1996 4x4 XLT shakes excessively on bumpy roads

[sebastian323]

MY 1996 XLT shakes excessively on bumpy gravel roads when hitting bumps and holes. It almost feels as if my sedan is a smoother ride.

Could my shocks be completely blown ? The worst shaking seems to be from the back and those shocks do seem to be the original ones from 1996. The front shocks seem to have been replaced. Could the bushing for where the bed and cabin mount also be an issue ? Do leaf springs wear out ?

 

[franklin2]

Most everything is starting to wear out on a 26 year old truck. Keep checking things, you will find it.

 

[Josh B]

Don't drive on bumpy roads
I think it is all the above, actually.
I got lucky once, or maybe just fortunate, by giving it my best guess, even though it was on an emissions check.,
My 87/88? had failed to pass and a repair shop wanted 250.00 to diagnose it.
Funny thing is there were 5 primary emissions components, each costing appx 50.00.
I figured what's to lose and gave it best guess #1, took it back through and it passed

I would think you have little to lose by using the same method, study it good and take a pick

Worst scenario you get an entirely new suspension

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Push on the bumper and get it going up and down. It would settle down within one revolution. If not the shocks are hooped. Works on front or back.

 

[Curious Hound]

. It almost feels as if my sedan is a smoother ride.

I would certainly expect the sedan to ride better. Though the Ranger isn't a heavy duty truck, it is still a truck. It will ride bumpier. If you put a few hundred pounds of load in the rear, it will soften and smooth out some.

 

[rubydist]

If your vehicle shakes excessively on rough roads, that means you are either driving too fast, or driving way too slowly.

 

[scotts90ranger]

worn shocks could make it rough, there's no weight in the back so they don't always do what you want...

For good measure I would look at the radius arm bushings, axle pivot bushings up front. My '90 rattles a lot on bumps and clunks on hard braking because the radius arm bushings are SHOT

 

[Josh B]

I grew up on bumpy roads, and even a one time best friend (yeah, he went and died on me :/ ) told me how he kicked it on up about 7o and smoothed it out.
I still could not help but to wonder what was going on in his poor suspension, and that thought has always kept me from hitting the gas when the bumps start hitting the fan

 

[sebastian323]

Push on the bumper and get it going up and down. It would settle down within one revolution. If not the shocks are hooped. Works on front or back.

Just from memory, If I push on the side of my truck (where the doors are), it will shake a few times in a manner I am not used to seeing.

I have a 4x4 that is stock rear ride height and it has leveling springs in the front. What is this hi-ryder option I see on rock auto?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Hyrider is a factory lift option for some years.

 

[sebastian323]

Push on the bumper and get it going up and down. It would settle down within one revolution. If not the shocks are hooped. Works on front or back.

I think all four shocks are completely blown. When I shake the truck it has a rolling shaking motion from the front and the back. The front shocks are aftermarket and look new, but the truck was rolled and in the accident one of the col springs snapped. I replaced the springs but did not bother with the shocks. I bet the rear shocks are from 1996 with 170k miles on them.