Ballast ideas? Rear ride quality still sucks after full Carli Install

[xler8r]

Just looking for any ideas on ballast (other than cinder blocks) to help smooth out the rear ride quality. Family keeps getting sick in the back, nomatter the settings of the E-venture system; literally bought every option from Carli they sell for the 2.5/3.5 system. '22 SRW F350 Tremor.

Sad to say that if I can't figure this out, I'm gonna have to ditch the truck, I was hoping 20k on a Carli system would help...and it did, but only so much. We never tow with it, so we're always without a payload except for baby strollers and other baby support equipment, lol. Just wondering if I should have gotten a Raptor (never drove a Gen 3 one)...but I've used the full SD bed length more times than I can count picking stuff up for house and work.

 

[Donnie With A Dee]

If you still want to use your bed and you're never going to take the ballast out, consider having some plate steel cut to the shape of the bed.

 

[Modman]

A few other threads on this you should check out:

Tremor Ride Improvements

I have a 2022 F-250 Tremor that I would like to do something/things to improve the ride. Truck is 100% stock and Front tires are 50 psi and Rears are 45. I am mostly empty and drive on a pothole laden road that can and will spill coffee in a yeti tumbler in the cup holder. Rough road and...

www.fordtremor.com

Ride quality...get your thoughts?

Hey everyone, looking to possibly get a '24 tremor but am concerned about ride quality. I'm coming from a gen 2 raptor. I pull my boat a couple times a month for about 100 miles. The boat is around 6k lbs. The raptor does ok with it but thought about getting a SD so I don't really notice the...

www.fordtremor.com

 

[F450_on_44s]

What tire pressure are you running front and rear? That is an easy thing to play with and letting some air out in the rear can help a lot.

For “ballast” I have a pro eagle off-road jack, a tonneau cover, a tool bag, tie down straps, battery charger,etc. that stuff easily adds up to 200lbs and available in an emergency.

I think putting a huge steel plate in your bed is a really stupid idea. What if you need to remove it? Good luck with that.

 

[Lunch Box]

I still wonder why people buy a heavy duty truck expecting a smooth ride. Confused

 

[DTX2023Tremor]

It may be helpful to get a sense of how much added weight will give you the ride you're looking for. Then the community can help you think of options that are more elegant than cinder blocks or sand bags.

 

[xler8r]

Still have Duraturds, but running 55 psi front and back. I tried 50 but got the opposite intended effect (made even more bouncy in rear seat).

 

[F450_on_44s]

are you using the stock leaf packs? Carli or deaver progressive spring leaf packs are going to ride softer.

 

[xler8r]

Carli progressive spring pack; didn't add the airbags because CJC mentioned it could potentially add more stiffness...so I nixed that idea. @Lunch Box - very simple answer, personal wants needs don't always jive with family/spousal wants/needs

 

[Cux211]

Carli progressive spring pack; didn't add the airbags because CJC mentioned it could potentially add more stiffness...so I nixed that idea. @Lunch Box - very simple answer, personal wants needs don't always jive with family/spousal wants/needs

You say spring packs? Are they the Carli add in packs or full deaver leafs ?

 

[F450_on_44s]

Another idea I had is stop by a suspension shop and see how much psi your nitrogen is set in those e-venture shocks. If it's 200psi maybe have them drop it to 175 or 150psi. That's another thing you can adjust that will be easy and cost $100. I would email SDI who make the e-click shocks for Carli (sales@suspensiondirect.com )and ask them as they are easier to get in touch with then Carli directly.

My Carli pintop and Dominator kits showed up charged with 200psi of nitrogen. On the 2.5 pintops I felt like 160psi was the sweet spot and made the small bump compliance a lot better. Worst case you don't like it, just like your rear tire pressure testing and you can have them charge it back up.

 

[TRAMPER]

What tire pressure are you running front and rear? That is an easy thing to play with and letting some air out in the rear can help a lot.

For “ballast” I have a pro eagle off-road jack, a tonneau cover, a tool bag, tie down straps, battery charger,etc. that stuff easily adds up to 200lbs and available in an emergency.

I think putting a huge steel plate in your bed is a really stupid idea. What if you need to remove it? Good luck with that.

Idk if I’d call it a stupid idea…. If it was me I’d weld a couple eye bolts to it first and set it in with a which off the ceiling or a chain fall off a tractor bucket but maybe that’s just us hillbillies.

