Ride Variation by Makes?

wain

Had the son in laws F 150 XLT for a week.

I am not a truck owner and seldom drive them. This one rode, well, like a truck. Strange harmonic shake (did not seeem to be tires) at highway speeds. If you had to rank "full size, light duty ' trucks which has the softest ride?

wpalkowski

    Basically any truck under 10K lbs is considered to be a "light duty." Only know Fords personally. F150's ride is smoother/softer than the Superduties's (F250/F350). F150 suspension is more compliant than F350's - but F350 can carry or tow almost twice as much. So depending on your needs, you make your tradeoffs.
    Long Bed pickups tend to less jarring than shortbeds, as longer length tends to smooth out the bumps a bit. I own an F350, and I can make big changes in ride comfort just by varying the air pressure in . If I'm unloaded, the truck rides quite smoothly on 35 psi. With a heavy load I can air up to 80 psi, and actually ride isn't that bad. However, take the load out and leave the 80 psi in the tires, and you'll experience a ride like an iron-rimmed buck board wagon.
  From what I've heard said, Chevys are regarded as having most car like ride. No knowledge of Dodges.

dustyk

I've driven the Dodge RAM, Ford F150s, and GMs. I'd have to say that in terms of softness it would be GMC/Chevy, Ford, Dodge. But I don't believe that these three trucks are miles apart in ride, either.

If you talk control, however, I rank them just the opposite: Dodge, GMC/Chevy, then Ford. The Dodge is an exceptional handling full-size truck and I would rate the ride as very close if not a tad better than the F150. I found the full-size Dodge to be very pleasant riding and completely unobjectionable, and I've just come from a Nissan Sentra and Toyota Avalon.

All of the current model full-size trucks ride better than their predecessors of just 6-8 years ago.

Good luck,
Dusty

oldharry

I have driven many of each brand, because I align vehicles for a living. I drive about 1100 vehicles a year, and about half are trucks.

In my experience, there are different trucks of the same model that may have different ride characteristics greater than one example of Ford to Dodge to GM.

All the 4 X 2 half tons now have IFS, and ride is comparable. The higher the load capacity the more you feel bumps when empty. On the average IFS 4 X 4 's ride better that straight axels, and a little better than Traction Beam(tm).

Changing shocks and tires can change the ride of any. If you like the other features of one brand, for a few hundred dollars you can usually make the ride acceptable.

Harry