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Willicuddy

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
So my truck (99 RC R/T) has a Set of what we think to be Belltech coils (light silver in color). It drops the front end 2'. I recently changed the shocks, from stockers to DJM drop shocks (13' expanded and 9' collapsed) I have noticed that the front end still has an awful bounce to it. It almost feels like a riding in a 1980's Cadillac, and when you push down on the front end it bounces a few times and wobbles around.

I want to know if the reason it is sloppy up front is either because the spring rate is shit on the Belltechs and too soft for a lowered R/T, or is it because it is a short wheelbase trunk and that's what the ride is like. I have never driven in a lowered truck, or a stock R/T so i have no comparison.

It is starting to drive me crazy, it just feels like the front end is tooooo soft.
 
#2 ·
Those springs could be the complete wrong rate for your truck
could be ebay special springs and the wrong rate would cause that bounce. Cause your drop shocks should not bounce like that
 
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#4 ·
You will have to research the rates on the brands website. I am running
Canuck front drop springs and that's about as close as you can get to no name but i have no Complaints yet with the spring rate. Those spring might not even be made for a Dakota they might just fit the perches and were sold that way.
 
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#6 ·
I would think the rt springs are different because of the extra weight in the front end
 
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#7 ·
the RT springs are stiffer. Remember the stock RT springs are a 1" drop over stock. Since you are not sure which springs you have the safest bet would be to buy some correct RT dropped springs. I don't think the brand makes that much of a difference myself. I don't know how the rear is dropped on your truck either. This will affect the front though. If you have blocks in the rear this will really make a difference. I think you may be feeling bump steer more so than a true wallowing affect. maybe not though. My truck used to do the same thing with a 2" drop in the front and 3" blocks in the rear. I redid how the rear was lowered and the front fixed itself.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Willicuddy said:
It also turns out that there are 2 belltechs that they sell for 2WD's. Here are the links.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BEL-4766/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BEL-4764/

1 is for a V6 and the other one says that it fits a R/T model. I wonder if the one I have in my truck is the wrong one and is meant for the V6 model.
Click to expand...
I got in an argument with Belltech on the phone over this. I was ordering them from summit and they kept sending me V6 springs. The box said that there was a problem with the product inside and that the box was checked and okay'd for shipment (meaning the products inside the box were correct). Anyway I ordered and returned them twice and I kept recieving the 4766 springs when ordering the 4764 springs. I called Belltech and they didn't even know what I was talking about. They said the 4766 springs were acceptable to use on the v8 trucks. They said the only difference in the springs is that the 4764 spring is 1/8'' or 1/4'' longer (I forget which). I told them that was to accommodate the heavier engine in a v8 and they were different lengths for a reason. The guy couldn't answer that and said the V6 springs were fine to use. Needless to say I'm not using Belltech coils. You could very well have v6 coils in there because the v8 coils were on backorder forever and they were sending 4766 springs in 4764 boxes. However, the ride should be STIFF regardless and the shocks should reinforce that. What do your bumpstops look like?

I'm using Springtech coils in front and I was a bit skeptical at first but I have no complaints other than their pos customer service. You may not have Belltech coils at all in there since other brands use silver as well. For instance, my Springtechs are silver. Lowering these trucks is tough due to the shrinking aftermarket for suspension components. Like Moore said, try to find a set of coils that you are sure to be correct. If you install a set of new coils you might as well put new ball joints and bumpstops in since your front end seems to be way out of wack. As for the rear, if you currently have blocks your ride quality will be poor like Moore also said. Here are your alternatives:

Hangers- Will provide the best ride quality since you use your stock leaf springs.
Leaf Springs- Better than blocks but stiffer than stock ride.

Have any pictures of your truck or suspension?
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Well I have a 1.5 block in the rear, and it was doing this even before I put the block in. The ride is stiff in the rear but like I said the front feels really sloppy and wobbly. Like I can push and lift the front end of the truck with ease, but I have a much harder time doing that to the rear.