FWIW OP: a buddy and I built a ballast for his plow truck a couple years ago. We boxed in the shape we wanted with 2x6’s put down some tied in some rebar set in some eyebolts and all this was lined in plastic. Then poured in some concrete. Works awesome and he takes it in and out in summer (when the plow is off) with a winch from the ceiling in his shop.

Or definitely just lower your tire pressures.

 

[StrokinOut]

Still have Duraturds, but running 55 psi front and back. I tried 50 but got the opposite intended effect (made even more bouncy in rear seat).

That's strange, the lower PSI should not make it bounce more, it really should have made a noticeably softer ride. If your suspension settings are correct(not familiar with the E-Venture) I would think that combined with a low tire PSI would be as good as you're going to get......it will never ride like a Raptor.

 

[JBHillCountry]

That's strange, the lower PSI should not make it bounce more, it really should have made a noticeably softer ride. If your suspension settings are correct(not familiar with the E-Venture) I would think that combined with a low tire PSI would be as good as you're going to get......it will never ride like a Raptor.

Almost sounds like something is not installed correctly with his lift.

 

[F450_on_44s]

Idk if I’d call it a stupid idea…. If it was me I’d weld a couple eye bolts to it first and set it in with a which off the ceiling or a chain fall off a tractor bucket but maybe that’s just us hillbillies.

FWIW OP: a buddy and I built a ballast for his plow truck a couple years ago. We boxed in the shape we wanted with 2x6’s put down some tied in some rebar set in some eyebolts and all this was lined in plastic. Then poured in some concrete. Works awesome and he takes it in and out in summer (when the plow is off) with a winch from the ceiling in his shop.

Or definitely just lower your tire pressures.

Wait till you get rear ended and that sheet of steel laying in your bed cuts through the cab like a hot knife through butter. Since I just replaced a bed side I know how thin the aluminum is. No way would I do that and feel safe with my kids in the back seat. I stand by my statement it's a stupid idea. Sand bags are great to add weight and in an accident won't kill you. Everything else in my bed is attached to the bedsides or uses Mac custom tie down attachments so it doesn't move around.

On a plow truck that is mostly working in parking lots with no rear passengers, that is a totally different story.

 

[StrokinOut]

I've seen some say they use horse stall mats as a bed mat. Something like that might be useful in adding some weight to the bed. They are 3/4" thick and would probably add 150+ pounds to the bed without needing to be removed when wanting to use the bed.

 

[TRAMPER]

Wait till you get rear ended and that sheet of steel laying in your bed cuts through the cab like a hot knife through butter. Since I just replaced a bed side I know how thin the aluminum is. No way would I do that and feel safe with my kids in the back seat. I stand by my statement it's a stupid idea. Sand bags are great to add weight and in an accident won't kill you. Everything else in my bed is attached to the bedsides or uses Mac custom tie down attachments so it doesn't move around.

On a plow truck that is mostly working in parking lots with no rear passengers, that is a totally different story.

That’s an interesting perspective I definitely had t thought of! I certainly wouldn’t want to be sliced in half!!!

It is curious his truck rides so poorly. My stock 23 F350 rides great! At least as far as I’m concerned. For a Super Duty truck it’s quite nice. Maybe the 23’s are improved upon in that respect.

 

[F450_on_44s]

I've seen some say they use horse stall mats as a bed mat. Something like that might be useful in adding some weight to the bed. They are 3/4" thick and would probably add 150+ pounds to the bed without needing to be removed when wanting to use the bed.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/4-ft-x-6-ft-x-3-4-in-thick-rubber-stall-mat-2219003

94lbs per 4x6 section. thanks for the great idea

 

[esw004]

Carli progressive spring pack; didn't add the airbags because CJC mentioned it could potentially add more stiffness...so I nixed that idea. @Lunch Box - very simple answer, personal wants needs don't always jive with family/spousal wants/needs

If you don't have full deavers it's going to still ride like shit.....and it's never going to ride like a cadi. It's a HD truck......full deavers and 37's at 40 psi smooth it out a bit tho.

 

[HeavyAssault]

Okay....I got you. Head to Home Depot or Lowes. They sell 40lb bgs of yard/fill dirt. Buy them for like $4 each. Do the math. Add in whatever amount you want. For me it's 5-6 bags that easily change the rear ride.
It's F_N cheap to add weight, easily disposable, earth friendly, multiple uses, can satisfy quite a few "honey do" items.

Thank me later.