Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

hatrik8

hatrik8

Donating Member
I'm tired of the bumpy ride quality in my Syclone. When I hit a bump I feel like I'm in the back of a school bus sometimes.

I have kyb monomax shocks in front and rear with beltech sway bars front and rear. I also have original leaf springs in the rear with 2" blocks. I don't bottom out and the stance looks good where it's at. It handles great, but it's almost too much to take if I drive any kind of distance. I almost feel car sick driving for a while on the highway and I NEVER get car sick.

I had planned to do beltech lowering leaf springs and maybe a smaller lowering block.

Then I was thinking of doing coilovers front and rear (if sportmachines makes a rear kit someday), but will that solve my problem or will I still be desiring a better ride?

What options do I have to keep the stance/handling, but improve the quality of the ride?
 
ziembic

ziembic

Donating Member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

how old are the shocks?
how stiff are the bars?
Coilovers are tough (in my experience) to get to a nice ride that handles well. Comes down to spring rate
I would consider doing the rear springs. They are pretty old at this point.
Can you tell if the stiffness is in the front or the back?
Are you sure your not bottoming out the rear suspension?
 
hatrik8

hatrik8

Donating Member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

ziembic said:
how old are the shocks?
how stiff are the bars?
Coilovers are tough (in my experience) to get to a nice ride that handles well. Comes down to spring rate
I would consider doing the rear springs. They are pretty old at this point.
Can you tell if the stiffness is in the front or the back?
Are you sure your not bottoming out the rear suspension?
Click to expand...

Shocks aren't very old and have very few miles.
The bars are upgraded, but would that effect up and down travel of the suspension?
It feels like the worst of it is from the rear.
Definitely not bottoming out.
 
Darin

Darin

New member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

I have the large sway bar in the back, and my ride was rough as hell. Matt and I looked at over and over. Looks like the guy that installed the bar put the nuts on the inside, and it's causing it to hit the spring, really reducing the travel rate of the spring/shock in the back.

I just gotta try flipping them around, putting the nut outside. I think the bolt head will clear the spring. If that doesn't work, I'll weld in a stud or something. It's rough, like off the roof rough.
 
B

bigmileage

Member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

A stiff performance shock plays a huge part in ride comfort. I'd change the shock out for something less aggressive; I've never really been a fan of KYB regardless of them being a huge player in the aftermarket.

I have Bilstein 5150s on my lifted S10, duals in the front, it rides like a MF because of them but performs awesome at high speed - all about balance and what you're looking for.

I will typically leave a stock shock/strut and swap out springs on my cars. Generally the optioned shock from the factory is usually the best balance between performance and ride; it's all about rebound and how fast they control the movement. That said, running an aggressive spring can be just as bad, you obviously don't have that problem.
 
RealFastV6

RealFastV6

@jb_and_his_coffee
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

I got some springs for you. I'm putting the fiberglass springs on. I'll let you know when they're off the truck.
 
Sportmachines

Sportmachines

Active member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

In our findings, our set ups are very shock dependant. Theres a lot of weight, not a lot of travel and space limitations. I've never been a fan of any regular shock on our truck besides the bilsteins. They are stiffer for sure, but coming from BMW's, the performance was worth it. What I love on the trucks these days are the AFCO single adjustables. We use them because they spec'd them just for us and our trucks, they work extremely well, and are upgradeable. ie, you can run just the shocks and if you want to upgrade to coilovers, you just add the spring cups and springs, since their shocks are billet bodies which are threaded. They aren't cheap, but you do get what you pay for. HTH
 
RealFastV6

RealFastV6

@jb_and_his_coffee
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

Belltech 5954. Should be about right to ditch the blocks completely and just run the pinion shim with the JTR setback plates.
 
ziembic

ziembic

Donating Member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

hatrik8 said:
Shocks aren't very old and have very few miles.
The bars are upgraded, but would that effect up and down travel of the suspension?It feels like the worst of it is from the rear.
Definitely not bottoming out.
Click to expand...

My opinion is that it would impact the up and down. I have been known to be wrong though. Fairly certain.
 
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JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

A sway bar if installed correctly without binding will not control normal suspension motion where both wheels are moving up/down at the same time. If you have 1 wheel vs other, or binding is present then it can and will.
 
hatrik8

hatrik8

Donating Member
RealFastV6 said:
Belltech 5954. Should be about right to ditch the blocks completely and just run the pinion shim with the JTR setback plates.
Click to expand...

Those were what i was thinking of buying. What did you run with it? No block?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone? :rotf:

I run coil overs up front and Belltechs in the rear and it feels a lot better than it used to when it was all stock and lowered. It is actually mostly enjoyable to drive this way. You get to feel the bounciness of the coilovers but it's worth it as it's not harsh.
 
Ty1642

Ty1642

Member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

Sportmachines said:
In our findings, our set ups are very shock dependant. Theres a lot of weight, not a lot of travel and space limitations. I've never been a fan of any regular shock on our truck besides the bilsteins. They are stiffer for sure, but coming from BMW's, the performance was worth it. What I love on the trucks these days are the AFCO single adjustables. We use them because they spec'd them just for us and our trucks, they work extremely well, and are upgradeable. ie, you can run just the shocks and if you want to upgrade to coilovers, you just add the spring cups and springs, since their shocks are billet bodies which are threaded. They aren't cheap, but you do get what you pay for. HTH
Click to expand...

Do you have a suggested setting for the adjustment on the front AFCO shocks? I'm installing mine now, and was going to use AFCO's recommendation of 18 clicks down from the stiffest setting, for 'cars running slower than 9.9 sec.'
 
scottyblazinlow

scottyblazinlow

Red tyclone
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

hatrik8 said:
Shocks aren't very old and have very few miles.
The bars are upgraded, but would that effect up and down travel of the suspension?
It feels like the worst of it is from the rear.
Definitely not bottoming out.
Click to expand...


let me know if you sale your shocks
 
graham1524

graham1524

Well-known member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

RealFastV6 said:
Belltech 5954. Should be about right to ditch the blocks completely and just run the pinion shim with the JTR setback plates.
Click to expand...

to bring this thread back to life, can you run these leaf springs with the belltech sway bar?
 
hatrik8

hatrik8

Donating Member
Re: Best way to improve ride quality(suspension) on Syclone?

graham1524 said:
to bring this thread back to life, can you run these leaf springs with the belltech sway bar?
Click to expand...

Figured I'd update this thread.

Yes you can run the sway bar with the drop springs on a Syclone
 
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