Improving ride in new f450

I bought a 2016 F450 4x4 crew cab and chassis at the end of last year and after removing and tuning it tows my loads very well but the ride is a little to be desired. I'd like to improve it but not sure what to go with. I was looking at sumo springs to provide some cushion when loaded and unloaded to stop the bucking and jerking, but can't find any reviews on if anybody saw improvements. Or would putting better tires on it improve it enough over the 225/70/19.5 continentals? Can anyone give me some pointers

This truck tows a 20k gooseneck with my 10k skid steer and attachments everyday and just bought a 16k gooseneck dump that it'll tow too less frequently if that helps with recommendations


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Replacement air suspension?

Heavy tires and a heavier suspension will lead to a more harsh ride. You could look at changing the rear over to air. I think kelderman makes a kit as well as firestone and maybe airlift. Also one thing that helped the jerking with my truck is a set of OUO traction bars. couldn't believe how much it helped towing. I won't ever own a truck with out them. Then also if you have factory shocks toss some fox 2.0's on there and it will really help out as well.

Kelderman air ride should fix the ride quality I'd think.


If the truck is jerking and bucking with a trailer I'd say you have the trailer loaded wrong. If I have my gooseneck loaded right I can hardly tell it's there behind my 550. However if the weights are all in the wrong spot it'll tell you when you hit the first big bump, bridge, train tracks, etc.

its a 450 its going to be rough unless you invest a bunch of money or having it loaded up heavy. if most of the time your only towing around 12-15k why did you buy a 450 a 350 would of done that and you would of had a comfy ride

that 450 is a beast but the 19.5's and that beefy square tube Dana S110 don't do much for the unloaded ride

i would be looking at air as well even if it isn't top shelf like Kelderman
they have other decent options out there

Mark13 said:

Kelderman air ride should fix the ride quality I'd think.


If the truck is jerking and bucking with a trailer I'd say you have the trailer loaded wrong. If I have my gooseneck loaded right I can hardly tell it's there behind my 550. However if the weights are all in the wrong spot it'll tell you when you hit the first big bump, bridge, train tracks, etc.

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If I put the machine too far back going over the crappy roads around here I can feel the trailer lift on the hitch, too far forward where I have good tongue weight it does it.


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Downey said:

its a 450 its going to be rough unless you invest a bunch of money or having it loaded up heavy. if most of the time your only towing around 12-15k why did you buy a 450 a 350 would of done that and you would of had a comfy ride

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12-15k is average but haul more than that less frequently. Fully loaded total weight is around 28,000 is why


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Zmann said:

that 450 is a beast but the 19.5's and that beefy square tube Dana S110 don't do much for the unloaded ride

i would be looking at air as well even if it isn't top shelf like Kelderman
they have other decent options out there

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I've looked into the kelderman setup prior to original post but 2 reasons keep me from it. 1 cost, and 2 want a no maintenance or component failure.

I think I'm going to try better shocks, ouo traction bars and better tire/wheel setup.

Thanks for the responses


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BKopp said:

If I put the machine too far back going over the crappy roads around here I can feel the trailer lift on the hitch, too far forward where I have good tongue weight it does it.

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How far are you shifting the machine forward? If you're going a few feet I could see the issue, sometimes you only need to move something a foot or less and it totally changes how things ride.

BKopp said:

12-15k is average but haul more than that less frequently. Fully loaded total weight is around 28,000 is why

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28k for truck, trailer, and load?

BKopp said:

I've looked into the kelderman setup prior to original post but 2 reasons keep me from it. 1 cost, and 2 want a no maintenance or component failure.

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No matter what you do, stock suspension, air ride, etc it all requires some maintenance and can fail. From what I've seen those who have kelderman suspension they're happy with it and don't really have a lot of negative to say besides price. There's also a reason air ride is preferred on most all commercial truck applications unless it's offroad only or a rugged use environment.

I guess I should've gone into more detail. When I say I can feel it lift off the truck is when I go over onto overpasses as they are horrible. I've tried just about every position on the trailer and it doesn't matter where it still does it. When I say 28000 average that's total weight combined. I know a 350 would've done it but the 450 is what I could get to do everything and not have the cops hammer me. Nashville is a very busy place and the people drive around like idiots. I think a longer trailer might help too. Mine is a gpi 20+5, 20k that I bought last year in a rush as a drunk driver took out my Kaufman Tilt deck and I needed a trailer bad.


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We have 2 F-450s with 17" rims and they don't ride that bad at all.

But their not loaded down as much as you are either.

I don't know how the rim size would affect load rating tho. If it did at all.

Wes what year are your 450's?


i didn't think you could find a ten lug 17 inch rim to fit the OP's ?
i am sure it wouldn't fit on the op's truck just due to brake size alone

and yes the 19'5's have far superior load range options to a 17 from what I have been finding

12s or 13s, and their only 8 lug.

Just re read the OPs first post and seen his is cab and chassis. My bad on that.

I would call up Dave at OUO and talk to him about it. They could probably help you set it up better so it can tow and ride better.

BKopp said:

I guess I should've gone into more detail. When I say I can feel it lift off the truck is when I go over onto overpasses as they are horrible. I've tried just about every position on the trailer and it doesn't matter where it still does it. When I say 28000 average that's total weight combined. I know a 350 would've done it but the 450 is what I could get to do everything and not have the cops hammer me. Nashville is a very busy place and the people drive around like idiots. I think a longer trailer might help too. Mine is a gpi 20+5, 20k that I bought last year in a rush as a drunk driver took out my Kaufman Tilt deck and I needed a trailer bad.


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The roads in Nashville are terrible right now for everyone. LOL

I've never had those issues towing through town unless the load wasn't where I needed it or I was in a friend's truck that didn't have traction bars, whether 250/350/450s, although I've never towed with a cab and chassis truck. My main GN was about the same size as yours and I loved the maneuverability around town over the longer ones we'd pull on occasion.

That sucks you've had issues with cops around here... Guess I've been lucky. :shrug:

I second the vote to talk with OUO and that air could make a big improvement for you.

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BKopp said:

12-15k is average but haul more than that less frequently. Fully loaded total weight is around 28,000 is why


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Haha understand. See you need to go over to the gooseneck thread and explain weights to them.

cbf9703 said:

The roads in Nashville are terrible right now for everyone. LOL

I've never had those issues towing through town unless the load wasn't where I needed it or I was in a friend's truck that didn't have traction bars, whether 250/350/450s, although I've never towed with a cab and chassis truck. My main GN was about the same size as yours and I loved the maneuverability around town over the longer ones we'd pull on occasion.

That sucks you've had issues with cops around here... Guess I've been lucky. :shrug:

I second the vote to talk with OUO and that air could make a big improvement for you.

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I live out kinda south of Fairview and right by 840. Have you driven on that stretch of highway over to i65? They need to inflict some serious bodily injury on the contractors who put in that debacle


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Wes 450's are ten lug so maybe you have 350's ?

BKopp said:

I live out kinda south of Fairview and right by 840. Have you driven on that stretch of highway over to i65? They need to inflict some serious bodily injury on the contractors who put in that debacle


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Agreed! I don't run that side of 840 very often, but I remember thinking the same thing! The guy I traded my first lift for the EX was out that way. I'm currently down between Nolensville and Smyrna and primarily work in the Brentwood area, but I travel a lot.... 24, 65, 840, 440, 40, all the secondaries- they all need help these days!

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