump on the right side it’ll rebound quick and cause the left to have to rebound also because the rebound from the right cause some push on the left.

 

but you could be right also with the springs being worn out, I know mine are at 378k. Another thing to look at if the sway bar links are good, what about the sway bar bushings, Are they old and worn or newer? 
 

could be completely off my rocker on this train of thought, just ideas that I have on night shift. 
 

[Tractorman]

@Alexio Auditore, your topic title suggests that when your truck goes into a curve you get a lot of body roll (a steady lean of the vehicle throughout the curve).  This could be caused by worn out spring or deteriorated anti-sway bar bushings, but not by stiffer shocks.

 

6 hours ago, Alexio Auditore said:

They were shot, replaced them with bilstein 5100. It definitely helped the up and down recover, but the truck still bounces side to side a lot more.

 

The above statement suggests that that you are talking about a stiff side to side rocking motion.  That would probably be caused by the stiffer shocks that you installed.  I installed the 4600's on my truck because I heard that the 5100's were a bit stiff.

 

If I interpreted what you were saying incorrectly, then just disregard my comments.

 

- John

[Alexio Auditore]

Sorry for the misdirection, I meant that the side to side recovery is slow, not stiff. If I hit a bumb or jump on the bumper, the up and down recovery is fast, it bounces once. But if I hit a speed bump, say one tire at a time, where the truck rocks side to side, the side to side recovery is much slower. Sometimes two or 3 bounces back and forth. This initially lead me to getting the new shocks. The old one were bad. I mean, wow.  

 

The tie rod ends look OK, same with the bushings, don't look like they're loose or moving excessively, but they could be old as well. I dont know if previous owner replaced them or not.

 

Springs aren't cracked, but not sure how else to tell if they're shot. 

 

 

[Towrigdually]

If they are slow that’s fine, it’s just the way shocks work. After multiple rapids bumps they start to act like a steering stabilizer until the fluid and nitrogen return to the respective sides. 
 

as for checking in worn springs, I always went by if I can sit on the bumper and the truck sinks they are worn. Or if I can sit in the truck and rock side to side in my seat and the front of the truck tends to rock with me then they are likely shot, seeing as I only weigh 178lbs

[Mopar1973Man]

Now like my little 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 has this issue but its got really soft springs in the front and rear. Shock have a lot of time (7 years) but barely 20k miles on them. 

[TheGreatWhite]

13 hours ago, Towrigdually said:

If they are slow that’s fine, it’s just the way shocks work. After multiple rapids bumps they start to act like a steering stabilizer until the fluid and nitrogen return to the respective sides. 
 

as for checking in worn springs, I always went by if I can sit on the bumper and the truck sinks they are worn. Or if I can sit in the truck and rock side to side in my seat and the front of the truck tends to rock with me then they are likely shot, seeing as I only weigh 178lbs

340k miles on my springs and my $1.25 frame can rock the truck pretty easily 

[Towrigdually]

1 hour ago, TheGreatWhite said:

340k miles on my springs and my $1.25 frame can rock the truck pretty easily 

Sounds just as clapped out as mine then, but doesn’t bother me much. If I used a plow maybe

[TheGreatWhite]

Just now, Towrigdually said:

Sounds just as clapped out as mine then, but doesn’t bother me much. If I used a plow maybe

It never really bothered me cause I grew up in dually's and all we drive are 3500s cause my family rodeos (I used to but thankfully got out of it) so I never thought about how rough they ride, especially with 340k on my truck, until I road in a buddy's 2500 that has 142k on it and that's when I figured something may need changed 

[Alexio Auditore]

So sitting in the truck, I can get it rockin pretty good. When I said slow recovery, I meant it bounces back and forth a lot before it stops. It definitely bounces quickly left and right. Ill try the sitting on the bumper to one side. Do they make stock height springs for the truck? Most I see is like 2 or 3 inch, which I think levels the front end right?

 

I talked to a guy last week to set up alignment, and he told me the 5100s might be to light duty for this truck.... unless I'm missing something here, I believe these are built for this truck just fine.

[dripley]

5 hours ago, Alexio Auditore said:

So sitting in the truck, I can get it rockin pretty good. When I said slow recovery, I meant it bounces back and forth a lot before it stops. It definitely bounces quickly left and right. Ill try the sitting on the bumper to one side. Do they make stock height springs for the truck? Most I see is like 2 or 3 inch, which I think levels the front end right?

 

I talked to a guy last week to set up alignment, and he told me the 5100s might be to light duty for this truck.... unless I'm missing something here, I believe these are built for this truck just fine.

take your pick.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,2002,ram+2500+pickup,5.9l+l6+diesel+turbocharged,1440064,suspension,coil+spring,7512

 

And I am sure RA is not the only place to look.

 

If the shocks you have are not good enough I guess the 20 dollar monroe's I put on 4 years must be total trash. Well I guess they are now but not when I put them on. They did their job but need to be replaced.