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1999 dodge ram 2500 rough ride need help???

7K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  BigGreenV10 
#1 ·
I just bought a 1999 dodge ram 2500 diesel. I did a whole tuneup on it when I bought it I when I drove it home I noticed it was shaking at high speeds like it was a tire out of balance. When I did the tuneup all the tires were around 30-35 psi when the max said it could be 80 psi so of course I pumped them up to 80 psi to gas saving reasons. I also balanced them. Now the truck shakes like it has a out of balance tire but it does it sometimes worse then other times. sometimes it is really bad and then when the trans does its shift at 45 mph it smooths out but then sometimes comes back. I am not sure where to start. Should I get an aliment?
 
#4 ·
yeah. It's also dangerous to inflate your tires to the max. Keep it 8-10psi below the max pressure (tires, as they heat up... they shrink)

Also, put your truck on jackstands, and spin each tire making sure that there is no "bubbles" indicating a broken belt... REPLACE IMMEdiATLEY.

if they are firestones, Replace them regardless :)
 
#13 · (Edited)
The advise you are getting on tire pressures in this thread are wrong. Most E rated tires state that the maximum pressured is 80 psi COLD. You should check the tire pressures COLD, never hot. In fact, if you are hauling a heavy load in your bed you SHOULD inflate the tires to the maximum stated cold pressure, as the tires are rated to carry the maxium load at that pressure (in most cases).

Remeber, your driving a 2500 series truck, the suspension is heavier to handle heavier loads. It's not going to ride like a cadillac. With that said, you should NOT be having the vibration issues you are having. How are your u-joints? What about a bad hub bearing up front? I had a VERY violent shaking under braking when I first got my truck. It ended up being a bad tire and a bad hub bearing.

Hauling heavy loads and NOT running the maximum cold pressure (or at least somewhere near max cold pressure) is DANGEROUS. Under-inflated tires run hotter and will increase your chances of a blow-out. Go over to RV.Net and ask those guys this question, especially when it comes to trailer tires.

If your not running heavy, then sure, reduce your tire pressure. I myself run the maximum stated sidewall pressure on all of my vehicle's tires. This will reduce rolling resistance (yield the most MPG) and provide maximum tread life. Some will tell you it also can interfere with the tire's contact patch on the road (making it smaller). Some will also tell you it can lead to irregular tire wear. Well, if that is the case, I have never had an issue due to that and I have had to make an emergency manevur to avoid an accident this week. I also rotate my tires every 5K miles and this yields excellent treadwear life.

If others disagree, that's fine. This is what I have come to find the best after 21 yrs of spinning wrenches, to each his or her own though.

Good luck. :gr_patrio
 
#7 ·
plus when tires got hot the pressure increases i would say bring itdown to about 60 psi you got a hot summer day where as your drivin alot the pressure could increase as much as 10 psi in near perfect conditions also check to see if you have any bubbles in your sidewall could also throw it out of balance goodluck
 
#11 ·
Sport does not sit higher. The 2500 is taller than the 1500 though. I think you may need to start looking at steering/suspension components. How many miles on this rig? Is it gas or diesel?
 
#12 ·
in my opionion ur air pressure is to high i run 40-45 psi in 35x12.50 17'' inch tires my truck needed all the front end parts replaced the tie rod ends ball joints everything im not saying u need to replace everything but u need to climb under it and see if u have worn parts maybe in the steering grease everything up if is a diesel like mine its gonna ride rougher ur driving a 7000 pound truck maybe ur shocks are warn out my truck has the factory back shocks at 124k miles and there bad im replacing my shocks with rancho rsx shocks and the steering stabalizer but im guessing you to have a bad tire or shock or maybe ur not used to how a diesel rides keep us updated
 
#14 ·
Oh great another tire inflation debate lets all agree to disagree because this will never end otherwise. I do run my tires to the max numbers when cold. But I don't think your problem is that. What you describe sounds like a balance problem either in a tire or driveshaft or due to another mechanical problem first I would just get the tire rebalanced cheep and if there is a prblem with the tires the shop will find it and show you. I can say my department (sorry I am a Deputy Sheriff) run the inflation at the posted sidewall pressure due to the sometimes high speeds we are required to run. The manufacture spend allot of time testing to find the safe recomended pressure. I personally use them.
 
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