My 2 sons have a 2000 Bravada and a 2005 Blazer. When I drive either vehicle I feel every little bump and they make my teeth shake. I have replaced all shocks, upper control arms with bushings and ball joints. Both are still in college so they will have the trucks for a while but I am trying to give them a decent ride. Can anyone tell me what else I should replace? I do most of the work myself to save $.
Thanks
Rich in NY

 

Have you checked for broken leaf springs in the rear? You say your kids are in college so think of what can break. Think "Dukes of Hazard." Lol.

 

Sputtle
Yes I have and all look good. They are both in city environments, although one is in the Bronx with real bad potholes. What about rubber bushings for the leaf springs, do they go bad? Would the rubber body mounts cause this? I have restored several 70s era Corvettes and have seen what it takes to replace the body mounts.
Rich

 

Last night I just finished putting new bushings in my leaf springs and spring shackle. I don't think that will help as much with the ride as it will with swaying during turns. Though after I finish this message I'm heading out to put the gas tank back up so I haven't driven it yet. I've replaced everything else you have mentioned myself and the ride has been getting better and better. But I'm pretty sure that I'm going to want to replace the body bushings before I will be satisfied with the ride. So in your case, though I haven't done it yet, I would definitely look at body bushings as the next step.

 

Superintendent, I wanted to get back to you after I drove my Blazer last night. I was not expecting it at all but I was pleasantly surprised to find my truck is indeed riding smoother with the new leaf spring bushings. I didn't think they'd make really any noticeable difference. I changed them out because it was one of the steps I was taking to handle too much sway. I still have too do the body bushings, but right now the truck is riding very smooth.

I will tell you I used a 12 ton Harbor Freight Shop Press to change the bushings and it is not something I would have wanted to tackle at all without a press. You could probably also use a front end service kit to press them out, but it won't be any fun. I own one but I think you can get them as a loaner at a parts store. You'll want that, or something like it anyway to press out the shackle-to-frame bushings if you do those too. The issue is not the rubber portion of the bushing, but rather the outer shell. Personally I pressed the outer shell out also, but I think others might prefer just mangling the hell out of the shell to get it out, I'm not sure.

Make sure you purchase the bushings beforehand though. I had a hell of a time finding a set for the spring main eye because they have been discontinued on '98 ZR2's. However, yours may still be in service. I finally was able to get a pair from NAPA. You could also go with after-market bushings if you wanted instead of OEM style.

So, basically I just wanted to share with you that my ride is incredibly smooth after everything I've done to it so far and it started out teeth rattling like yours. After each thing I did, I would drive the truck to check out each improvement and there is no doubt that the new spring & shackle bushings have improved the ride a measure. Not the most obviously, but they definitely helped enough to be noticeable on their own. Here's everything I've done suspension-wise so far:

-New Bilstein shocks on all 4 corners
-New Moog front Sway Bar links and bracket bushings
-New Moog ball joints on all 4 control arms
-New Moog front wheel hubs
-Replaced leaf spring shackles (the old ones were rusted so much I was surprised they hadn't let go.
-New Energy Suspension shackle-to-frame bushings (there's a good story there for another thread...they've gained a loyal customer)
-New OEM style bushings in all 4 spring eyes
-New leaf spring spacers on the outer 2 locations of both leaf springs
-New tie rod ends
-New upper control arm bumpers

What I will be doing at some point (though I can't see how the ride will get any smoother than it is now):

-Replace all body bushings
-Upgrade to an aftermarket larger rear sway bar I have my eye on and replace the rear sway bar links
-Replace bushings in the control arms