Do all HD pickups ride rough?

[JRH02]

The Wife has a 4WD 2016 F250 Crew Cab with a short box. When we're going somewhere in her rig she is driving. The two miles from our house to the highway is literally an unimproved steep logging trail. Oops, there are some improvements: a half dozen surface drainage laterals. So combine the drainage with imbedded large stones up to boulders and other ruts, etc., I'm holding tight to the pillar hand hold and no, I'm not wearing the darn seat belt which makes it much worse. It's a really rough ride.

My rig is a 4WD 2020 F350 Super Cab 8' box. It rides MUCH smoother the whole way.

Both rigs have 10 ply tires. I run ~65psi F&R and I think she runs the std 80psi F&R. Yes, we are driving slowly as it takes 20 minutes to go those two miles. So here are my observations having driven the road for 17 years: the driver has it the best as being the one with the steering wheel, they are much more able to stay in their seat. Here is another observation. The course a driver takes has everything to do with the ride's comfort. Like knowing where your wheels are for what you are going to drive over. In either rig once we get to the highway both ride like Cadillacs except for parking lot speed bumps.

The bottom line is they are pickup trucks that are empty 60% of the time.

 

[5030]

My 350 Ford long bed crew cab diesel 4 wd, rides like a lumberwagon empty even with air suspension on the back but rides like a Caddy loaded. Needless to say it's mostly loaded.

 

[jk96]

I have a 2012 ram 3500 dually megacab diesel and 2023 ram 3500 dually long bed diesel. My 2012 rides pretty nice for a 1 ton. My 23 is amazingly smooth even empty. I test drove all 3 when I bought my 2012. In test drives the Ram was hands down the best ride. GMC came in 2nd, and Ford by far the worst for ride quality without a load. The Ford was really rough. I have not test driven the other brands since 2012. I've had such good luck with my 2012 that I didn't really consider another brand on the new purchase.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I have a 2022 Ram 2500 crew cab with a long bed. It has the 6.4L gas engine.

I find it rides very well. It's the Laramie package, so it has better seats.

Years ago, my brother had a 2008 Chevy 2500 crew cab, short bed diesel. I rode with him on a road that is known to be very rough. At the same time, I had a Ram 2500 diesel. I was shocked at how rough the Chevy was compared to my Ram on the same road. I have only had Ram trucks since then.

 

[mike69440]

Interesting...Photo?

Amazon.com

(Link to racks)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HQ3K5M6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (for QA Pins)

 

[ericm979]

I've seen tests where they say the Rams have the best ride. They have coil springs which may have something to do with it. But they also have a significantly lower payload capacity, at least for the 3/4 tons I was paying attention to. So it may be more that the springs are softer than the type of spring.

We live on a really steep and twisty road. Every vehicle I've driven here gets downshifted to go down the road so I'm not riding the brakes. The Chevy, even with a 10sp auto, downshifted automatically for me. It also made a whistling noise on the steeper parts which I think was the exhaust brake. With no load it maintained speed on the steep parts. It will be interesting to see how it does with a load and in tow/haul mode.

 

[4570Man]

My 350 Ford long bed crew cab diesel 4 wd, rides like a lumberwagon empty even with air suspension on the back but rides like a Caddy loaded. Needless to say it's mostly loaded.

I’m ok with the ride quality of my Fords but the turning radius is horrible. I could turn my Volvo truck around twice in the superduty’s radius.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

The bottom line is they are pickup trucks that are empty 60% of the time.

Not all of them, our bed is full and a trailer is connected 90% of the time.

 

[5030]

I’m ok with the ride quality of my Fords but the turning radius is horrible. I could turn my Volvo truck around twice in the superduty’s radius.

Stretching it a bit, I'd say. My Western Star don't have a fantastic turn radius either but it is a big truck, not a pickup truck.

 

[jk96]

I’m ok with the ride quality of my Fords but the turning radius is horrible. I could turn my Volvo truck around twice in the superduty’s radius.

The turn radius on my 23 Ram is significantly worse than my 12 Ram. My 23 is the crew cab long bed and not the megacab like my 12 making it longer by a foot but it it feels much bigger trying to manuver in tight spaces.