weak front springs?

beached_titan · 01-02-2006, 10:15 AM

does anyone else notice a lot of bottoming out going over minor speed bumps or even hitting a dip on a road? i have an 06 CC se 2wd and over the weekend i had it loaded with 4 adults and going over speed bumps in my apartment complex at idle speed resulted in the front end bottoming. and its not a soft bottom either. if this is normal, then these trucks have less wheel travel than my vw gti used to have when it was lowered..

**helomech** · 01-02-2006, 10:17 AM

I have hit some bumps real hard and have never had it bottom out. I do have the 4X4 with offroad maybe that is the difference.

beached_titan · 01-02-2006, 10:21 AM

possibly. i took a look underneath and ive got a nice clean spot on my lower control arm from where im always hitting the bump stops. with the truck on a flat surface its about 2-3" of travel until it hits the bump stop. this truck seems to just plow through its measly little travel like nothing. i work at a dodge dealer and none of the rams bottom out so easy. i test drove the f150 before i bought the titan and that did not bottom out either. it just seems so strange to me that a supposed half ton truck cant hold itself up..

CraigG · 01-02-2006, 12:11 PM

I dont know I havnt heard of that before have they changed the front spring on the 4x2 ?? I have a 4x4 and I havnt bottomed out yet and I have had it off road a couple of time you know to "test it" only thing that happened to me was some scratches on the side of the bed from a bush that wouldnt get out of my wayLOL.

*COTitan* · 01-02-2006, 12:20 PM

I have have a front grill guard which makes the front hang 1" lower and mine bottoms out all the time and if i take a speed bump to fast the whole truck rattles. I will get some DR next and lift the front a little so this will not happen so often next spring.

beached_titan · 01-02-2006, 12:22 PM

thats the thing, i havnt even taken this truck off the pavement. im afraid too!
im bottoming out enough just on the streets of orange county...
im wondering if maybe i got some bad springs on the front or what...
the rear is ok, with the 4 adults in the truck the rear was nice and soft

but the front just was not happy at all!
oh well soon ill have the cst lift and hopefully wont have to worry about this crap!

cardesigner · 01-02-2006, 12:29 PM

I have a '04 Titan 4x2 and I offroaded the crap out of it in stock trim. It bottomed very often, offroad or onroad.

I got the PRG leveling kit installed recently and that added wheel travel and has progressive bumpstops, and it's a big difference. Haven't bottomed it yet.

FlimFlamMan · 01-02-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardesigner

I got the PRG leveling kit installed recently and that added wheel travel and has progressive bumpstops, and it's a big difference. Haven't bottomed it yet.

Thats exactly what I need and want to do!

Then I want to get some Bilstein shocks for the rear end.

Did you have your front end aligned after installation?

jolarsen · 01-02-2006, 01:33 PM

I notice mine hitting alot. Mine when I hit railroad tracks and not that rough of tracks either. I guess im happy that it dont only happen to me.

phillipyang · 01-02-2006, 01:37 PM

strange, i haven't had any problems with speed bumps hitting the truck and bottoming out. I abuse my truck too.... offroad and turning at excessive speeds but it seems like new still. I did check the shocks and they were showing their age with oil showing outside.

Quad T · 01-02-2006, 02:46 PM

My truck description is in my sig, no bottoming out problems here, and I'm thinking the plowed filed I drove through to get flat stones may have been worse than your domesticated speed bumps; could this really just be a 4x4 Vs. 4x2 difference.

I will say the shocks could be firmer on the Big Tow without Off Road because the front can feel a little floaty at high rates of speed, but I've not had bottoming out issues at all.

amati5 · 01-02-2006, 03:27 PM

I have a 4x4 and my truck bottoms out easily too, over a speed bump. I was also told by a service writer that these trucks do that. However, lately I've been paying attention more and I noticed the sound happens right after decompresstion not the end of compression. So I think, may be, it doesn't bottom out, but instead, the shocks are too weak and let the springs decompress too freely and make the sound. Anyone observe the same?

beached_titan · 01-02-2006, 04:11 PM

i dont hear any sounds when i bottom, but i do get that nasty harsh thud when the control arms hit the bumpstops. i dont know if mine has the "big tow" package but it does have the tow package from the factory with the trans temp gauge, tow mirrors, bigger battery, and heavier towing capacity..
its really annoying. even if im on a highway and go through a smooth dip in the road i will bottom out with just me in the truck! i couldnt imagine how it would be loaded with ppl haha
probably suffer some back injuries from spinal compression!
i wish these didnt sag so much in stock trim.

pciley · 01-02-2006, 11:13 PM

Same as 'Cardesigner,' I put PRG's front lift kit, the tallest ones he sells (total lift was 3" I think) and I haven't bottomed out since.

Before that, I bottomed out over this little dip by my house EVERY day to and from work. This got on my nerves immediately. Also had the clean spot on the lower control arms. There's not alot of travel up front, but I'm not sure I'd want a stiffer spring.

If you look at the lower control arm, it sits almost parallel to the ground in stock form. Once you hit a small bump at normal surface street speeds, the lower control arm is pointing at an upward angle.

I'm not an engineer, but to maximize travel for better comfort in EVERY DAY road conditions you might want to start from the opposite direction, having the control arms pointed slightly downward.

The current design must be for a flat-track scenario, not for street and light off-road use.

NOTITAN4U2 · 07-06-2006, 09:07 PM

I seem to have the same problem, especially on the drivers side where there is about 1/2" less travel than the passenger side. Is this something that the dealer can fix, or will I have to add the leveling kit? I believe that this is only giving grief to the 4X2 owners. Haven't heard of the problem with any of the 4X4's with the better suspension.