So. Cal. Titan owners: titan sensitive to our freeways?

travlskech · 12-06-2004, 11:52 AM

i have done a search for vibration, and i don have a problem with the brakes...the vibration i feel only occurs over 60 mph, and only on certain stretches of southland freeways, so i dont think it is because of the tires or alignment...

for instance, i live in so. orange county, and occasionally i travel to torrance via the 405...thru irvine, the ride is very smooth...around huntington beach, the ride gets slightly bumpy, but nothing noteworthy...it is past the 605 all the way thru the 710 until the 110 that the ride gets extremely bumpy, no matter which lane i am in...it is bumpy enough that my friend in the passenger seat cant even look thru the cellphone address book without gettin slightly dizzy and its very hard for me to take a sip out of my soda, etc. without spilling a little; this is in stark contrast to the ride thru irvine, where both activities can happen with no probs...

i am wonderin, maybe the titan is just really sensitive to bad pavement? could it be the shocks are not absorbing as well as they ought to? not sure if its just me, so im wonderin if any other so cal titan owners have/do experience this

bradward · 12-06-2004, 11:59 AM

I just drove around SO. Cal last weekend. I had an empty bed and drove on the 10, the 101 and the 110. It got pretty bumpy, enough to bounce me around.

I keep my tires well pumped up for good mileage. I went and bought a good 200 lbs worth of furniture from IKEA on the 10. After loading the back with the extra weight there was noticablely less bounce.

The suspension is just tuned for heavy loads so that when your empty its much more stiff.

-Brad

travlskech · 12-06-2004, 12:03 PM

ah ic, that makes sense...i have never had a truck this large before, previous being an '86 toyota pickup

The_Man · 12-06-2004, 12:13 PM

I used to live in the LA area myself. I remember learning that the seams in the freeway portions (the breaks in the concrete perpendicular to the sidelines) are spaced to accomodate a regular passenger car. They are situated such that a passenger car's front and rear axles will pass over adjoining seams in such a timing pattern as to minimize its effect on the car's suspension. The distance between a truck's axles is greater and will actually amplify freeway seams' effect on suspensions.

I wonder if the poor ride you are noticing might be related to these seams...

cardesigner · 12-06-2004, 12:22 PM

I live in Torrance, and I drive to Pasadena/Valley/L.A. a lot. I notice it too, and so does my girlfriend- she gets carsick sometimes riding shotgun.

rfrench102 · 12-06-2004, 12:49 PM

Bilsteins!!!!

Brons2 · 12-06-2004, 01:06 PM

I've noticed having 4 people in my CC smooths out the ride noticeably.

As for your freeways, I'll give you my report when I get back from the Rose Bowl!

travlskech · 12-06-2004, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brons2

I've noticed having 4 people in my CC smooths out the ride noticeably.

As for your freeways, I'll give you my report when I get back from the Rose Bowl!

OMG! you a longhorn fan?! you werent one of those fans at the cal/sm game were you? lol

hm, from tx, would you be taking the 10 into LA?

Brons2 · 12-06-2004, 01:16 PM

No, I was not one of the guys at the Cal-USM game. Those guys sure did get a lot of airtime. I was watching the game at a christmas/dinner party and we cheered for those guys.

Yeah we'll hit the 10 ouside of Junction, Texas and take it all the way to the LA basin. The funny part is, you get almost halfway there before you even get out of Texas! Coming from Austin at least. From Houston you are over halfway there before you get out of Texas as it is over 750 miles to the NM border.

I hope we don't get a chilly reception in Pasadena, I know people are big on their Pac-10/Big-10 matchup and not so excited about Texas. I think Texas people will come with big smiles and open wallets, so hopefully that and some social lubricant will smooth things over.

travlskech · 12-06-2004, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brons2

I hope we don't get a chilly reception in Pasadena, I know people are big on their Pac-10/Big-10 matchup and not so excited about Texas. I think Texas people will come with big smiles and open wallets, so hopefully that and some social lubricant will smooth things over.

nah i wouldnt worry about it...its not like this will be the first time the rose bowl doesnt feature the big 10/pac 10...wasnt the first one oklahoma vs washington state a few years back?

and besides, this is LA...as in the land of the most laid-back sports fans in the nation...thas why the rams and raiders left us! ppl don get passionate either way around here

but i for one am glad uc berkeley is not in it...i am a ucla alum and my sister went to stanford so there is no love for the golden bears...altho im sad that usc is doing so well, but i think they will lose to oklahoma

*edit* oh yah you will definitely have to report on the drive in your titan afterwards

gero · 12-06-2004, 01:43 PM

they killed us this year at big game.

maybe we'll get coach willingham back (since he's leaving notre dame)

go cardinal!

gero

Brons2 · 12-06-2004, 01:47 PM

I may end up driving with someone else who has a Suburban

Tried to get a plane ticket, I could get a flight on the 30th out there but there's no return flights available until Wednesday the 5th!

I don't have a tonneau cover so my friends are not real hot about taking the Titan, lol. Anyone wanna trade me an Armada for the week?

travlskech · 12-06-2004, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfrench102

Bilsteins!!!!

lol i take that as a ringing endorsement for bilstein brand shocks? is the difference noteworthy? i notice that your titan looks very modded...would those bilsteins make a difference for my completely stock titan, le kc 4x2...i.e. give me a much smoother ride on those nasty stretches of la freeways...

Brons2 · 12-06-2004, 02:06 PM

I had some Bilsteins on a 3 series BMW (E30) and it was a pretty firm ride.

Maybe the weight of the Titan would help a bit.

rfrench102 · 12-06-2004, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travlskech

lol i take that as a ringing endorsement for bilstein brand shocks? is the difference noteworthy? i notice that your titan looks very modded...would those bilsteins make a difference for my completely stock titan, le kc 4x2...i.e. give me a much smoother ride on those nasty stretches of la freeways...

I was very bouncy before the bilsteins. I drive the same freeways you mentioned (Lake Forest to El Segundo). Something to think about anyways...