So for example. I push down on the front end and it probably goes down about a 1/2 inch and then wobbles around a bit. All of the cars I have owned are lowered and I know what a lowered vehicle should handle and drive like, but it almost feels like the rear is lowered and the front is from an explorer with 100k miles on the stock suspension, really bouncy and sloppy.
 
#10 ·
a 1.5" block won't cause the issue. Like i said swap out the springs if you are worried. If bell tech has things screwed up than try a diff. mfg. The bump stops will only limit travel and if anything they would make the front seem stiffer. i would have cut them in 1/2 at the least though. How are all the other suspension components in the front as well. Sway bar bushings shit like that. It sounds like you are dead set on it being the springs. It may very well be that. The only way to know for sure is to swap them out.

A proper lowered suspension doesn't have to feel stiffer.
 
#11 ·
Rather than cutting the factory bump stops i recommend cutting them completely out along with the mount fastened to the A arm and drill out a new mounting location for poly stops. I think you should start with some springs that you know are correct. You should honestly spend the money on some drop shocks as well.

Lowered or not your front end should NOT be like that.
 
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Discussion starter · #13 ·
Well The truck has 60k miles on it and I am not sure how long the springs have been on there. I do agree 100% about getting different bump stops. I chopped the stock ones even lower and with the truck on the ground there is only around 1 1/4 inches of travel. That right there could be a big problem. I have a set of drop shocks on the front 1315 DJM and the rear is 2200 DJM shocks. i am also gonna swap out the stock sway bar mounts as they looks like they are on there last legs, which could also be contributing to the problem.

I really don't wanna get another set of springs because if I take those out I will wanna do the control arm bushings and all the ball joints, a job that I wanted to start over the winter.
 
#14 ·
Unfortunately your going to have to start pulling and replacing parts to fix this problem and if your not ready to pull it apart and replace parts your not going to fix the problem.

If your actually going to pull it apart over the winter you should be replacing

shocks, springs, bushing, ball joints and install poly bump stops followed by an alignment at a shop

You say you don't want to replace anything or take it apart but you want to fix the problem

good luck with fixing it then man
 
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#15 ·
Well winters coming soon so depending on how much you drive it you might be able to hold off. But from what you describe it sounds like its barely road worthy. 60k isn't that much so I doubt its general wear from the truck being used (unless it was abused by the previous owner). But you definitely should redo the front end as you plan to.
 
#16 ·
SKDakota said:
Unfortunately your going to have to start pulling and replacing parts to fix this problem and if your not ready to pull it apart and replace parts your not going to fix the problem. Your not going to fix this problem without replacing parts so really what your saying is that your not going to fix it.

If your actually going to pull it apart over the winter you should be replacing

shocks, springs, bushing, ball joints and install poly bump stops followed by an alignment at a shop

You say you don't want to replace anything or take it apart but you want to fix the problem

good luck with fixing it then man
Click to expand...
I agree. It's probably his DD so he might be trying to hold off to save up some $$ for all the new stuff and things like that. But yeah hes going to have to replace parts and rip it apart to discover the problem.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
SKDakota said:
Unfortunately your going to have to start pulling and replacing parts to fix this problem and if your not ready to pull it apart and replace parts your not going to fix the problem.

If your actually going to pull it apart over the winter you should be replacing

shocks, springs, bushing, ball joints and install poly bump stops followed by an alignment at a shop

You say you don't want to replace anything or take it apart but you want to fix the problem

good luck with fixing it then man
Click to expand...
I don't have a problem tearing apart the front end, I just don't fell like spending $500 plus right now on parts and then not have the truck on the road (its my wifes truck and she needs it for work). So if the problem is not the springs then I can wait till the winter before I do the work (ball joints and control arm bushings), if it is the springs then I will have to rip it all apart now and while I'm in there do all the work that I was planning on doing over the winter.

Either way I'm gonna have to start somewhere, likely with the bump stops and sway bar end links, as they are an easy job.
 
#18 ·
its not your bumpstops... they do nothing except limit your travel. You can still do them now if you want but they wont fix anything. You can try the sway bar but I doubt that will fix it. (might as well give it a try though)
 
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Willicuddy
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