Setting Up Your Suspension: 3 Situations to Consider
There are plenty of auto parts that can enhance your truck’s performance. However, if you’re looking for enhancements that specifically improve your vehicle’s ride quality, then suspension upgrades are what you need. Your truck’s suspension system is designed to maximise the traction between your truck’s tyres and the road for better stability. It also absorbs the bumps and blows you encounter on the road for a smoother driving experience.
The stock configuration of your truck’s suspension is already a pretty good setup, but better aftermarket parts can give you a considerable boost. Note that some suspension upgrades will meet your needs better than others, depending on your truck use. For example, if you plan to take your truck on off-road adventures, then you’ll need high-quality upgrades to keep your adventures safe and fun.
Let’s look at the three different ways you can use your truck so you know which type of suspension setup fits your ride.
Daily Driving
Trucks used for daily driving don’t need a tricked-out suspension system because they’ll be driven primarily on paved roads. As a result, the owners of such trucks rarely think about swapping out any of their vehicle’s OEM suspension parts.
Nevertheless, there are still several advantages to upgrading a daily-driven truck’s suspension system. Swapping out its stock shock absorbers with aftermarket coilovers is one good example. Coilovers are what you get when you combine the best aspects of shock absorbers and coilover springs. Due to their design, coilover shocks give you more control over your vehicle, making it easier to navigate through turns and corners. They also keep your truck from bottoming out and minimise squatting when accelerating and diving when decelerating.
Coilovers, however, are expensive and take a longer time to install. If you want to install coilovers to your truck, you must understand that it’s a considerable investment for your vehicle.
Transporting
Their powerful engines and robust bodies make trucks the perfect vehicles for towing and hauling jobs. Many truck owners love to put their trucks to work, whether pulling a trailer or carrying heavy cargo. Trucks that are used for these purposes require heavier-duty suspension upgrades to keep up with the demand of the workload. However, the upgrades will depend on the type of cargo the trucks are carrying.
An air ride suspension is a good upgrade if you use your truck to transport light loads and fragile goods. This upgrade utilises air-based components (e.g., airlines, valves, and air spring bags) instead of metal parts, so they produce less noise and vibration. It’s also less harsh on your truck’s suspension system, reducing the amount of wear and tear your truck’s suspension experiences when carrying cargo.
Moreover, an air ride suspension provides a smoother ride, so you can rest easy knowing that your fragile and light cargo won’t be rattled during your drives.
On the other hand, if your truck is used to carry heavy goods, then a leaf spring suspension is what you need. A leaf spring suspension is composed of flexible steel strips that offer a huge amount of support between the axles, wheels, and your truck’s chassis. The leaf springs are perfect for handling vertical loads because their tight-knight structure allows them to distribute the weight of the cargo better.
Off-Roading
If your truck sees a lot of off-roading action, you’ll need to give its suspension system a big buff. Your truck’s stock suspension setup likely won’t be able to handle the rough and rugged off-road terrains. Thus, you’ll have to get the following suspension upgrades to enjoy your off-road adventures fully:
● High-performance shock absorbers. Your truck’s standard shocks won’t protect your vehicle from the bumps and blows of the trail. For the best and safest experience, you must get high-quality, high-performance shock absorbers. These increase your vehicle’s stability, handling, and drivability, and they’re also fine-tuned for the off-road environment. Moreover, they’re able to dissipate heat faster and have variable damping. These provide you with better cushioning over other types of shocks. Moreover, some high-performance shocks have adjustable damping to allow your vehicle to crawl easily through various terrain.
● Lift kit. To help your truck drive over a variety of road hazards without damaging its underside, you need to install a lift kit to raise its overall ride height. his kit has parts that are required to provide your truck with awesome lift and support its performance once it’s taller.
● Some of the components you’ll find in a complete lift kit include strut spacers, lift blocks, lifted control arms, and lifted struts. Lift kits are available in various height configurations, some of which can raise your truck’s height by up to 8 inches.
● Off-road-ready tyres. You want to get a lot of traction when driving off-road to prevent slips and slides. For this, your truck needs a set of aggressive off-road tyres to ensure it has a strong grip on the trail. These tyres have thick, deep treads and stone ejectors; they’re also built to be more durable than standard tyres, so they won’t get punctured so easily while you’re driving over various off-road debris.
When enhancing your truck’s handling, stability, and driveability, you must ensure that its suspension system is configured for your drives. As long as your vehicle has the right suspension upgrades, you can rest assured that your vehicle’s performance will stay in good condition, whether driving on the highway or crawling across harsh off-road terrains.